The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-01-10
DEATH OF LOUIS NAPOLEON.

sOuaBe Was dullOuiCeu III Oui tSieSA"PiN
columns yesterday. He died at Chisel-
hurst, England, at few minutes past ten
o'clock on Wednesday, with all his facul-
ties gathered about him as grandly as when
he welded the scepter Of empire as no
ruler in France has welded in the last three
centuries. For whatever the world may |
say in disparagement Of Napoleon ILL.,, it
cannot withhold the plaudit that he was
the best ruler France has had in the time |
we have named, nor can any temporary |
prejudice prevent this verdict from being
the ultimate record of history. When the
passions of the hour have subsidized, even
France will come to see that he was
more sinned against than SHINING, and that
the very errors which involved the En-
pire in ruin were those which he commit
ted against his own fixed policy and judg-
ment, but in obedience to the behests of
his people. The very men who occupy
the chief places of emolument and power
in France to-day, were those who clam
ored for this policy of ruin, and rejoiced
to see it come, even at the expense of
the desolation that followed. Nor were
they satisfied with seeing the imperial
crest stricken from volcanic nation, but
rejoiced in witnessing the fiery lava of
passion as it swept on to the destruction
of all that was most beautiful in art, re-
ligion, and esthetic culture. Such must
be the verdict of history when its dia-
mond-pointed pen, that corrodes not in
the hand of passion and prejudice, shall
write what has TRANSFERRED in France in
the last three years.
Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was
born at the Tuileries in Paris, April 20,
1908. He was the son of Louis Bona
parte, the youngest brother Of the first
Napoleon, and Hortense de Beauharnais,
the lovely and accomplished daughter of
the Empress Josephene. He was enscribed
at the head of the register of the family of
the Nepoleonic dynasty-the Emperor
having recognized his brother Louis and
his heirs as successors to the crown in pref
ercnce to his elder brothers.
At his baptism in 1910, Napoleon and
the Empress Marie Louise stood sponsors,
and scandal busted itself in coupling the
Emperor's name with his paternity. His
early life was passed amidst the falling
fortunes Of his house and his boyhood
and early manhood in exile. Hortense,
being compelled to quit France after the
disaster at Waterloo, took her son with hel
nto exile. He spent several years of his
youth in Switzerland, where he was edu
Gated. Upon the success of the revolution
Of 1880, and the accession of Louis Phil
lippe, he requested permission to return tc
France, which was not granted.
After brief service in Italy in the
army Of the insurgents, where he gained
some reputation as soldier, we hear little
OF him, until the death of the Due de Rich
stadt in 1882, when he again emerged into
public notice as Protender to the Grown
of France but the course Of his preten
sons did not run very smoothly. Ii
1886, we find him the author of worl
entitled " Political Reueries," and of al
artillery manual. In October of that veal
he made an attempt to establish his claim
to the crown, by demoralzng the garrison
at Strasbourg; but, failing, he was arrested
and banished to the United States.
He remained in this country only about
year, having returned to Europe in 1887
to attend his mother in her last lines
in Switzerland. After his mothers dealt
he sought refuge in England, where his lif
was quiet and rather uneventful one.
In 1880, and while in England, he pub
lished his celebrated "Napoleonic Ideas,''
which were mainly defence of the policy
of his uncle, Napoleon the First. Abou
this time the growing unpopularity of tina
weak monarch, Louis Philippe, in France
and the natural decline of French prestige
emboldened him to make another attemp
to assert his rights to the Crown. Thi
was what is generally known as tn
"Tame Eagle Enterprise" at Boulogne
Failing in this, he was arrested and throw
into prison at the Castle of Ham, fror
which he escaped in 1916, within the.mem
DRY of most of us, and returned to Eng
land. The revolution of 1913 afforded hir
the first opportunity to freely return t
France, and reaction having long befor
taken place favorable to the name of Ma
poleon, the "Nephew Of his Uncle" be
came all at once most conspicuous bu
still fearfully lampooned parsonage.
He entered the Constituent Assembly
1S4S, and after demonstrating his ability 9
one of the foremost statesmen in that body
was chosen President Of the Republic--h
chief competitor being General Cavaigna
The term of his election was for four year
He took an oath of office to support ii
constitution of the Republic, but his polit
cal enemies conspiring against him,
seized the imperial diadem, and by bri
liant coup d'etat-a thing of fascination
the French people-he re-established I'll
Empire, with himself upon the throne.
OF the events that have followed h
ascent upon the throne of France, ian az
achieved by perfdy in the opinion of his enc
mics. but always indicated bV his friends