The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-01-25
sketch Of Nspoieon's Lite.

Sketch Of Napoieon's Lite.
For incidents romantic and tragic
even the world of fiction does not
surpass the life of Charles Lewis
Napoleon Bonaparte. Surrounded
from his very infancy with mystery,
nurtured in an atmosphere of in
trigue, all his efforts turned to the
accomplishment of single purpose
IAN object which to other minds
would have seemed fanciful-his
sixty-four years of life have been
crowned with marvellous successes
and pitiful dawn-falls4 At one mo-
ment the pride of an enthusiastic
nation, the next an outcast whose
very existance was looked upon as
curse. Now viewed as the de-
fender of his country, again de-
nounced as the author of It's woe.
Thoroughly French himself, he was
able to appreciate the spirit OF his
subjects and tomould popular opin-
ion to his purposes until the test
came, when only his own short
sightedness pulled him down and
permitted the means that might
have fastened him and his forever
to the throne to undo the work of
his laborious life. Great he never
was; that his ambition approached
realization was due to the unset
tied condition of France and his un
firing zeal.
He was born in Paris on the Both
of April, 1908, the son of Louis
Bonaparte, brother to Napol con
the Great His father was for a
brief period King of Holland, and
his mother was Hortense, the daugh-
ter of the Empress Josephene. A
scandal of the time attributed his
parentage to Count Flahault, who
was supposed lover of Hortense
His uncle was greatly attached to
him as child, and after the return
from Elba presented him to the
deputies of the people and the
army. After the fall of Napoleon
1 the child was taken by his mother
first to Germany, where he learned
the language of the country, and
subsequently to Switzerland. He
was continually moving from place
to place, ha wing been at one time at
the military school of Thion; where
his success as student was not
marked. In 1881 we find him re-
fusing to return to France by the
petition of Louis Philippe, and
taking an active part in the revolu.
ton of 1881, in Italy. Driven from
the Papal dominions at the termin-
alton of the Tuscan movement, he
retired to Switzerland, where he
devoted himself to literary work,
producing political Reveries,
ssManual on Artillery" and ssPolti
cal and Military considerations on
| Switzerland" In his "Reveries" he
made the assertion that Nepoleor
was the only hope of France, and
could alone blend the republican
principles with the military aspira
tions of the country. By numer
GUS writings which gained circula
ton throughout France he endeav
ored to prepare the mind Of the ma
tion for his inevitable claim of the
throne of the Empire. In 1873:
the death of Reichstadt gave hin
the opportunity to assert his sue
censorship of Napoleon I by thu
Imperial edicts of 1904 and 1905
Stalking his life on this uncontrol
able ambition, he placed himself il
communication with prominent OF
ficers of the army and secured ,
meager support, with which h,
hoped to carry Strasbourg and gain
the CO operation of the peasants
The plan failed, and he became /.
prisoner at Strasbourg and after
ward at Paris. His life was spared
on condition that he would max,
America his home. He remained
but a short time, and returned il
time to witness the death of hi
mother.
IN EXILE AGAIN.
In 1888 the French Government
ordered him to leave Switzerland
the publication of favorable &C
count of the attempt on Strasboure
being considered evidence of an in
tended outbreak from Ahrenenbere
The Swiss Government sustaine,
him, but to prevent the risk of
second CONTINENT in prison h
quietly departed, taking refuge il
England, where his next attempt Il
gain the throne was planned. On
the 9th of August, 1910, he landed