The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-03
Louis NanOIaOn.

loyal voters of Pennsylvania"
Louis Napoleon.
The aphoristic, "Nothing succeeds so we'll as
success" is unfortunately more distinguished
for truth than freedom from slliterative error.
Had Louis Napoleon failed on the I'd Of De-
cember, 1857, as he had previously failed in
his attempts at Strasburg and Bolougne, we
should not have to apply the miserable saying
to him-the Great Man the saviour Of France
the Regeneration of Europe and much more
of this undisoriminating admiration which we
are every day obliged to listen to. We have
often thought that if the full history Of Louis
Napoleon's coup d'etat were known as it should
be, many who indulge in these expressions of
admiration would not be 80 lavish of their
praises. Everybody has read Of the oonvul-
sion occasioned by the son of the late General
Cavignac refusing to accept a testimonial for
good scholarship under the eye and auspices
of the little French Imperial Prince. How
strong and deep-rooted must his Majesty's
Government be What deep hold must it
have on the affections of the French people
when SO slight cause can occasion SO great
an excitement But many will reason without
going to facts.
There is no event in history so well known
as the history of Louis Napoleon's coup detat.
Without going into full history of his life
we should like to present to our readers a
brief summary of that event. Unlike history
generally, instead of there being scarcity Of
materials, we have an abundance. We have
Bonapartist accounts, royalists, moderate re-
publcans, radical republican accounts by
people of all shades of opinions-Garnier de
Cassignac for the Bonapartists, Victor Hugo
for the extreme democrats, dispatches in the
Moniteur by Magnan and others-Xavier Dur
rieu, Bulletin Franchise, La Verite, Recueil
d'Actes Oficielles. But the authority to which
we attach the most Importance is the testi
mony cf British officer. This gentleman
was on visit to Paris at the time; he was not
connected with any of the parties, was merely
there as an involuntary spectator. He was
not even acquainted, as far as we are aware,
with any OF the actors in the scene, and whose
statement we are bound to think is impartial
and correct. This officer, Captain Jesse, in
his letter to the London Times, thus speaks
Of what he witnessed. After telling that
he was on the balcony of the house at which
he was lodging, he suddenly heard firing of
musketry, believing at first that it was salute,
never dreaming that soldiers were firing ball
cartridges at men, women, and children. We
will let him tell part in his own words:-
The windows were crowded with people, prin-
cipally women, tradesmen, servants, children,
or, like orselves, the occupants of apartments.
Suddenly, as was intently looking with my
glass at the troops in the distance eastward,
column, which consisted of about 5000 men.
In a few minutes IL spread, and after hanging
sheet OF flame. SO regular, however. was the
hre, that at first thought 1t was a fWe dejote
for some barricade taken In advance, or to Sig
nal their position to some other division; and
II was not till IL came within fifty yards of me
nat a az Inc saarP rnglnE & report Of
believe the evidence of my own ears; for as to my
eyes, Icotttd discover no enemy TO fire at. and
continued looking at the men until the COM
pany below me were actually raising their fire.
locks, and one vagabOnd, sharper tnan the rest,
had covered me. In an instant dashed my
wife, who had just stepped out against the pier
between the windows. when shot struck the
ceiling Immediately over our heads. and
covered us with dust and broken plaster. In
a second after. placed her upon the floor. and
in another voliey came against the whole front
OF the house, The balcony, and the windows;
piece; another the shade of the clio CLOCK; I'y every
pane of glass but one was smashed; the curtains
and window frames cut the room, in short.was
deadly was, that even after 1t had begun at the
eastern end OF the Boulevard Montmarre, people
standing at the balconies and windows could
not believe that the troops were really firing
in at tie windows with ball cartridge and they
remained in the front rooms, and even con-
tinued standing at the windows until volley
came crushing in. AT one of the windows
there stood a Russian noble with his sister at
his side; suddenly they received the fire OF the
soldiery, and both Of them were wounded with
musket shots.
This description although episodical, is con-
elusive as to the dreadful means resorted to
by Louis Napoleon. We intend to collate
what must be considered as the first or pre-
liminary movement, commencing with the
removal of Chargarnier as commander of the
garrison of Paris, followed by the proceedings
Of the National Legislative Assembly, and
hope to resume 1t an early day.