New-York tribune., 1868-04-02
TIE CLAIMS or THE H4POLEONLC

TIE CLlTMS or THE H4POLEONLC
DYNASTY
II is admitted even by the most devoted
partsans of Louis Napoleon that the prestige
OF the HapOoOnic rule and with it the pros
poets Of the Napoleonc dynasty, have Of late
been seriously injured. The retreat from
Mexico. the failure TO arrest the consoIda-
ticn of Germany, or to receive territorial COM
pcnsation from Prussia the defeat OF the
annexation plan in the Luxcmburg question,
have thoroughly shaken the influential position
which France used 10 occupy in the great
international questions of Europe. AT home
The Government still commands an oyerwhclm-
ine majority in the Legislative Body; bat
even at home there have Of late been
serious symptoms of dissatisfaction among the
classes on which the Government has been
accustomed to rely for unconditional support
When. in 1866, the Emperor made some war
like demonstration, against Prussia thc cOun-
Try answered with a universal outcry Tor the
preservation of peace, and against any az
rc,sivc war; The same resistance TO a
warlike policy showed itself when the Govern
mcut contemplated the increase Of the amy.
The Government, in Difference to public
opinion. changed some OF the most Objectionable
features Of the original army bill. hut even the
passage of Tie 'modifcd bill produced q ylo-
luut agitation IN the country. Riots have lc-
Gently taken place in Toulouse aud Gronoble.
and IN the fonucr place the Ouinous cry oi
" Iirc a Eeyrbliqucr has been shouted 10y the
Infatuated mob.
In view oi this increase oi popular di,con
tent, the Emperor has deemed il necessary TO
remind the French nation Of The claim, of the
Napolcouic dynasty, and to this end pamphlet
ha. been published at the Imperial priut
iue-oaco in Paris, setting forth "thc various
manifestation, Of The national will which,
under the two Republics and the two En-
"pircs. have founded the Napoloouc dynasty
The fact Of its being printed at ihc Imperial
priuting-Ollicc j. alone q sufficient proof %, the
official character OF The pamphlet; but We have.
at the same time, the express testimony oi the
Government press that the pamphlet j, due
"to "A high inspiration The cNtEac.s which
we yesterday gave Of the pamphlet sufficiently
indicate it's character. II does not attempt ml
elaborate defense Of the intgieucs. violence.
aud perjury which wrrc USED hy thc two
NdpolcOns 10 overthrow the CouSti,u
tions they had sworn to support.
II barely mentions the co,p dd1j of 1851.
In answer 10 all the grave charges which have
been brought against the rule 0l the two Ma
pGlcons. il rests it, defense upon one single
argument: the result of the elections in which
the people were called upon by the two Ma
polcons To sanction the gradual substitution Of
the two EmpicS for the two Republics. Ia
1899 the first BonaUartc was elected TO the
Consulate for ten years by vote OF 3'9llOo'
against 1.jG2 votes; in 1902, 5,JGSlSj votes
against 9O1l elected him to the Consulate Tor
life; and in 1901 he was raised to the Imperial
throne by 1921 $40 To 2,ji0 votes. As no gen
cral plcbiscite had dcpOscd the first Napolcon
from the throne, Louis Napoleon claims even -
hereditary right 10 the throne. But this claim
is not pressed and the official pamphlet pre-
fers to rest the claims OF the third Napoleon
on the popular votes in 1913, IN December,
1851, and i'm 1852 lie was elected President in
fslS by 5,jS1,;J votes against 1,0lS,Su; in
1851, he was elected President for ten years 10y
1926 votes against 63l,3j and III 1872, the
Emperor was accepted by 7,S9l,lSg vOtcs
against 2J31lj. So conclusive is this argument
in the opinion Of the Imperial pamphlctecr,
that he places at the head of his work the
HlOltb. IOL i DpHU fbf Htf-i N''' w Wv
People is the Voice of God.
That there is some force in this argument, no
believer in the principle of self government
should deny. An honest Committee on Flee
tons would, undoubtedly, have discovered in
the six memorable elections thousands of
fraudulent votes, and a sufficient amount of
unlawful influences To call for new elections
but it would hardly have changed the general
result. The claim of Napoleon that he, rs well
IA his uncle, received a majority of the pOpu-
lar vote, and that lac is still the choice of the
real majority of voters, rests, We are sorry TO
believe, on an undisputabe fact. If this opin
ion is correct, plots for the overthrow Of the
Empire and for the forcible introduction of the
Republic appear to be unlawful and useless; for
of what use is - republican form of govern
ment if majority of the whole population dO
not want the Republic If Napoleon, on the
ground of the popular vote cast for his dyn
asty, claims to be recognized rs the chief of
the nation, his claim appears TO be we'll founded.
But here his claims cease, and those OF his
opponents begin. IL is a remarkable circum-
stance that, simultaneously with the lWperial