The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-17


The ono hundredth birthday Of the great
Napoleon was celebrated with great and not
unbeooming pomp and spleudor In Paris and
generally throughout France on Sunday last.
1t was great opportunity for the present
head Of the house Of Bonaparte. All things
considered. It must be admitted that the op-
portunity was not lost. Napoleon Is at the
present moment in place which does seem
tight. France is not precisely what he
would like France to be; nor Is the heir of the
First Napoleon quite so much popular idol
as he was in l848 and in 1861. As he grows
older France becomes impatient of his author
ity, and cries loudly for reform. 1t is painful
for the Emperor to know that he
is not strong enough to resist this
popular olamor. It is more painful
to see the pillars of his throne, the aiders and
abettors of the coup d'6t0t, the companions of
his exile, perish one by one. In advancing
years and in declining health, when enemies
have multiplied and friends have become fewer,
the Emperor gives abundant proof that he is
still himself and still equal to the occasion.
He has never been a stubborn ruler. He has
often stopped but he has never stopped but
to conquer. Never was the skill Of the Third
Napoleon more conspicuousIy revealed than it
has been on this latest occasion. He knows
that the memory Of the first Napoleon Is dear
to the French people. Mark the skill with
which he has used this hundredth birthday of
the founder of his house. 1t has been neces-
sary for his agents to imprison political agi-
tators and press offenders. 1t Is necessary
that he should be on good terms with
the army and the navy. To all press
and political offenders, therefore, he has
granted full and complete amnesty. Pardon
is extended also to all deserters from the army
and navy and from the mercantile marine. It
was a happy thought that led the Emperor,
when he could not appear himself to send
his son to the camp at Chalons. It was well
too that on such q day the people of Paris
should rejoice.
The hundredth birthday of the great Napo-
leon! This latest celebration may yet prove
fruitful of great results to France and even 10
the world generally. 1t may be the last cele-
bration for many years to come. In 1910 or
in 1912 who could have predicted that the
name of Napoleon should hav Q been prescribed
in France from 1915 to l84s. The present
Napoleon holds the reins with firm hand
but even supposing the life of the Emperor to
be considerably prolonged, what guarantee
have we that revolution will not drive
him from his throne, or that the
Third Napoleon, like the First, may not die in
exile? We cannot refuse to admit the EN-
peror's great abilities, but great as they are
they are not greater than those of his uncle.
That he has not committed the great sins of
his uncle is no satisfactory reason why the
French people, If they should find themselves
strong enough, should not do by him as they
did by Charles the Tenth and by Louis
Philippe. We are willing to hope better
things but the fates are inscrutable. The
skill manifested by Napoleon on this centenary
occasion may make him complete master of
the situation, but it may not.
1t is difficult to write on this subject without
rejecting on the interval which has elapsed
since the Great Napoleon first saw the light.
In no high or true sense was the man bless
ing to his people or to the race. But he took
part in great movement; he figured ia great
times; he took the reins out Of the hands
of great men he left his impress on tho
age, and his name will never die. In oil
future time men will think of him as one of the
greatest and most gifted of their species; but
no age will ever bless him for the example he
set or for the legacy he left behind him. The
world has progressed nightly since he was
born; 1t made rapid advancements in his own
day and generation but It may fairly be
questioned whether progress was not more
hindered than promoted by the mighty in
fuence he welded. The steam, which came
into existence in the very year in which he
was born, and which has since completely
revolutionized the world, seems to say to us
that Napoleon's life was one long continuous
blunder. Not war, but peace; not the con-
quest Of nations, but the afaliation of the
peoples, was the genuine want of his time,
and, 1t is but fair to add, the natural express
sion of the great French Revolution.
Napoleon did not meet this want, did not give
force and emphasis to this expression; he
create0 OlS8ppOlntnentS RnO raised OD6truc-
tons which exist to this day. Europe and
the world have changed and changed nightly
for the better; but how little of this change IL
due to the man whom France and the Third
Napoleon delight to honor. We have now our
steam engines, our telegraphs our great daily
newspapers, which are impelling the nations
forward on the pathway Of progress, which are
doing much to render such career as that of
Napoleon impossible. We have made great
strides since Napoleons time. We live in
happier circumstances, and we have right
henceforward to look for heroes of higher