Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-02-01

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: the following
; You are curious to know, of course, th
Z sort of people l have seen SO nearly, and c
whom the world has heard SO much Thi
Louis BOnaparte, who calls himself a Napo
leon, and, boldly stepping out, proposes t
make real the immortal memories of tn
past, is, to begin with, no Bonaparte at all
: We have pretty well fixed in bronze, marble
and prints the physical characteristics 0
this celebrated family. We are all familia
with the high, thick shoulders, the short ful
neck and the Cesarean head that mark the ia
nous CUrsicans- Judge Of my astOnishment
then, whena little fellow in gaudy court dres
clanked into the room, with a perceptibl
limp in his walk, accompanied by the officer
Of the imperial household, aid paused be
fore us, widely different from the Bona
parties as II was possible for man to be
Rather under the medium height, he hal
narrow dropping shoulders and broad hips
His legs are slender, and out of proportion
to his long body. | saw a face with dul
puttyish complexion, bottle nose, and mar.
row retreating forehead His mouth Is COW
cred with coarse, thick moustache, while
goatee of like material seeks To hide the
weakness that Is apparent in a retreating
chin. His eyes have all the intensity Of ex-
preston TO be found in a deceased mackerel
and one looks in vain for force Of character
or intellect
If | had a disgust that amounted TO loath-
ing for the Emperor, 1t was more than coun-
terbalanced by my admiration for the EN-
press Eugene. She was then to me the
most beautiful woman | had ever seen. No
artist, however gifted, could add one charm
to that sweet head and graceful figure. Her
face was taultless, and her form 50 outlined
and endowed by nature that 10 one could
hesitate to render her the homage due a
queen. But when one came 10 know her
well, one realized the old fable of the pea
cock petitioning for the voice Of the night
ingale. Our beautiful queen, our graceful
Empress, is not the wisest Of women, and
her temper is-well, to say the least, some
what unreliable and quick, not 10 say at
times violent.
met the late Stephen y. Douglas about
the time 10 which | refer, and found that he
too was struck with her great beauty, but
not impressed by either her tact or temper.
- S-e came al me somewhat rudely, " said
the Senator, " by remarking, when | was
presented, that she understood | was at the
head of a political organization in the
United States. called Young America, that
had for an object the conquest of Cuba"
81 believe | have the honor responded
the Senator, of representing such a par
", but never knew before that Is was organ
ized for go small and object as the mere ac-
QUESTION of Cuba.
e You do confess, then she continued
coloring up, - that such Is one of its obiccts2'
= Not at all, your Majesty. The party to
which | have the honor 10 belong only seeks
TO prevent some other and stronger European
power from possessing that island, 10 our
great injury
= Then why do you not Join with England
and France 10 treaty, guarantying this
island to Spain p
=" We have had prejudice towards such
European complications since the time the
government of the United States was invited
to join IN a treaty to destroy your great
uncle the First Napoleon
=" Well, she continued warmly, '' were !
Queen Of Spain, Ia devote my last soldier
aud my last coin to the preservation of that
remaining jewel in my crown
= Were your Majesty Queen of Spain"
said Douglas, bowling, 1T would not require
either soldier or money 70 make respect
all your possessions.
The compliment disarmcd the imperial
virago, and subsequently, she spoke Of the
little senator as one of the most perfect
courtiers she had ever encountered.
Colonel Sumner, a friend and favorite of
Mr.. Jefferson Davis, then Secretary of War, .
had been for over a year labJring with his
United States Their gigantic efforts had
ended in the invention of hat for the com
mon soldier that combined in its ugly finish
ease and economy. Ii was light as a feather
and ugly an old stove pipe. At the end .
OF these labors the Black Warrior, an Amer
lean merchantmen, was fired into upon the .
high seas by n Spanish man Of war, and the
came, SO long hoped for by the
manifest destiny party OF Young America,
for quarrel with Spain, that would end, it
was hoped, in the acquisition Of Cuba. De-
spatches were prepared by the Secretary of
State, Mr.. Marcy, demanding immediate ex-
PLANTATION and reparation and at the request
of Mr.. Davis, Colonel Sumner was made
bearer OF these dispatches to the impatient
Pierre SOulc, then Minister of the United
States at Madrid. Permission was also given
Colonel Sumner 10 visit various parts of
Europe, for the purpose of inspecting the
army organizations of the several war pow
ers. In this official guise Sumner visited
Paris, after delivering the important de-
spatches into the hands of Mr. Soule
doubt whether the rough Indian fghter-as
be was then-had been much prepossessed
with queenly government by his experience
and observations in Madrid.
When he was presented to the Queen by
the polished, cultivated and able Minister
Pierre Soule, the tall military figure of the
soldier evidently struck her Majesty That
same day Colonel Sumner received through
the legation an invitation TO one of the
Queens entertainments or suppers in the
palace gardens.
=. q 1t is a great compliment paid you, Col
)Del Sumner, - remarked Soule.
AT what hour precisely am to go?"
asked the military bearer of dispatches
- Go - cried Soule, ' you will not surely
20 you must decline on the ground of severe
. And why?"
a. My dear friend, you do not understand
his Jealous and treaeherous people. Were
Tou to accept this invitation, you would be
lssassinated either in going or returning, or
before you could leave Madrid
- A queens wishes are a soldiers com
nands,' responded the gallant colonel.
. When a pretty woman invites me to an
| viii take my chances
And so the resolute fighter tucked his sword
lnder his arm and left. He appeared next
morning at the American minister's residence
n good health and spirits and Mr. Soule
must have strangely Inexperienced the
Spanish peoples jealous and treacherous
'pirit, for Colonel Sumner came safely to
Paris on his return from his great diplomatic
mission.
Touching these entertainments in the gar
lens of the palace at Madrid. Senior Cal
lerOn de la Barca, who was so long resident
Of Washington city as Spanish Minister.
told me in Paris, where he appeared with
cotton umbrella and carpet sack, an exile
driven from the Office of Minister of Foreign
Affairs and his home by mob that rose to
he dignity of a revolution, because instiga-
ed by the Queen, that the government of
Ills gracious sovereign Isabella was about as
open and shameless in it's dissipation and
corruption as if it had belonged to former
.ge, when royalty had the divine right to be
wicked