The New York herald., 1872-11-16
NAPOl- ON.
An Interview with Prince
Napoleon.
His Retirement on the Banks
Of Lake Leman.
What the Prince Thinks OF
His Banisllment.
He Intends to Seek Justice in
the Courts.
His Personal Relations 80 Presi-
dent Thiers.
How He Served M. Theirs Twenty
Years Ago.
SPECuLATIONS UPON FRENCH POLITICS.
His Personal Relations 80 Presi-
dent Thiers.
How He Served NJ. Theirs Twenty
Years Ago.
SPECuLATIONS UPON FRENCH POLITICS.
The Bonapartists Do Not Want the
Empire Unless France Wants It.
The Prince and America-He
Wants to See California.

GENEVA, Oct. 20, 1872.
The sun was passing over the hills and throwing
the long mountain shades across the clear placid
surface OF Lake Leman, as your correspondent
found himself trundling rapidly along TO the exile
home OF Prince Jerome Napoleon. His Imperial
Highness had expressed Willingness to receive
correspondent OF the HERALD, and the hour fixed
for the interview was four. 1t was long ride
into the Swiss country, two or three hours
from Geneva. II was superb autumn after
noon, and Nature had poured out wealth Of color
and beauty over hill and lake and valley. On the
right Mont Blanc looked proudly up, It's peak glis-
tening through the clear October air the sun
throwing its rays INTO your eyes, near that one
would deem it a morning walk, and yet sixty miles
away. Lake Leman swept before US, with the
grace and camness OF virgin, modestly ebbing
Its way to the narrow gorges OF the Rhine. The
vintage was done, and the poor vines looked
dreary and forlorn robbed OF their hanging cus-
ters, and going into brownness and decay. Now
and then thin, trembling mist arose from the val
ley, kind of tangled gauze or Grape,
that seemed to be lifted by unseen hands,
to show the beauty II had been hiding. Suddenly
we would come upon small, compact village, and
as we scampered through the narrow street with
the overhanging houses, the heavy portals, the
dingy churches, neither sweet nor fragrant to the
wayfaring sense the gossips hurried to the door to
see who made the clatter. Across the lake was
France, and the day was so clear that you felt
almost as II you could reach out the hand and press
Its soil. The exile sits by his hearth foreign
soil and sees his native land from his window.
TIE ''CLAssIC GRoUNDr OF LAKE LEMAN.
The country through which pass is cultivated
TO the last degree. These homes that come peer
Ing out of the trees and throw up their quaint,
f,l Iinau
lands are the homes OF wealth ana leisure. Lake
Leman is an English lake" you will be told. 1t is
certainly lake OF rest and peace. We pass the
home OF Sir Robert Peel, which might be in Kent
IL looks so English; and high up on the hill is the
palace OF one OF the Rothschilds, glaring ostenta
tious proud mansion with flag floating from the
tower IN token that the Baron is at home. Further
more remember that this is classic ground As we
cave Geneva we pass Les Deices, a country
home OF Votare where he lived after quarreng
with Frederick; and little we see Ferney,
where he reigncd for twenty years patriarch and
king, driving TO Geneva in four-horse team, ac-
cordlng to tradition, at stated occasions to look
after his dividends and funds Across the lake is
Diodati, where Milton lived when he passed this
way to Italy and saw the scenes which inspired
the ode
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold
And Diodat has other memories. Here Byron
lived in 1916 and wrote the third cant0 of "Childe
Harold" Here he met Shelley and you know all
about their moonings on the lake and sitting up
till dawn to rhapsodze, and how his Lordshlp was
fond OF shouting the Tyrolese songs to announce
to the Shelleys that his boat was coming. The
Shelleys lived near Colgny and their neighbors
were Madame De Staal, whose family still live In
this very chateau, that looks so demure and mod
est behind Its screen OF foliage we whirl along.
AZ, Tho ltu xx,ftl, b;.x
lars standing Ike sentinels in close array, arm 10
arm-along which Gibbon came wooing when he
made his unsuccessful suit TO the famous daughter
OF the then famed Neckar. We passed the house
or Rousseau and his statue overlooked US as we
set out on our journey, and the splendor
or his genius rests like q bright aurora over
Lake Leman. This shelly town OF yersox which
looks like high pretending gentleman gone into
decay, was an idea OF the noted De Choiseul, who
became angry with Geneva and meant to destroy
her by creating rival town. And this is all that
came OF it. AT versox we have the streets but
we do not have the houses" SO voltaire said in
his mocking way.
THE ExILE's HOME.
The town Of Dijon is passed and we come to
Prargins, the home OF Prince Napoleon. 1t is
quite drive before we reach the gate. The pOr
ters wife arrests us and bids us tarry at her lodge
until the Prince sends word that we are welcome ;
and little CHIP OF barelegged girl, with hair
streaming In the wind, runs scamperlng to the
chateau with our card II is quite distance as
we learn by waiting, and madame, the keeper goes
herself TO see what detans the Child. In few
moments she signals US, and we drive along per
haps furlong or two, before we come to the door
OF the chateau. 1t Is quiet, modest, unpretend-
Ing house, the Prince having sold the grand chateau
to an Englishman. AS we enter the attendant
escorts us to an antechamber. Another moment
OF delay and we pass into large, roomy, comtorta-
bic study, with blazing fire. Before 1t stands the
Prince, who bids US welcome In full, pleasant
voice.
PRINCE NAPOLEON.
One is startled as he answers the greeting. All
the world knows the figure OF the great Napoleon
the large head, the deep black eyes, the dark
brown hair, thin and struggling over the brow; the
arched nose the close, almost cruel, lips the olive
complexion and that attitude OF thought or con-
temptation which led his soldiers In later days TO
cal him gather thoughtful" This historical
hglre you could draw with charcoal so that any
one would know II, and here IL stood, in life, form
and movement, the Napoleon OF history and ever.
ltstlhB lame, mad often heard OF the resem-
Dlance, but never fancied it so striking Prince
Napoleon IL about three or four inches taller than
the great Emperor and somewhat fuller lie is
now forty min e, and his uncle closed his career at
fOrty-six, and the ull cheeks and double chin show
the middle-aged gentiem an. The Prince speaks
Ffench with marked southern accent, trace OF
Italian melody running through IL, and in a loud,
hearty fashion. At times he would speak English
which he did freely, but whenever he became earn.
est he ran into French, In which language the in.
terview was mainly held. He was dressed in
riding suit and had probably been out over his es-
tate. He lives here with his wife and three chii.