The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-09-28
ienuess," "a.politioal work which coutri.
buted much to tho revolution Of 1848.
HIS FAILURE AT BouLoCNH.

q nandiul OF men aud tame eagle, ha
was driven into the water, captured
tame eagle and all, and sent to Pari,
under guard. Louis Philippe behaved
wonderfully well. He had the adven.
turer tried by the House of Peers and
sentenced to perpetual imprisonmeut
The castle of Ham, near tho Belgian
frontier, was selected as the place ol
confinement. In this quiet retreat Loui.
Napoleon passed six years. He devoted
himself to political studies aud wrote
several works Of a decided political
tendency, aud of considerable ability
But he soon wearied of his confinement
and the result was that, ono foe morn
ing, Louis Philippe was startled by the
information that his prisoner had es~
capped. 1t was true. Disguised as q
common workman, he left the prison,
made his way to tho Belgian frontier,
and in few days made his appearance
IN London, where he created some ex-
oitemsnt among literary men aud
THE REVOLUTION OF 1848.
Then came the great revolution of
1848. France declared for a Republic.
Louis Napoleon was elected Deputy to
the National Assembly. Great opposi.
tion was manifested aud he wrote very
artful letter rendering his resignation.
A reaction followed. He was re- elected
by four departments, and took his seat
in the National Assembly. The republi.
can nature of his writing, and the in .
fuence of his name built up q strong
party. He was elected President of tho
Republic by majority Of over 4,0o0,-
900 votes.
THE COUP D'ETAT.
For three years President Bouaparte
remained at the head of the Republic
lie schemed and plotted all the time in
order to gain the confidence of the peo.
pie. But opposition was rampant.-
Nothing could conciliate it. The Presi-
dent finding reelection impossible de-
termined that ho would carry out his
long cherished plan. Everything was
quietly arranged and, ou the I'd Of fDec.,
1851, the coup IL etat " as an ao-
complished fact. On the morning OF
that day he had nearly 10G prominent
men seized in their beds; the Assembly
was foroibly dissolved; Paris declared
in state Of siege, and, in suppressing
the disorder which followed, over 5000
citizens were slaughtered, and some
$4,000 transported to the penal colonies
of Cayenne and Africa, where the
greater number died.
THE EMPIRE.
A blow so terrible and unexpected,
silenced opposition. No man dared to
raise his voice. The usurper obtained
control Of the army proclaimed himself
Emperor "by grace Of God aud the will
of the French people," and, after dis
charging his mistress, married the
beautiful Eugenie, the daughter Of the
Countess Of Montijo. Then followed an
alliance with England. The advcnturer
who had once paced the streets of
London as special policeman, was the
guest Of Victoria aud Albert, and re-
ocived from the hands of the English
Queen the Order of the Garter. Res
pectable men wondered and acquiesced.
The Euipire was peace. Order reigncd.
Money was abundant, and France moved
rapidly onward in civilization and
prosperity. United with England aud
Turkey, he humbled the pride Of Russia,
and, in 1859, he conducted the brilliant
Italian campaign in person, giving
Austria blow from which she has not
yet recovered.
THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE EMPIRE.
But here the most brilliant chapters
of this romance end. The Mexican
business Of 1861 was the first downward
step. Louis Napoleon declared his in-
tention to reconstruct the Latin races ia
America, project which he thought
feasible in consequence of the great
Southern rebellion. But affairs took an
unexpected turn. The cause of the
Union triun. he'd. Macmillan was
unable to hold his own, and the resul,
was disaster, defeat and disgrace. This
failure shook popular confidence in
Napolcon's intallibility. Opposition
again manifested itself. Cancellation
was the policy, and hence the Plebiscii-
tums. An incurable disease fastened
upon him and life became q horrible
burden. No wonder that he made mis-.
takes. Over the Rhine a new danger
menaced him. The States of the North
German Confederation were combining
together and he felt that only a bold
stroke of successful audacity could save
him. The first thing needed was .
pretext and that was found in the
candidacy of Hohenzolorn for the .-pan.
ish throne Every one knows how
fimsy was this excuse for war. Ther
came the declaration Of hostilitics agains
Prussia, and after campaign of ONT
month-a campaign Of unparal &c
| disaster to Francc-the battle Of Sedan
accomplished his overthrow.
We may we'll ask what next? But i
is useless to speculate upon the rapid,
shifting present. The public career o
Napoleon is probably at an end. He wa
great, aud posterity will give him du'
credit. He was criminal and lie ha
suffered for it. But the story of his lif
is yet to be written. The record viii
be black indeed, but it will be relieved