New-York tribune., 1870-09-05
NAPOLEON III.
THE CAREER OF THE EX-EMPERoR

sode in the history of Europe. So many secret ele-
mentS are nterwOven with it, from first to iast-so
many events are included which must be interpreted
otherwise than through the forms they present to
the woTld-that It is not yet possible to sketch with
entire clcamess the part which this man has played
during the past twenty-five years. We must "ai'
for the further revelations which are sure 10 come
before we can track him along course remaik -
chiefly for the inconsistency of its successes anu "
ures conspicuous alike for good luck ana pau MAJ
agement for prudence and reckessnesS pIoio""u
seIf-contdo,ce and incurable vaciation. Aeail-
time we NAV give an outline of his life wherein We
shall e,deavor 50 far as light and knowledge are ~
osept atto;poSle 70 illustrate the principal events
Of his history by the peculiar features of ms char
acter.
Ion;s Bonaparte. the third brother of Napoleon,
as t,rcod Inv the latter in 1902 to marry Hortense
Reaubornais, the daughter OF Josephine. Both par
tics were already attached if not formally berothed
Iouis 70 Emile Beauhanas. the niece of Josephine
and Hortense TO Gen. Duroc. 1t was marriage of
dsinclnation ON both sides, hut Louis was no more
able than Jerome to resist NapoeonS infexible will
After an equally vain resistance, he accepted the
crown of Holland in 1906. The want of harmony be-
tween himself and Hortense no longer con-
oealed and their married life was virtually at an
end. when on the 20th Of April, 1903, third son,
Charles Louis Napoleon, was born. 1t is said that
King Louis hesitated to acknowledge the latter as
his own and only yielded TO the urgent solicitations
of his brother. The name of Hortense was at that
time mentioned in connection with that of certain
Dutch Admiral whose features many persons he
lieve to he reproduced in face which certainly has
no resemblance to either the BOnapare or the Beau
harnais family. The baptism Of the young Prince did
not take place until the 4th OF November 1SlO after
Lons had abdicated the throne of Holland, separa-
ted forever from Hortense, and retired to private
life in Austria. Napoleon and Marie Louise were
the eod-parents and Cardinal Fesch performed the
ceremony.
The family of Joseph having been excluded from
the succession to the Imperial throne by the Senatus-
Consultum of 1904 and LuciGn, the second brother,
not even being recognized as an Imperial Prince on
account of his marriage and his opposition to Napo-
Icons policy the sons of Louis the only hered
tary princes until the King of Rome born The
oldest of the three children died in 1897, and HOr
tense after the birth of the youngest continued to
reside in Paris as Queen Regent of Holland. NaDo-
Ieon manifested great attachment to her sons espe-
cially the younger. After his return from Elba,
Prince Charles Louis Napoleon then seven years old
stood b. his side on the Champs de Mars and was
one Of the last to embrace him at Malmaison, when
he left Paris forever.
Augsburg where her sons instructed in Ger
man and the classics, and then at the castle of
.Arenenbcrg, ON the Lake of Constance, i'll Canton
Tburgau Switzerland. Her Winters however, were
spent in Italy, and her sons, who accompanied her.
thus received but interrupted and desultOry edu-
cation. The revolution of 1850, it was believed by
the Bonapares would restore the family to France,
but the application of Charles Louis Napoleon, to be
allowed TO enter the French army was refused by
Louis Philippe. The brothers. during their residence
in Italy had already become implicated in the pOti-
cal conspracies of the Italian patriots and both
took part in the attempted revolution In the Ro-
magma in January, 1881. The action of France and
Austria speedily crushed this premature movement,
and the princes no doubt owed their escape to the
courage and energy of their mother who hurried to
the scene of action and by the most heroic exertOns
saved them from capture The elder brother, Louis
Napoleon exhausted by the privations be had en-
dured was attacked with the measles, and died at
Forli. The Younger, thenCefOrth known as Louis
Napoleon also fell i'll at AncOna, which city he left,
when able to travel in the disguise of foOtman to
Hortense who gave herself out to be an English
lady of rank.
They reached Paris in March, 1881, and remained
there for month with the knowledge of the Gov
eminent This tolerance, however, was only assumed.
Louis Philippe was shrewd enough to foresee that
trouble might come of a permanent residence, and.
after some private communications had been ex-
changed between HOrtense and Casimir Perier, the
decree of banishment was renewed. He was pToba-
bly, aware that at this time Louis Napoleon was IN
secret communication with the Polish leaders, some
of whom are said to have tempted him with the offer
of the crown of Poland in of success. In spite
of the strong opposition of his mother the Prince set
out to Join them but met at the frontier by the
q. ol-,-faJ Jofa ondth tha foil lofW
He thereupon returned to Arenenberg became a citi-
gen of Thurgau and devoted his time to military
and political studies.
The death of his elder brother was followed, in
1882. by that of the Duke of Reichstadt king of
Rome,, and he found himself the next heir to Napo-
Icons throne His restless, adventurous spirit had
thenceforth fixed, infexible aim, and much of his
success is undoubtedly due both TO the direction OIL
his studies from that time forward and to the six
teen years of defeat and exile which were still TO
come. InnOculated with Republican ideas by his first
deacher Lebas, implicated with the CarbOnan of
Italy as a youth, and in correspondence with the
struggling national spirit of Poland, he nevertheless
seems to have found difficulty i'll reconciling these
interests with his imperialistic ambition. While
cretly endeayoring to gain adheTents, while corre-
sponding with individuals of note in France and
other parts of Europe he appeared to be exclusively
devoted to authorship. In his "Reveries Poll
toues published in 1892 he declared that France
only be restored to her prosperity and political i'm
portance by member of the Bonaparte family-that
no other could unite the Development of Republican
ideas with the military spirit of the French people
He also published work the political and mill
tary condition of Switzerland, and Manual of
ARTILLERY" which is said to be work of considerable
technical merit.
THE STRAsBOURG AFFAIR.
Either growing impatient of the changeless cur
rent of circumstances, misled by the representa-
tions of his secret adherents in France, he deter
mined TO strike a blow at the Orleans rule. HIS