The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-01-18
NapOHeOmssDead.
From the PicaYnna Ian. 10th.

naparte, son of Louis Bonaparte and
HOrtense Beauharnais, was born at
Paris, in the Tuileries palace, April 90,
1903, and stood as the head of the sue
cession after the Duke de Reichstadt,
by virtue Of the "Senatus Consultum."
Waterloo and the return of the BOur-
bOns for a time ended the Bonaparte
dynastie hopes, and placed HOrtense
and her son in exile. We may as well,
at this point, finish at once with Louis
the father of the late Emperor. Mar
ried for State reasons to his wife, the
match ended ended in separation, and
subsidized into Obscurity, leaving, SO far
as can be traced, not a single trait in
the character of his son. It is a singu-
lar fact that apart from the children of
Jerome Bonaparte the blood of Joseph
inc is alone perpetuated at this day on
the thrones of Europe; through Eugene
and HOrtense passed the sceptTe while
the great object of the divorce persisted
and left no sign. Even JerOme's prog
eny by his second marriage, have never
in their own right claimed throne, and
the prospect of the issue of Prince Ma
poleon with Princess ClOthilde Of Italy
ever rising to the purple is very remote.
In 1880 Louis Napoleon tried to return
to France, then ruled by Louis Philippe.
Failing in this, with his brotherhe went
to Italy, became a CarbOnari, joined an
instruction, was defeated; lost his
brother by sickness, and again returned
to his mother in Switzerland, where he
resided until the death Of the Due de
Reichstadt. In 1882 he began his Won
derful career as the rightful pOssessOr
of the French Empire, by virtue Of his
name and birth.
The andacity Of the Strasburg at
tempt was equaled by its folly. ending
in the transportation OF the asplrant, IN
November, 1886, to the United States,
where he remained until 1887, when he
returned to Europe to visit his dying
mother. We very much doubt if the
son ever did truly, sincerely and deep
ly love n human being but his moth
er; to her he gave his whole soul. And
it is in her character that the explana-
ton Of some Of his peculiarities of con-
duct and thought must be sought.
Many wild stories and incidents of the
brief life of the ex-EmperOr while in
this country have been told, most of
them untrue, The Prince was not a
reckless gamester and debauchee. His
life was decorOus, his associates res
pectable and not numerous, and his
chief amusement books. This has been
stated by residents Of New York who
knew what they said and whose own
character was of the best. He was a
Frenchman, and a man of the world,
but never the titled vagabOnd as has
often been represented. After the
death of his mother, our subject spent
about two years in England where he
published his "NapoleOnic Ideas" and
then, tempted by the unpOpularity OF
Louis Philippe, again passed over tC
France in August 1910, and made his
second failure at BOulOgne. This time
he was tried for treason by the House
Of Peers, and would probably have been
executed had not many of the peers
| themselves owed their titles to the cul.
prit's uncle and dared not shed the blood
of his nephew. In place of death, per.
| petual imprisonment was substituted
in the Castle of Ham, whence he es.
capped in May, 1916, and fled again Il
England.
The revolution of 1848 opened to hi.
indomitable ambition a fresh OppOrtu.
the National Assembly; December 10
1848, President for four years, and the1
came "the coup E'etGt" of December 3
1851. Sustained by his army and as
sured of the popularity and prestige O.
his name, in November, 1859, he sub
mitted to the vote of France the cues
ton: "Should he became Emperor q
7,924,180 of it's people said "yes," ant
Emperor he was. In January, 1858, b.
married Eugene Marie de Gusman, ant
in 1856 was. born their son, now tn
heir to his fathers claims. From thii
period to July Is, 1870, his reign lasted
then came the Prussian war, Sedan, tn
deche0nce, his capture, and then freedom
to return to England to meet his wifi,
and child Such is a very brief ant
general sketch Of the life Of Napoleon
III, emitting the wars Of Italy ant
Russia, the support of the Papal power
the Orsini conspiracy, and many Othe
events easily found in the current bio
graphics of the day.
There is often in barren dates grea
food for thought. In the present in
stance how these years mark changes
what shifts of scenery, and how tru,
that each nan in his life acts man.
parts.h
But the question behind the figures is
What manner of man was he's Wa
this emperor one of genius, or a glide,
charlatan who was shrewd enough t.
play on popular fancies, but withOu
the virile traits of great historic mel
Napoleon's principles of government
were to gid the chains of France, t
spend money lavishly for the materia
prosperity of the country, and to fatte
the military glory of the nation, bu
to suppress freedom of debate, to 81
lence a free press, and through his off
GERS to centralize all power in his sOve1
eign will under the fiction of a consti
tuition, and the will of the people. 0
broad, grand views of human nature h
had none; INDECENT in deciding, and OF
ten retieent because his own opinio
was Wavering, he was very skillful j
the knowledge of the worst part c
politics and diplomacy, but depiorabl
ignorant of what honesty could do an
suffer: a believer that every ministe
, king, or nation, had its price, and coul
be bought or cajoled.
In our personal opinion, the cessiO
of Savoy and Nice at the close of th
italian war, claimed from Italy as th
price of help, was the first great errC
of the Emperor. and marks The down
: ward slope in his career, for it begC
distrust in every European cabinet, il
, troduced new territorial lines, altere
, those of the treaty of Vienna, and 81
; the example of compensation of WhiC
Prussia has so literally awaited hersel
It was just after this cession that ii
group of Adventures whose intellect
audacity and nerve had, by use of h
name and ambition, pushed the En-
peror to his highest point, began to d
: off. ST. Arnaud died in the Crime
MoTny and Mocquard were wearing on
and Persigny and some of the othel
: found that their criticisms displeasei
as is always the case, the sovereign pr,
. ferred aduiati0n to sincerity, and 10
his hest supporters. The gTimean wa
made in conjunction with England, ha