The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-04-20

The Hon. 9. 9. Cox, though mexbcr OF
Congress elect, from New York, is in bad
hc&lfh and travelling In Europe under ad-
vic@ Of his physician. Late letters from him
have been published In the New York World,
dated In Corsica, giving charming desorip-
| lions of the scenery and objects Of interest
| in that renowned Island. We abstract the
following; 81 III
Ajacclo would not be accounted much ex-
ccpt for Its bay and healthy situation, were
1t not the birthplace Of the most remarkable
man of the past thousand years. It has n
fine gallery Of paintings, but that Is gift
Of one Of the Napoleonic connections, Car
dinal Feseh. II has a beautiful marble
| chapel, but that is o mausoleum Of the Ma
poleon family. 1t has an old cathedral,
where Madam Letitla was accustomed 10
take the young Bonaparte TO mass. II has
some iue villas, but chief among them,
| which we visited, was that OF the Countess
Bacciochi (still Bonaparte,) which that
| lady, lust dead, has len to the young Prince
| Imperial. All tho streets bear Napoleonic
names. The cafes, also, are named after
jerome, or some others Of the family. But
chief among the souvenirs Of the great fam
| lily ls the house where Napoleon was born.
l
looked in upon the halter at his work; looked
through the grated windows OF his shop, and
| there, unconscious of his ennobling proS-
unity, he was beating away at his trade.
| The house where the princes Of the earth
FIRST drew breath Is next door to o hatter's
"wc shall all meet at the hatter's," saith
the homcly provcrb. But let me be more
| precise;
Passing up narrow street in the heart Of
II ho Nnn n
thence upon little open spot, ornamented
| with tropical palms, shrubs and flowers.
This plot was opened by the mother Of Ma.
poleon, by tearing down a house In front oil
her own. She used the house on one side Of
the plot as stable aud coach house. Ny
halter Is opposite. The woman who showed
us the premises was formerly q waiting
old stable opposite my halter, which Il
neatly fitted up. Upon the front Of tn
| Bonaparte mansion there Is an Inscription
that within this house Napoleon was born
| The house Is largc-four stories-stone, eyi
IDENTIFY one Of the best Of It's day. II Is hardl!
cxcellcd even yet In Ajaccio. II shows tina
the family were "well to do in the world
In fact, Madame Letitia's family (the Ramo
linis) were rich, and had many estates upol
) the island. When she died, she bequeathe
: most Of her furniture to the members Of he
family. The present Emperor has collecte
| most Of the articles aud replaced them In tn
house. Our conductress told us what eac
u object meant, and whose room this and thu
i was. The second floor was the Madame
Is bed chamber, dining-room, salons, &c., quit
~ commodious. The floor above II was d.
voted to the sons. Here was Napoleon
room and his bureau. The floor above Thu
C for the boys was that occupied by the daugl
4, tiers. There was q very small terrace looklr
y out from the reception room, with flowers
l. pots-all In bloom. ..
G. This reception room contained five lit
2 square mirrors, as high as your head, ru
ming down each sidei and three other mi
rors near them, and one grand mirror
NJ either end OF the room. In fact we count,
n; some fifteen mirrors in this room. The n
ut polcons were well provided with lookil
\. glasses. Wa cannot say as much for any
Il. the other houses we have seen. What etiC
'al these mirrors had upon the young Napoleo
mt | leave with other reflections TO the read
cs- Two brackets for wax tapers hung belC
10 each little mirror. The ceiling was ribbe
" 1t had been newly plasterod, with some lit
list effort at frescoe. The mothers portra
IN very finely executed, hung over her dressii
ID. table. It presents her as q splendid woma
"a The cabinets were inlald with every color
- marble, and very antique; some rare objet
M sent by Napoleon from Egypt were sec
OF But the chief attraction was the bed on viii
Napoleon was born. II was q wooden, rio
#, ETY. affair; near by Il was the sedan chair
;" the Madame. II was well known-well,
w. will put it-polltely-ln French-that Ma
in anne Letizia surprise a rtgliss par lss doulet
H. | dc reHfr.tsHlenl s Is AOla, 17Gg, rapport,
ne son don,iclsl In this very sedan, the mott
of our great Emperor was borne from
s' church, and on this very couch the " lit
corporar' frat drew his breath. From &
bed to St. Helenai from the capital to
e tha Araf
the | Austerlitz, Waterloo! Here, In this hou
h. hi bud aa Syhqg q Set soldiers re
no moustache-till at the age of flteen,
len entered the military school at Brienne.
ngs returned home for vacations, and mixing
r in young ambition with the daily round of b
,oJ hood pleasures and walks, he nj the So
~" time imbibed from the peculiar character
tics ofthe Corsicans their feuds and feelin
ste which his grand, gloomy and maryelc
nth after-life illustrated.
,ho Just above us-wherc / write-we {
LUG pointed out u grotto made by the bowlde
ms, and surrounded with foliage and must
of with birds, as the favoritc study-spot OF
or young Napoleon. The spot commands
beautiful view Of the bay and the snow-c
'hu mountains around. Prom 1t can be sc
did upon clear day, the Island OF Sardlr
Gardens Of oranges, from which we arc
tile mitted to pluck At pleasure, cover the slo
,no | near n.y. heubes VI SaCtus. SeSsus Phou
'ha cactus-the famous macchic, so swet
len scented; the arbutus, the myrtle, the oil
lief, aud every kind OF color Of tree and fo'
81 here grow la the air OF winter. II was wit
the circle of such Influences OF sun, 8
land and water, that the young Napol'
&C. formed his plans Of life. How many Of tn
ian failed, or how many of them were realiz
we can only guess. One thing remains
Tn, be sald-that In the hurly-burley of
md active career he never forgot Corsica.
eat always intended to do more for her than
mr. did. Ills last thoughts were about his nat
soil.