Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-09-21
The Emperor Napoleon a Prisoner


"Tis done But yesterday a king
And armed With kings to strive
Aud now thou art a nameess thing,
So abjcet-yot alive"
Another 4" Napoleon has faIlenr' He.
who, but a few weeks ago, seemed as
firmly seated on his throne ~ any des
pot of Europe, is now piiilul prison.
er Of war, dependant. for miserable
residue of existence, upon the clemcn.
cy of him against whom he 70 lately
Illuminated his declaration of war
How wonderful are the ways Of Prov.
idence How vain in poor puny man.
"Clad 10 little brief authority,
70 Play ruch tricks as make angels weep :"
Aye, and mortals, too over the my
riads Of slain, mangled and maine cd
wrecks of mortality whose blood now
stains the soil of France, and mingle~
with tho asles of the homes of a hun
drcd thousand desolate families. This
is war Aud all for what Because
two irascblc gentlemen, elevated upon
thrones-"inch high above their fel
lows, could not be contert with the
broad domains over which thcy sway
ed their sovereign sceptres, aud could
not peacefully reconcile their differ
ences. Napoleon objects TO Prnssian
intrigue for placing kinsman Of King
William upon the throne Of Spain,
lest at some future day, in the event
of hostilitics with the latter, his kins-
man might also let loose upon him the
military power of Spain. William
seems somewhat pacifcally inclined
and amiably advises his relative 10 dc
cline the Spanish throne, the offer of
which had doubtless been procured
through the subtle intrigue of Euro
pean diplomacy. Napoleon, however,
is not satisfied, and demands a down
right guaranty from the Prussian
king that Prince Leopold shall not
accept the proffered diadem vii.
liam sulks- refuses--and snub the
French Minister Beneditli informs
his august master is re called -
and war is declared between two
nationalities ofpopulations about eqr al
and eighty millions Of the most highly
enlightened people Of Europe are sud
denly translated from terms of social
and commerci cialintercourse and friend
ship into mortal enemies and are
driven on to slaughter each other.
with all the murderous machinery of
modern mechanism. The fair fields
Of France are laid waste, villages aud
cities are IN flames, two or three hun
dred thousand men are murdered or
MANNED for life. when Louis finds
himself shut in at Sedan, aud all ave
nues of escape shut off or extremely
dangerous Instead OF throwing him
self at the head uf some forlorn hope
and selling his life as dearly as posi-.
Die 10 the invaders he has brought
upon his country-in fighting whom
he has seen tho best blood OF France
q ..--;..s. &, ss..--... - 49, f,.4vs'e,s,
aud surrenders without a scratch to
show devotion 10 the cause in which
be has sacrificed the lives of so many
thousand much better men than him
self-throws Honor TO the winds
drops his sword 1t the feet Of his foe,
and gives his unscarred carcass into
bis keeping Aud France "has split
her blood for him who thus can hoard
his own!
Not only as sense of honor and dc
votion to his country alike demanded
that, under all the circumstances, be
should have died like Belshazzar-
sword in hand but a decent regard
for his dynasty would have dictated
it. Had he so died, or even exposed
himself to be deccntly wounded and
taken Vi et armies, armed cap a pie
all Franco would have thrilled with
devotion to his dynasty, and rallied
around his son, TO whom it was in his
power thus TO bequeath rich heritage
of renown,
"And. leaving in battle no blot on his name
Look upward to heaven from the death-bed Of
fame
BY shrinking from sealing, with biz
own blood, his sincerity and the high
sense Of honor from which be profess
cd to have been driven 10 declare the
war, he humiliates bis country with
the spectacle aud the embarrassment
Of sovereign in the hands Of the en-.
emy-covers himself with shame, seals
the doom of his dynasty-and all 70
liUc-to SEQ his Empress and his son
wandering outcasts upon the world.
and himself an inmate ofa living tomb,
Ia Gagged monster in the eyes Of his
captors, and coward in the estima
tion Of all the earth
ITO die prince, or live slave
Thy choice is most ignobly brsvew
While quoting from Byron's Ode tC
Napoleon the First, we will further
select few passages that, with slight
notifications, are equally appropriate
to Napoleon the last and least
'1s this the man Of iiaHdsr tones.
Thai sircpci the earth with human b0nos
Ard can he thus survived
Since him miscallod the Morning Starr
Not man, nor hsnd bath falrn 50 far 2"
"Wih might unquosticnod- to save
Thine only gin hath been the grave
To them that worshiIped thee
Nor ull thy iall could nortals rucss
Ambitions hess than htiisncss
Thanks for that icsson--it Ri'l teach
To AFTER warriors more
Thun high philosophy can preach,
Aud rainly preached before.
That spell upon tho minds Of mon
. may ii break, and not again
E'cr lead them 20 ad1rt
Those pagol things Of sahrc-sway,
With fronts Of hrass and feet Of elay.
The dcsolalor dosolste-
Usupcr ovorihroWn-
Tho arhiier Of othurs' fate
suppliant for hs own
l. i somo yet imperial hope
That with such change can calmly cope
Or dread OF death alone
DsiiroH d-"iark spirit, what must be
The madness Of thy memory r.
chin, evil deeds are writ In gore
Nor written thus iu vain-
Thy triumfht ten Of fame no more
Or deepen every stain.
Ii thou hadsi died ns honor dies,
Some nov Napoleon might arise,
To shame the world again
Euf n ho roulH soar the solar height