The Portland daily press., 1873-01-10

,,,;th the wretchedness that the Orlean-
ists had brought upon the people; and conse-
ouently Louis Napoeon was elected Presi-
dent of the Republic on December 10th, 1S4s,
receiving large majority of the votes.
His government as President, nominally |
Republican, was steadily directed 10 the fur
therance OF his personal schemes. In the be-
ginning Of 1851 Changarnier was dismissed
from the command of the army, and the ma
tional assembly, refusing to pass his meas
ures, was denounced by him. The breach
between the prince President and the repre-
sentatives of the people widened until the
night of December I'd, when suddenly he eff
fected his coup d'etat; Paris was declared in
state of sege; the assembly was dissolved
and one hundred and eighty of its members
dragged from their beds to prison; the officers
of the army that would not yield, imprisoned;
and the people who showed disposition TO
sustain the assembly, or protest against TINS
high-handed outrage were shot down ny 'i,e
soldiers. At the same time decree was pun
forth ordering the election of ffeSiuon' ioi
ten wears. and as matter OF course, Louis
Nanoleon was elected, and now the man who
had svorn IN defend and perpetuate the Re-
nublic began to pre- are to establish the EN-
MIRO Tn January, 1852, the national guard
was established and in the following Novem-
Der he asked the people to vote upon plsbis-
cituna, reviving the imperial dignity in the
person of Louis Napoleon. He took good
care that the vote should be counted in his
favor, and he was accordingly declared En-
peror under the title of Napoleon LII. In
January, 1853, the new Emperor was married
to the Countess of Tebia, Spanish lady of
ancient descent. In March, 1856, the Prince
Imperial was born and was named Napoleon
Eugene Louis Jean Joseph. n
In March, 1858, the troubles began, which
led to the war with Russia. In this Napoleon
may be said to have been the only man and
France the only nation that gained anything.
He came out of the conflict with great repu-
tation, and France was elevated to a first
class power while England suffered a cores
ponding decline in its power and influence
among European nations At this period
and few years subsequent he was at the
height of his power, and during that period
no potentate or power had greater influence
than Napoleon I'LL, and F. ance. 1t was dur
ing this period that Sardinia became in
volved in war with Austria which involved
the French government and resulted in the
defeat of Austria at Magenta and Solferino
and ''united Italy," The prestige of the
French army was most strikingly displayed
in this brilliant campaign and at its close
France was the most powerful of the great
| powers. At this point in his wonderful career,
Napoleon seemed to have been dazzled with
the brilliancy of his great success. He assum-
! ed dictatorial powers. On the breas ing out
of the Southern Rebellion, Napoleon early
disclosed his hostility to our Government and
was only prevented from bringing on war
between France and the Uni ed States by the
obstinate refusal of England to act with him.
He did, however, in connection with Eng
| land and Spain, send an expedition to Mexico
to enforce the payment of debts due these ma
| tions by the latter. 1t was for the purpose of
aiding the rebellion that he afterwards at
tempted the conquest of Mexico and to estab-
lish an empire, over which he placed Maxi
milan. This was the first reverse of Napol-
con and his course was severely criticised in
both Europe and America. His defeat in this
matter was severe blow to his prestige at
home and abroad. Close upon the Mexican
| failure came the climax In the long existing
dificu ties between Prussia and Austria, and
the brilliant campaign in which Austria was
humbled, followed. For the first time it was
'evident that Napoleon was not the dictator of
Europe. The French Emperor was the last
to discover this fact and at once undertook to
try titles with Prussia. He demanded of
| Prussia part of the Rhine provinces in order
| to complete ''the rectification of the French
frontier" and was fatty refused. This re-
fusal was pocketed, fact that did not
strengthen Napoleon in the estimation of the
civilized world, which was intently watching
the progress Of events.
In 1859 the people of France and particu-
larly of the cities showed signs of unrest.
The Emperor appreciated the situation and
met the crisis by a change of policy, partially
| substituting and constituting constitu-
tional for personal government. The con-
cessions made by the Emperor were accepted
by many of his former opponents and the for
nation IF a ministry from the various shades
of the assembly gave the empiere a greater
| appearance of security than it had eve had.
| 1t was but few days after this that the diff
| Guilty arose afresh between France and Prus-
STA, which eliminated in the greatest war of
mooern times. N poleon was clearly the ag-
gressor, and lured on by martial mania, de-
clared war on the 10th of July.
The result is fresh in the minds of all-the
route and destruction of the French army;
| the disgraceful weakness of the Emperor in
| adversely and his capture by his foes; his for
fixture of the throne declared by the people;
| his exile; the formation of a republic and the
! disgrace and almost total destruction of
| France.
| Thus closed the caree. of one ofthe most re-
markable men that history will ever have to
record. He was made up of contrarieties On
some occasions he displayed great genius, but
rather as a trickster and intriguer than as a
well balanced statesman. His defects were of
the most glazing character, and none more OBJ
servable than his lack of nerve and self-pos-
session in adversely. At Sedan he appears
the most arrart coward. No man has ever
| been judged so differently at different periods
| in his life. For twenty years previous to the
| revolution of 1S48, he was ridiculed as Don
| Quixote; for twenty years subsequent, he was
esteemed the paragon of diplomacy an wis
dom-the man most to be feared in the world.
His last campaign disclosed the weak and
despicable traits OF his character The judg-
doubtless, is that no other specimen will be
| required at present.
Probate Manual.
We are in receipt of advance sheets of a
new Maine Probate Manual, by Hon. E. Il.