The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-10
The Prince and His
Position.
WHO WILL BE REGENT I?
Ambitions, Intrigues, Hopes and
Disappointment.
NO MORE COUPs D'ETAT.
NAPoLEoNIsM TO MEAN PEACE

NAPoLEoNIsM TO MEAN PEACE
af fnea LONDON, Jan. II, 1873.
THE BONAPARTE GATHERING. ,-
Imperialism fingers at the tomb Of the dead EN-
peror. Chiselhurst Is almost suburb Of London
near enough for an afternoon drive-and as we
have had Q succession or days almost Spring
like in their midness. the green fields, calling the
tired city soul to come and battle, as 1t were, In
their verdure, there has been daily pilgrimage to
the new Mecca-t0 Camden House, where Napoleon
lived, and the little church where he lies buried.
The high men and women OF the Empire who were
here to celebrate Ills Aajestys funeral still remain,
and Eugenie In her sorrow holds as sincere and
numerous, II not a. Ostentatious court as IN the
Tuileries There Is something In the English well
come which makes stay grateful to the Bonaparte
chiefs. The world has not been In blithe mood
towards them since Sedan. Exile and hiding in
strange places and avoiding journalists, thinking
sadly OF the past and YEARLY OF the future, hearing
their names in the daily maledictons Of France
this has been the lot Of most OF the men who fol-
lowed the Emperor's body the other day over
the cold Kentish meadows to its resting
place. It is grateful. therefore, to be treated
as real princes and dukes, and marshals command
ing arms to have consideration and Difference and
be honored as men who are actually IN authority.
Regent street and Pail Mall have as many
Frenchmen, with red ribbons in their Iappels, as
you Will see on the Bouevards They cluster
around hotels, spend their evenings at the little
French theatre up on Tottcnham Court road and
during the day go down to Chiselhurst TO pay
Obesance 70 the Empress and say prayer at the
imperial tomb. = '-'s,'"s
'IMPERIAL CAESAR DEAD AND TURNED TO cLAY.n
The imperial tomb, as your correspondent saw
1t yesterday, was as much an object OF interest as
on the day Of the burial. The Idle ones Of Chisel-
hurst spend their time between the Tigers Head
inn and the outside OF the church In an earnest,
staring way. as though there were something about
to take place in an astronomical or supernatural
manner. walked over the road which the funeral
procession traversed. The day was damp, or
rather dampish, aud the carefully prepared high
way which had been scraped and rolled
like o drawing-room floor, was beginning
to resolve itself into mud. The pleasant
woman who keeps the lodge at Camden
House had her own little levec behind the gilded
Iron bars of the gate-a continuous levee it seemed
as she has conversational powers and never
ceases to discuss her dead master. To have opened
the gate for him as he drove through to have been
called Mary and to have had the right to exchange
sautations with him makes her a famous woman
In the little town, This honor, however, "
divided with the sexton at the church.
II was easy to see that great honors haa fallen
upon this man. Man and boy he had buried Chisel-
hurst for one, or perhaps two, generations, ana
under ordinary circumstances would have gladly
accepted pint OF beer and talked about corpses.
But to have buried the Emperor; to have him now
In charge; to be truly, and without question, the
custodian Of his august bones, Is such an honor
men only know once In lifetime. Our old friend
certainly so regarded 1t. He was not willing to
open the church for the crowd Of villagers. They
could not make the church a county fair. As
for those staring gawky fellows from the village
who wanted to come In, why they had been In
nifty times, and would spend their time there, as
they had nothing else to do. Nor did they put
penny in the box for the poor, nor say even
prayer nor even kneel in front OF the altar. They
were little better than heathens, and he would not
spend his time with them. But with your CORE
spondent IL was another matter, and we were al
lowed to enter.
PRAYING AT THE TOMB.
Imperial Caesar was peaceful enough-but not
alone. A Sister Of Mercy was at prayer at his
side. Two or three ladies' in mourning were near
the altar IN deep devotion. Two ribboned
Frcnchmen sat little back, as IL In at
tendance. 1t Is not for me to write
their names, or I would write those
OF men who served the Empire with conspicuous,
worldwide fame The coffin could scarcely be seen
for the overwhelming contributions OF flowers. The
odor Of the crushed and fading vi0lets flied the
church, ana must have disputed the fragrance Of
the incense during the celebration Of mass. NV
attendant told NE that the tomb was scarcely ever
alone. The friends Of the family came every day.
The Prince Imperial had been with Prince Napo-
leon, and had given some directions about the
vault. But the Empress had not dared to come.
The now ers were constantly replaced, The Queen
had sent her tokens, as well as The whole royal
family, not to speak OF the gentry and persons Of
quality In the neighborhood with whom Napoleon
had always been great favorlte. He had culti-
waited the kindcst relations with them, and as far
as he could-for he was really dying man during
his whole exie-had taken part in their anuse.
ments and sports. Towards the poor he had
always shown consideration and friendship, and
many Goody Two Shoes had to thank him for
Goals and bread. I heard all manner OF little
anecdotes OF his cordially and friendly ways
TO the English, to foreigners OF all nations to Amer
cans especially, with whom he was glad always to
speak OF New York and his life there, the marvel
lous changes that must have taken place in the
great city during his absence. and his desire to
return and see America with his own eyes, About
President Grant he was always curious as well as
the whole question OF reconstruction OF the South,
subject that interested him greatly, as he never
seemed to believe that the conquered Southern
states would be anything more than source oftrou-
ole and discord, and In the end OF great disaster,
TO the Union. To the very last he never ceased to
take an active part In the political affairs OF
France, ruling his party as absolutely as
when ne sat in the Tuileries. Nor must
we overlook the tact which the En-
peror showed in his political relations to
France. He was within ten hours Of Paris. The