The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1873-02-12

AMONGST the items of Importance brought by
the last kilograms from Europe, is the announce
ment Of the death Of Napoleon Ill at Chisel-
hurst, on the 9th Of January last.
This event. if it had taken place few years
ago, would assuredly have been looked upon as
public calamity, both in France and abroad, by
the Conservative Governments of Europe but
viii now quietly pass on, if not altogether unno-
ticed unattended at least with the disastrous
consequences Of great loss.
History will with mpartiaity pronounce its
verdict upon one who for period of Is years. as
powerful Emperor, had the direction of the des-
TIMES of the French nation, and who died an exile
alter having plunged his country into the horrors
Of war which be could have houoraby avoided.
Time alone will show the part of responsibility
he has assumed, and how far he has been the de-
luded author or the blind agent of the dreadful
calamities which have befallen biz Empire, and
ruined forever the hopes of his dynasty. Even
during his lifetime his action and genius have
been diversely interpreted both by bis admirers
and his detractors. and it will require the sober
consideration Of posterity to come to fair and
unparalleled view Of the subject, equally free
from the exaggerated praises and the bitter dis
arrangement with which it is at present sur
rounded. A brief synopsis of his life may at any
rate prove interesting.
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1908,
the second son of Louis Bonaparte, King of Hol-
land, and of Hortense de Beauharuais. The fall
of the Empire of his uncle Napoleon l., deprived
his mother Of her Queenly station and she with
her two sons retired to Switzerland with the title
of Duchess of St Leu. He first gave evidence of
his daring spirit during the instruction fomenled
by the Italian Liberal Party at Florence IN 1881,
which having failed, he remained in comparative
obscurity. His brother and the Duke de Reich
stadt, son of Napoleon l., being both dead, he
became the only representative of the Napoeonic
claim his rights as such.
His attempt at oyerthrowing Louis Philippe
met with failure at StrasbOurg and be was, owing
to his name, mildly treated and sent as an exile
by that severe lesson and the example of a free
people, be landed at Boulogue with a view to
carry out his plans of restoration of the Empire.
Tried by the Chamber of Peers, he was sentenced
TO be imprisoned in the citadel of Ham, After
a few years detention, with the help of DR.. Con-
neau Whose name appears among those Of the
physicians who attended at his death-bed) be
managed to escape, and the Revolution Of lS4S
offered him the long sought for opportunity of
promoting his ideas of Napoleonic fatalism. He
courted popular favor by assuring his followers of
his devotion for republican institutions, aud he
was elected as member of the Assembly. On the
llth Of December, lS4s, he was made President
Of the Republic, and on the 2eth took the oath
to that form Of government. Three years later,
breaking his word, be sent to prison those Rep
Of the Assembly who were hostile to
bis views, and by his coup detn of December 3D.
1851, proclaimed himself Emperor Of the French
This was the original sin, the consequences of
which we're to be felt all through his career. He
could not efface 1t, do what be would. 1t is a
conceded fact that during his reign industry,
commerce and agriculture attained climax of
prosperity. 1t is also known
rait of his life that he sedulousy worked to i'm
prove the condition Of the working classes, but
lis efforts were unavalng, and his popularity
vas never deep-seated. The Cnmean war 10 1855,
md the Italian war in 1859, gave new prestige
o his name, and seemed to justify his hope of
mplanting his dynasty in France, as be had as
erted his predominance in the world but the
Mexican war soon proved to bis adversaries that
here was no solid foundation to his stability, aud
he republican ideas which he had violated were
his projects Even his highest con-
options were turned to his detriment, and the
'rincpe of nationalities which he upheld when
e made the Italian war, was invoked by Prussia
D the Danish and other questions.
The great Exhibition of 1867, one of the most (
events of bis reign, added fresh
lstre to the imperial glory but from that mo-
lent we can date the steady downfall of the fraiI
lbric raised by one man against the laws of God.
urrounded by counsellors such as be could find
! a corrupted court, badly advised by those who
Onnived with him at the coup deta, he rushed
eadlong into the German war to escape it is al
ged, the dreadful consequences of a revolution
hich threatened to overthrow him. Whatever
is motive may have been, it is proved now be-
Dnd doubt that he willingly refused to listen to
lie arguments of those who showed him the
'yss open before him. @Quos ruh pe1TIere Ju-
tier deuentdt." The disaster Of Sedan has broken
France the magic spell of the NapoleOuic e-
End. Chiselhurst cannot compare with ST.
elena.