Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-21

Charges of Ayarice,,The Truth
About His FOrtune-The Imperial
Habits.
Brussels Cor. N. Y. Times.l
Having the advantage of being per-
sonally acquainted with His Majesty, |
had no difficulty in obtaining adnhssion
to his presence. He received me with
great cordiality, and on my expressing
my qualification at seeing him looking
so we'll, despite the rumors that had been
circulated of his failing health, he
laughed and said that so far were they
from being true that he had not been
day i'll since he had left Paris, the CON
slant exposure to the open air and daily
exercise on horseback having produced
a marked and permanent Improvement
in his health. As confirmation of this /
may add thatIIis Majesty walked with me
for nearly two hours through the grounds
of the chateau, which are quite hilly andin
many parts broken. In addition to the
extensive area of these grounds he has
range of sixten English miles distance
from the chateau assigned him; but this
is merely nominal, as he can pass the
limits by simple formality whenever it
pleases him.
THE PEACE QUESTION.
! In the course of the conversation
which ensued during this walk, ! men
toned to the Emperor the various re-
ports which were in circulation concern
his views on the peace question. Re
garding this, His Majesty said that he
could not permit any doubt to exist. He
considered it impossible for any govern
ment to conclude a treaty of peace with
Germany on the basis of eession of
territory and hope to maintain itself in
France. A money indemnity and the
razing of the fortresses coveted by Ger
many should not be allowed to stand in
the way rs obstacles to the conclusion
of peace, but further than this the pro-
visional government, and in fact no gov
ernment, could 60 The Emperor even
went so far as to say that he would pre-
fer exile in Great Britain or the United
States, on the most limited means, to
accepting the restoration of his dynasty
on such conditions as those sought to be
imposed.
NAPoLEoN's PRIVATE FORTUNE.
then alluded to the statements which
had been published by his enemies re-
garding the amount of his private for
tune and the large sums which it was
alleged he had invested in foreign secu-
rites. He answered me with animation,
"That is a subject which touches me to
the quick, because, whatever may have
been my errors and shortcomings as a
ruler, can truly say that | am not open
to the charge of avarice or pecuniary
interestedness. | will state to you I'M
reservedly the nature and extent of my
private resources, because | should like
YOU to contradict all such reports. All
that myself, wife and son actually pos
sess are the former property of my
mother at Arrerenberg, in switserland,
and which costs more to maintain than
it produces; the property left to thePrince
Imperial by the Princess Bacchiochi, in
Da[matia, in consideration of the sums
which had paid for her ont Of mypri-
yate fortune, and which is also unpro-
ductive; some property in Italy, which
Yields trihing revenue, and property
in Spain, belonging to the Empress pre-
yious 10 her marriage, and which, having
been improved, also yields some rental.
Taken altogether, we possess just sufi-
cient to enable US 70 live in the simplest
bourgeois style As to orr having in
vested money in foreign funds, o. out Of
France. il is utterly false Had | ayailed
myself of the opportunities which pre-
sented themselves Of investing money ~
the purchase of real estate and stocks IN
the United States, it would have, per
haps, been well for me and my family.
have known instances in which moder-
ate outlay in that way has been produe-
tive of large results from the enormous
rise which has taken place ip the value
of property in the Atlantic cities
NAPoLEoN's HOUSEHOLD.
| then laughingly remarked TO the EN-
peror that some of the English and all
The French journals we're incredulous as
TO his restricted means, and that they
had pointed TO his numerous household
as evidence of its improbabllity. His
Majesty scornfully replied: +" Numerous
household Are they not then aware
that the officers who form what is called
nv household are fellow-prisoners with
me, and are supported By the Prussian
government For my very seFgalts, |
with two OF three exceptions. am IN
debted TO the considerate kindness OF the
Queen. From the maitre d hotel down
10 the humblest servant at the chateau,
they are all selected from her Majesty
household, and were sent with her own
plate and linen, with the expressed object
Of rendering my stay here as little un-
comfortable as possible. have even de-
prived myself OF the services Of most Of
my old and faithful attendants, with
view to keep ny expenditure within my
income"
REGARDING RESTORATION.
then made some allusion to the hopes !
Of restoration entertained by the parti-
sans Of the empire and 10 the intrigues
attributed 10 them in London, Brussels
and Jersey. His Majesty replied to me
earnestly on this point, and expressed |
his regret that any Of tha influential
men who had occupied positions undeE
the empire should involve themselves IN
proceedings Of 80 unwise a character at