Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-11-23
T6E FRENCH SUCCESSION.

t. has been noted (says the Baltimore Sum-
that the Empress Eugene is taxing her nus,
hond,s rl.ce a good deal among the crowned
heads. and some critics appear to consider that
.b. is rehcarsing, as it were, grand part, as
If to be- prepared for possible regency. A
New York journal, which is never backward
in suggesting names for all the prominent of
eo;ol nostions in this country, has long ar
t;c,e in which it pronounces Eugene the FORE
most woman of the world, and draws parallel
of nearly column between her and the AS
syrian Queen Seniramfs. The similarity, we
suppose, is to be completed after Eugene mas
laid a foundation for her son to ascend the
throne by her vanishing from earth and Tying
to heaven in the form of dove as tradition
asserts of Semiramis AS, except the tact OF
her existence, the whole of the history of Sem
irams, or nearly all of it is fabulous, tits quite
possible that Eugene may have been like her.
though not of much consequence whether she
was or not. 1t would require more than the
courage attributed to Semiramis in any woman
who undertakes, as regent or otherwise, to rule
the French empire That feature of the Salic
law by which females were excluded from the
crown, which has always prevailed in France,
will not be surrendered as easily as it was IN
Eugenies country, when it was abolished in
favor of Queen Isabella in 1880. The results
of that abolition have not been such as to re-
commend similar experiment to other ma
tons, even though the person it is desired to
elevate be gifted and exemplary as Eugene
IS said to be- A woman, it is true, is the head
of the English empire, the most extensive that
ever existed On the face of the globe, but she
il there simply an ornamental weathercock
to the spire of grand temple, and so far
from controlling any portion of the edifice' Is
Obliged to veer about with everychange III the
breeze of public opinion. For woman to
seize the helm of France, and steer the ship
of state through a stormy sea, while veterans
Of camn and council stand around in subordi>
note nlaces to execute her will, is very diff
f.rent position from that of Queen Victoria,
who is simply garland on the brow OF the
sturdy OK, which he is willing to wear as
decoration, and does not look upon as an III
cumboraDce or humiliation. Napoleon, than
whom no one more thoroughly understands
the genius and temper Of the French people,
can scarcely have much faith, especially in the
POLITICAL fermentation that is now so active in
France, of preserving his dynasty by the re-
gency Of Eugene, though he may be willing
enough to take the chances. 1t she is as su-
perior person, intellectually, politically and
eoo;oIIv az sha il repreSeuted, or as the
journal in question styles her, "thc foremost
woman of the world" she may yet, even if she
able, like the gifted mother of the Emperor
himself, by intelligently and thoroughly pre-
pairing her son to perform kingly duties and
&c avail himself of another turn in the wheel of
revolution to get back to preserve the Napo>
leon dynasty moro sffectually, perhaps, than if
she should aspire to be regent and have to fight
with tho factions of various aspirants to main
tain her foothold.