New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-23
=" I'VE pENPEREUR.p

IL ia astonishing TO notice the number Of
Americans who may be supposed to be stiii
Republicans, but who, when they go to Paris,
fall Violently in love with the Third Napoleon.
He has a winning way Of making them forget
his coup d{tat and of driving quite out OF their
minds his many perjuries. Only we who stay
quietly upon our own side OF the Atlantic,
escape the Imperial destinations and the dulcet
lures of Comp6gne, meanwhile wondering
how it should happen that sea voyage and
the French atmosphere should so take the
Democratic marrow out of the American bones,
cspccially in the region of tho knco-hinges.
Before us in The 81. Louis Democrat we have
sufficient if not satisfactory evidence OF the
seductive style in which Napoleon Imperator
strikes a stranger; for the correspondent of
the journal aforementioned, going TO see His
Sacred Majesty pass from his palace TO the
Chamber of Deputies. declares that she felt
| "disappointed at the apparent lack of en-
thusiasm in the crowd" To be sure, his
democratic instincts Gas he takes pains to tell
u.s. "revolted at the abstract Imperial tyranny"
but in concrete despotsm he finds nothing to
complain Of, for he frankly declares that he
could not restrain his admiration of so wise
"and intrepid ruler as Napoleon
"HIr SO when the lackered coach with
"the brave man" came in sight,
no doubt our American friend did his best to
compensate by the vigor of his give rEmpe-
"reurn very badly pronounced) for the sang
6oid OF Frenchmen whose love for the gentle
man in the coach was limited. "Wo did it," he
says, "to show our respect for the brave man
60 who was passing" Perhaps they might have
cried less Justify if they could have estimated
rightly the respect which the brave man had
for them. Perhaps they had vague notion
that the sorority of their bawling would bring
them cards of invitation to the next Royal re-
ceptiOn. Perhaps they were merely keeping
their lungs in order for the mass meetings at
which they expect to assist upon their re-
turn. Perhaps they were quite carried away
by the Imperial equpage-"a coach of glass
land gold, drawn by majestically capaTisoned
"steeds, the driver and foOtman shining gorge
"ously in their gold lace and other tinselry.' If
so, this was not by any means the first occasion
since tho creation of the world upon which
asses haze brayed with wonder and envy at the
sight of "majestically caparisoned steeds.Y Only
one would like to know which this letter-writ-
Ing RcnucIull d'lIlitu bhC moot hNbN'J WV
Emperor OF his horses.
Passing from the tumults of Paris to the
Arcadian refnements of Comp6igne, we en-
counter our own excellent ambassador Extra
| ordinary, Mr.. Washburne, who has been invi-
ted TO spend week with Majesty. "On Mr..
"W.'s ARRIVAL we are told impressyely, his
name vas announced in the Grand Hall, and
"a servant specially appointed for his service
&" ut once presented himself and conducted our
Minister to his apartments" That he did
not faint when he got there, with excess of
| 10y and pride sufficiently assures us that Mr..
Washbume is no longer valetudnarian. But
| it was when the Plenipotentiary came to
dance flat our national character infinitely
rose in the opinion of all beholding French
| men. We have seen half dozen different
accounts of our Minister'S dancing, and we are
proud to ray that they are cOncurrently COM
| plimentary. That he kept it up" Gas we are
! informed) "for n much longer period than
"many of the guests were able to do with
Comfort speaks well for his lungs and his
| legs; and the fact itself we trust will 90 far
toward refuting the doctrine of physical de-
gencracy in America. When Mr.. Washburne
comes back again those who admire him will
doubtless offer him public dinner but we
insist beforehand that it should be a ball. We
want to see for ourselves the agility aud grace
| of our excellent cOmpatriOt.
|
IL is odd to notice that the moment the