The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-11
rs NAPOLEON DEAD?
Rumor I'm Pnris-The
Real Ruler of Francc-Who is the Man
that Instituted the Recent Reforms 3
A Bogus Emperor ut the Tuilcrfes.

The following is the full letter in the New
York World in regard to the rumor Of the
death of the French Emperor, which seems to
have caused so great sensation in the New
York gold market. The substance of the
statement has already appeared in THE News,
but the details will nevertheless be read with
interest
PARIS, February 81.
There is O rumor circulating here 80 strange
as to seem almost incredibIe-one which it
would be impossible to keep from the newspa-
pers in New York for one hour, but which, not
withstanding its importance, has not yet been
published here. It is circumstantial and pre-
else in its detalls-so precise that 1t affords suf-
ficient grounds for critical examination, and,
from this fact, distinct from the probabilities
which are as much In Its favor as against 1t, it
has been widely received. 1t Is no less than
that the Emperor Napoleon has been dead for
several months, that the person who now rep
resents him has been substituted in his place
to prevent disturbance, and that the real ruler
of France is the Empress, acting as regent for
her son, Napoleon Nv. This, 1t Is said, ac-
counts for the complete reversal of policy
which has marked the government Of France
Emperor's death, the object of the conceal
ment, how it was concealed, and the date at
which it will be officially disclosed, ara the
most interesting points connected with this re-
markable event. In reference to them, lay
before you the information have been put in
possession of.
In the early part Of last year, the late EN-
peror had many warnings that his tenure Of
life was more than ordinarily uncertain. He,
therefore, determined to put his imperial
house in order, and, to borrow the language
of the London Times, to consider the remain
der of his life and reign las prelude to the
reign of his son." Hence the "relorms," more
so in name than in reality, which, with the
promised remuneration of personal govern
mcnt were announced In the carly part OF
July, and soon after the Senatus Consutum
for the "prelude" to his sons reign was des-
tined to be short indeed. In August, tile EN-
pcror was confined al intervals to his bed by
his fatal Illness. The official announcement
of his trouble, while capable Of moditca-
tion, could not be delayed much longer
ed to go TO Chalons to take part In the
military celebration of tho Fctc Napo-
leon. Accordingly. on August ii, he was
described suffering from il severe attack of
rheumatism. Rheumatic symptoms he GER
tainly had, but to your medical readers ac-
Quaintcd with the nature of the peculiar
chronic afflction under which the Emperor
labored-one of tho sequcls OF which was the
cause of his death-it Is unnecessary to say
that rheumatic troubles arc notunusua In GER
tain stages of the malady. 1t Is needless
10 add that the Emperor did notgo to Chaons;
q convenient reason for this was found In his
illness and death of Marshal Neil. Of course
the Emperor was "too afflicted" to visit his
soldiers, but he sent his son, the Prince Impe-
rial, to represent him. The strong will of the
Emperor, and his anxiety to arrange matters
for his son, enabled him to struggle tempo
rarily with his Illness, and at intervals he par
TALLY improved 80 far as to attend to business.
In the early part of September, the anxiety
felt throughout Europe. and especially
France, was intense. That the Emperor
was dying was generally felt, but no reliable
particulars of his state could be procured. The
Journal Olficiel published bulletins announcing
that his Majesty 'slept vel, /" that he ''spenC
an easy night,n that 'the temperature of yes
tertlay was unfayorable to his Majesty, but,
nevertheless lie was improving" Then, on
September I, the Journal Otflciel wrote: ''The
Emperor attends to his affairs daily. He has
suffered some from rheumatism but at no
time has his condition been such as to cause
the least anxiety" All this, and much more,
was said, but no one believes the Journal OIL
ciel. The Monitcur, on the other hand, COM
plained on the same date that II was imp0ssi-
Bile to obtain information about the Emperor's
state, and La Prcsse said that no one except
the Empress, the Prince Imperial. his medical
attendants and ministers were admitted to the
Empcror's room. AS comment on all this,
it NAV he added that the services OF DR..
RiCord were called in, and that, three or
four days previously, the Empress and
The Prince were recalled from Ajacclo-
their return, it was asserted, being the
indsposition of the Empress. On the arrival
of the party in Paris they found the Emperor
still llvin-r, but in precarlQns condition, In
deed, that tic Emperor could not live many
days was widely believed In Paris on Septem-
ber G. The excitement on the 7th was intense.
On the 9Th, as is now believed, the Emperor
died under the knife of Ricord. 1t could hard
ly have been earlier than that date, though there
are some who have given attention to the
matter who believe that il may have occurred
some days earlier or later Judged by the
other events which followed, it seems to me
that the 9th was the date on which he died.
OF conrsc. the reason why it was an object Of
state TO conceal the death of the Emperor. is
apparent The Prince Imperial had not yet
reached his majority; affairs were very much
disturbed in France. There was popular
craving for reforms which even those outlined
in Prince Napoleon's famous speech could not
satisfy: the ''Reds" were prepared to re-
volt as soon as the firm hand OF The third
Napoleon was removed. 1t was all-important
that the regency of the Empress should be
quietly established, and that 1t should win
good opinions before the news of Napolcon's
death should be made known. Hence the plan
of keepng it secret, which it is believed
originated in the late Emperors own mind.
AS any disturbance of order in France would
lead to serious European complications. the
Emperor received before his death promise
4 r.