The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-11

of the terraces of the palace in company with
the Prince Imperial. | was not allow
cd to approach too close, but, as seen
through an opera-glass, he bears striking
same inelegant carriage, almost as tall, wear
Ing high-heeled boots, somewhat bent, and
short in the legs, having the same cold, leaden
face, eyes of sickly lustreless appearance,
and the moustache waXed pE1perelr. That
art was employed to make the likeness strik-
ing have no doubt, but there was strong
personal family resemblance between the walk
er on the terrace and the Emperor as remem-
ber him. 1t is said that the dummy is of the
Emperor's family, though not OF the line Of
succession. It is we'll known that the Due de
Morny and others similarly connected with him
bore striking resemblance to Napoleon III.
1t was inferred that within half year, ct
least, affairs could be 80 arranged as to render
at the worst the acknowledgment safe that
the Emperor had died and that the Empress
had been ruling France In the meantime as re-
gent It was meant, however, that II the fraud
sheuld not be discovered the Emperor was to
die NATURALLY" In March or April. To prepare
the public for his death then, It was announced,
on the authority Of an eminent physician, that
he might die In three months, that he would
probably die in six. and certainly within
twelvemonth. But, before either ofthese dates,
there were two public solemnlties at which
the Emperor should appear when the fraud was
likely to be discovered. One was at the open
ing of the Chambers, and the other at the
New Years reception OF the Diplomatic Col
legc, &c, The former was delayed one month
to make matters secure and then the opening
was risked. The case of the "Emperor's"
friends was successful. His worn appearance,
&C., was remarked, but there was little sus-
picion, If any, Of the truth. The diplomatic
ceremony was the first occasion which led tor
the discovery. Some of the ambassadors were
In the secret, others were not; through one
OF the diplomatic order the whole discovery
was made
The efforts to divert suspicion were remark
ably ingenious, All Of them, OF course, do
not pretend to know; some of them do. Two
days after the death Of the real Emperor, the
modern French smerdis rode out In carriage
with the Empress, arriving at PAris from st.
Cloud at p. M. He drove to the boulevards
by the Rue de la PaiX, and returned to st.
Cloud by the Champs Elysees This drive was
duly announced as an evidence of his restora-
ton to health. Announcements Of cabinet
councils, at which the defunct monarch was
supposed to have presided, were made. In
were said to have been granted to
Prince Gortschakoff, and, If remember right
ly, to the Earl OF Clarendon, as well as to 9TH
ers, who really were friendly to the plans now
disclosed. CI the other hand, audiences
were refused day after day to General
prim and others, to whom knowledge OF
the deceit would have been all-important.
both In France and England, in the interests
of the Empress and regency. Thus the Lon
don Times, of September II or Il, wrote SUBJ
stantially that 1t was of little importance who
was Emperor or regent If personal govern
ment were abandoned, that the real question
was who was minister. Finally, to satisfy the
public that the Emperors health was restored,
the Empress went to the East, but she did not
bring the Prince, then Emperor, with her, and
she returned soon, almost at the time appoint
ed for the opening Of the Chambers. She has
stood firmly by her son ever since, and there
are many reasons for believing that it was her
policy which called Olivier to the head of the
young Emperor's government. Did time per-
init, could trace for your readers many indi-
Gallons of her influence; but Us the events OF
the past tour months in France are almost as
well known to New Yorkers as to Parisans, l
need not delay now to point them out.
It seems strange that this matter has not
been ventilated here; but as every one who
knows Paris can tell, 1t is in the salon and not
in the uncongenial or dangerous columns OF
the newspaper that such matters are discussed;
besides, many Of those who have heard the rrl-
NOR are half incredulous that the trick Of
Smcrdis should be played In the nineteenth
century and in Paris But it is this incrcdulty
on which the late Emperor relied most for the
success of his scheme. The story is leaking
out now through foreign crevices. but until
this present occasion, believe nothing more
definite has been published about 1t than dis
torted rumor attributed to Swiss newspaper,
that some person has been going round repre-
sentng that he Is Napoleon. You see that in
this, there Is just grain OF truth, but 1t has
cen strangely mingled with bushel of error.
| should have telegraphed this matter to
you, but telegraphing such history from
Paris Is, at present, more than any journalist,
having reasonable fear OF Ste Pclagie before
his mind, would attempt, and If he attempted
he could not succeed in sending 1t.