New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-02-13
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY -, 1873
Iu~lncere Denominations al
Mourning.

lad as he may have been, especially when
bis character and his crimes were Of such
nature that it Will be impossible Tor the i'm
partial writer OF history to whiiewash him
without gross violation U truth. Napoleon
III. was emphatically one Of the most re-
puls!ye characters among the many crowned
svil-doers Of tho age yet We are perfectly
willing to let him enjoy the silence OF the
grave, Just as we should have been willing to
let him enjoy his leisure at Chiselhurst a
many years longer as nature would have
spared him, since it was manifest that The
shattered invalid Of Sedan had no longer any
more power for mischief than the rattlesnake
after the loss Of It's teeth. Indeed, we do no
longer care TO dwell on his humorous crimes
and mlsdeeds; but we have yet word to
say about the hypocrisy displayed by the
crowned heads Of Europe, and particularly by
the royal family Of England, on the occasion
Of his death. Nobody in his senses can doubt
that they all, and each Of them, hated Ma
poIeon with all the intensity OF hatred they
were capable OF, as long as he was in power,
and must hate him thus in the natural order
VI ~ WV
grace Of Goi," or the descendants and Of
springs Of such rulers, for nearly two decades
ware kept in a state Of constant uneasiness
and alarm BY the bastard, the upstatt, the
adveuturer, who had stolen himself into
power mainly by awaiting himself shrewdly
Of the lustre Of the name Of a man who him
self had been as much Of an abomination as
Of scourge TO them; who had Inundated
royalty deeper than any other conQueror OF
ancient and modern times, and if the nephew
I'D not decree their. deposition, as the uncle
frequently did, by one stroke OF his pen, he
DID not humiliats them less keenly, and the
constant apprehension in which be kept them
while he held the balance Of power, the re-
cessity ia which they were placed, to pre-
serve his good favor, to feign friendship,
must naturally intensity their hatred. There
arc but few among the European sovereigns
VINO had not to experience the effects Of his
influence in a manner more Or less notifying
to their ambition, or disastrous to their in
terests. The Car OF Russia will never over
come the defeat of the Crimean war, which
broke his fathers heart, nor is 1t likely that
the Emperor Of Austria will remember with
any degree OF qualification the Italian war,
which cost him Lombardy. lie can neither
forget that Napoleon, of all other men, was
instrumental in causing the untimely end Of
bis brother Macmillan, since he undertook
the fatal war against Mexico, and ayailed
himself of the ambition Of that Inflated young
mar, for the promotion OF his own schemes.
Victor Emanuel, it is true. was largely in
debted 10 him for the crown Of Italy, but in
return he was reduced to virtual and most
CALLING vassalage, forbidden by the command
OF his sovereign master 10 take possession
Of the city Of Rome, notwithstanding the
universal and ardent wish Of the Italian peo-
pie, and he was compelled TO cede Savoy to
France, in spite Of the not les, universal IN
Willingness Of the inhabitants. The king OF
Belgium must have felt as if q sword were
suspended over him, lest Napoleon should
take it into his head to grasp his country and
make 1t q part Of France. The Queen OF
England had to 60 thrcug Ii a series OF hu-
Mutations, Quite-n not more CALLING than
serious material injury. 1t is easy to imagine
how she, the high-bred, strict, correct, rather
marrow woman, OF conservative tendencies
fully fmbued with tie consciousness Of her
exalted position and the superior mobility, of
her race, must have chafed inwardly, when
policy compelled her TO receive the despised
sdyenturer and his rather coarse wife, OF
questionable virtue, ms her honored guests IN
her own palace; when she had to return the
Wait, accept their hospitality, and receive
with smiling face the Kiss Of the old liber-
tine. How she must have suffered when the
English Government, at Napoleon's bidding,
had to assume the degrading part OF French
police emissares, and bring on lis head the
scorn Of the civilized world for disregarding
the sacred duties of hospitality, by eXpelling
Garibaldi from the borders OF the kingdom, a
humiliation never before submitted TO BY
proud independent Eusland.
Under the circumstances, it - safe to as
sume that the whole circle OF kings and
princes would rather hail the death Of their
common scourge, as putting an end to all
possible apprehensions concerning the future.
Certain it is that no one has anything to
lose through it, that no one will greye for
Napoleon and it seems therefore as if even
due regard to death would dictate but dec
orous Silence. Yet, on the contrary, they
are vieing with each other, Out-doing each
other In demonstrations Of sympathy and
coincidence, which, owing to their evident
insincsrity, are truly disgusting. They go
into mourning, they abstain from court en-
tsrtainment=, they evidently mean 10 honor |
royalty even in tbs person Of the usurper; /.
and, as we said before, foremost in this hyp- |
ocritical display the members Of tie English |
royal famlly..are most conspicuous. The pa
pers hayo taken the watchwo .l from them,
and in most serNile spirit have filled their !
columns With long and minute descriptions |
Of the ex-Emperor' funeral, utterly destitute
" interest TO any reader with common sense,
iatsIspersed with eulogies, as if a benetsctor |
il not Of the whole human race, At least Of
bis surroundings, had been removed, whose |
death would leave a void tha: could not be |
nusd. This osten:at.ou5 display OF seryi!ity |
and falsehool is the more offensive as it is !
entirely spontaneous, not dictated by fear ca
considerations Of policy, and consequently