, 1870-08-15
American history as the F1Hs7 AND TIE
GREAT ADMIRAL.
LOUIS HAPoLEoH's GENERALsH1F

LOUIS HAPoIEoa's aENERA1sH1P.
single reverse does not necessarily |
prove military incapacity. louis Napoleon
has steadily aimed to be considered
the first soldier in France,
worthy, l,y right OF military a''iii-
y, Us well rs political success, to command
uer as7nics. On this claim, more than on
his sasacity as statesman, he is nov Of
rial. That lie possesses great address, |
skill in The manipulation Of human wax
nesses, aud other Of the qualities ot
.irst-class intriguer, lis career abundant!y
>lows Whatever may bo sad OF his
s,ates1nanship none will deny
his statScraft. Even in these
respects >She does not belong
to tho class Of balanced minds whom thor
oug gh Judgment ssres from error. For
every SUCCESS he has met a failure as con.
spicuous. II his coup d'etat in Paris wss
slzilful, his earlier cscapales at Strasburc
and Doulogno we're ridiculous. II his deal
ings with England, Austria, and Italy have
been successes, his war in Mexico was
costly hlunder. For four years his ill.,
trigues with Prussia have been signaly
foiled by cooler head, frmor will, and,
it would now appear, stonger hand
What are the grounds upon which Lonis
Napoleon, now old and an invalid, asks
France to trust him as match for Won
Moltke, the Grown Prince, and Frederick
Charles, the conquerof of Sadowa?
Louis Napoleon studied the art of war in
Switzerland, was in some way attached 10
the Swiss army, aud aimsd from the first
TO identify himself with the military pro-
fession. Had Louis Philippe granted his
petition to enter, even as private soldisr,
the arrnies Of France, he might have
studied the profession in school worthy
OF one who would command French ar
naies- IA it WAS, hia education must
havo been theoretical. St. Cyr, tho
West Point Of France, WAS closed
to him. AIgiers, the training ground
Of the Freush ao1disz, was closed to him.
He lived With his mothsr At = retired cha
tsau in Switzerland, and studied and vrote
q Manual Of Artillery" whioh could have
contained little TINT was new, since he had
never commanded battery, He took part
with his elder brother in an italian insur-
rection against the Austrians, vhoss sole
result wan, that, hy his brothers dsath and
Eapoleon's decree, he becams heir-appazant
To the hopes of the Bonaparte dynasty. not
than very brilliant. His attempt to ovsr.
throw Louis Philips, by calling on tbs
garrison at Strasburg to rise, and his e1ps
ditiou to Boulogue in "a steamer, with tht
Count do Montho1on and tame eagle,
only indicated seif-oonceit amounting t.
monomania. They gave no evidence O
soldieslY qualities.
Louis Napoleon went to Paris in the rev
olution of 1918, therefore, without ove
having become soldier, however ardantl,
he had sought to be one. a revolution la
occurred without. his aid. Ths name o
Bonaparse secured him a seat in the Assem-
, bly,, and those qualities of political address
, md cunning which belonged to him as
Beauharnais secured his election to th
Presidency. His coup d'etat of Decsnibe,
1851, afforded him the first opportunity t
, command troops-for there were twant
), thousand Frsnch1nen to be killed. But b
!. preferred to direct the slaughter from th
4 secure reccs>es Of the palace, while the al
tual command Of the troops devolved O
regular soldiers. Before he had been si
.. :. months on the throne he inaugurated th
Crimcau war, to establish the military pre-
= tlge Of the empire. Hs did not, howeve
q visit the actual scene Of oper
. tions. His next war was the Ita
a ian. in which he endcnyored
attract to himself as large measure (
a credit rs Was consistent with pernittir
Il the actual guidance of operations to
"a controlled by his Generals. His Mexic.
n war was again an affair Of his Generals.
III Napoleon'a qualifications to comma'
n. the armies of France at this juncture &C
H. sist, therefore, in having road militia
he works. in being natural politician and
d. triguer, and in having somehow witness
tho battles Of Magenta and Solferino. 7
H.. assumed first soldier of France has never
a. division, brigade, or regiment. Ho |
~ been 1aborious student OF many thin
~ md especially Of the careers of Jul
-, cnsar aud Of the great Napoleon. He
"a shown the egotisnl to believe in his o
-. capacity to do anything, and tho rashn
-. which von1d lead him to commit many
urea, If France finds in such an adv
:, t1irer safe or successful Commander
~ Chief for her armies, then will every ,
=, :onabla inference from his past opport1
-, ties and career be reversed. Shs is N
49,. likely 10 find him the uucontro!labls
/ :. Sn{S, In r., ,,afr Il.