The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-10-21
Stlistellanrous.
NAPOLEON ii.

On the coffin of him, whom history
now knows by the name we have writ
ten above, there was the following in.
scriptiOn "TO the memory of Joseph
| Francois Charles, Duke of Reichstadt,
son of Napoleon, Emperor of the
French, and of the Archduchess Maria
Louisa of Austria; born at Paris, March
Goth, 1911, saluted in his cradle by the
title of King of Rome. In the flower
of his youth, and endowed with every
fine quality of mind and body, of an
imposing stature, noble and agreeable
features, elegant in his language, re-
markable for his military information
and aptitude, he was attacked with a
pthiois and died in the Emperor's Castle
at Schoenbrunu, near Vienna, the 22nd
of July, 1882"
When the end was near at hand, and
he was slowly approaching the tomb,
this unfortunate Prince exclaimed, $50
young, alas. must end n useless and
obscure life? My birth and my death
they are my history" So was it de-
creed, and his young life terminated ;
for him there had been none of the per-
ilOus power of empire or the awful
glory of battle, bu. the student of his
tory can find no more pathetic or more
eloquent chapter than the few pages re-
cOrding his career.
Napoleon having united the imperial
diadem of France to the iron crown of
Italy, marched on to further and more
campaigns saw him lay PROSTATE at his
feet all Germany, and the capit0ls of
both Prussia and Austria witnessed his
triumphs and acknowledged their mas
ter. Conqueror at Ulm and Auslerlitz
at Jena and Friedland, at Eckmuhl
and Wagram, he dictated the treaties
of Tilsit Presburg and Vienna Crushed
and humiliated, Austria and Prussia,
| the two leading nations of the German
Confederation, tremblingly saw their
territories mutilated, and themselves
forced into degrading and terrible al
lance with the all conquering warrior.
He created and made himself protector
OF the Confederation of the Rhine he
stripped Switzerland of her soldiers
and her resources calling his brothers
| kings he sent them as his sub. .consuls
to govern Spain, Westphalia, Naples
and Holland; imperial fie(s were estab
lished on all sides private soldiers We're
made dukes, and hereditary sovereign
dukes assumed kingly titles at the mere
! nod of the victorious Frenchman. All
| that the great emperor could desire of
| power was granted to him, and Europe
conquered at last, lay supine under his
| iron rule. But we must all die, an heir
was wanted to this mighty inheritance.
| For his wife the conqueror demanded a
scion of the haughtiest house the world
has ever seen; he sought and obtained
child of the kuisers, adaughterof Ma
| ria Theresa, of Charles the ", of Fer
dinand and Isabella, On the lst Of
April, 1910, he celebrated with unri-
vailed pomp and magnitlcence his nup-
tialS with Maria Louisa, the daughter
of the Emperor of Austria, and upon
the occasion he ordained that the
train of his imperial bride should be
supported by no less than five reigning
queens.
One year after at s O'Clock on the
morning OF March Goth, 1911, a hundred
and one guns tumultuously proclaimed
TO the capital that son and heir was
born to the ruler of Europe. The joy
of the Emperor was unbounded, and
the great soldier who amid the wild tn.
mutt of hundred victories ever re-
mained calm and imperturbed, now
loudly and publicly exulted. Courlers
were instantly despatched in all direc-
tions to proclaim the joyful event to
the cities Of the empire and the courts
of Europe, while Napoleon himself
hastened TO exhibit his son to the
princes of his family, to the embassa-