The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-08-13
COLUMBIA, S. G.
Saturday Morning, August l3, 1870.

Saturday Morning, August 13, 1870.
Has Napoleon a Winning Card I'm Re.
scrves-Lcs Idces Nnpoleonnces.
The suggestion made by some of our
cotemporaries, that Napoleon holds the
winning card of republicanism in his
hands to play it when necessary, is one
that we do not concur in, and yet it has
some plausibility. Years aud years ago,
before Napoleon had achieved reputa-
tion, when he was resident of New
York and lived at Hoboken, he is repre-
sented as making with some boon COM
panions @ remarkable wager, viz: That
he would be, before his death, at the
head of the French nation as the CHAM
pion Of Democracy, and that lie wonld
give the right construction in the inte-
rests of humanity and civilization to his
uncle's prophecy of 1S2l-"m sixty
gears. Europe a0iU be Republican or Cos
sack" And he explained that by s'the
right construction, he meant "republi-
can" Taking this incident, now, in
connection with the speculations of the
present, to say the least, the coincidence
is remarkable and striking. It is now
suggested in the New York World aad in
other journals, TINT should the present
Emperor have to deal with European
coalition formed against him, or should
he find Prussia more than O match, he
might startle Europe with the proclama-
n
the power Of the people in every Euro
pean kingdom. This is the card which
Napoleon is thought to have in his hands.
As for ourselves, We do not think lie
could make anything out of movo like
that. He might call the spirits. but will
they Gomez We think not. We agree
with German sympathizer in the
World, who suggests what we have al
wants no Republic, but prefers consti-
tutional Empire. Nor DO we regard this
writer wrong, when he suggests that
France would find enough to do to esta-
blish her own republic first and consol;-
date it, before she can 60, with the chas-
sepots in the one hand and n model re-
publican constitution in the other, to
subjugatc Kingdoms and empires. The
World, however, insists upon it that
there is not much Of constitutional free
dom to be gathered from Bismarck's S and
King Williams role, aud contends that
the condition of the whole continent of
Europe threatens terrible popular con-
vulsion. The TVorM says
"Behind and beneath all her armies,
behind and beneath all her thrones be-
hind and beneath oil her banks, too, and
her parliaments surges and mutters tho
mighty seething discomfort, the gather
ing wrath and rage, of the under people
the highly unconstitutional, and, for
the most part, unseemly millions who
are preparing for Europe her third great
revolution. The empire of Napoleon has
stood for now nearly twenty years as the
true break-water Of this rising tide It
may crumble of itself; it may be cut
through by tho princes in whom our
correspondent puts his child like trust
In either case, we fancy, the waves, once
let loose, will approve themselves to be
aslittle respecters of races rs of persons.
This may be so, but we do not see
the matter in this light. If Napoleon
has no better card than "a republic pro-
claimed" to play, he cannot save him
self-he must lose the game. Not
'eoolution must he invoke, but rather let
him organize his forces. appeal to
French valor and patriotism, to brilliant
generalship, and he may emerge into
the sunlight of victory. All he needs is
s"ccess-all he requires is rictory at the
head of his army-and again will the
word OF Cesar "stand before the world"
and few will there be SO proud as not "to
do him reverence"
The sudden illness of the Emperor,
the recall of the Prince Imperial, the
proclamation Of the French Ministry,