The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1873-01-17

FrOm 1860 un'il 1869 he appears t
have devoted himself to the improve
ment Of tie condition OF tn
French people, sid undoubtedl,
be brought TO all classes
material prosperity not beiort
known. Save il regard TO thl
French and English coDjoint expe
dition sgainst China, and the ilI-timei
interposition 10 the affairs OF Mexico
resulting 50 tragically to MaximiIian
be steered clear OF hostile entsngle
ments with other powers. A grea
deal Of Censure has been Wis ted on hin
for what is presumed to have beer
an effors on his part 10 induce En
gland to acknowledge the Southern
| ConfedsRey during our late civil
war, but th allegations sgainst bis
Ipolicy in this mstter have probably
been more sweeping than the facts
might warrant. There seems, how
ever, to be no doub. thAt be expected
the South to come out victorious--an
expectation which was pretty gener
ally INDUCED in throughout Europe
during the series Of reverses sustain
ed By the North shortly after the
opening of the civil war. he pro-
ceeded no fsrther-scsrcely Is far
as did leading English statesmen
about the same period.
During the winter and spring of
1870 the storms that burst upon Ns-
poleon began to gather. Paris, which
under his rule hsd become the most
attractive city in the world, became
excited through the increasing ex-
ertions of his political opponents, and
there were visible symptoms OF en-
early outbreak. At this juncture
public attention was diverted TO the
alleged interference OF Prussia with
the Spanish succession, and the
French, more enthusiastic In COM
menclng war than courageous 10
sustaining it, were sfire with eagerness
to be across the Rhine. The Assem-
bly, declared for war-Napoleon had
either to take up the cue or abdicate.
The military forces of the Empire
we're great, and full OF spirit (which
oozed out after Sarbruck J Austria,
still writhing under the castigation
received at the hands o. Prussia il
1866, promised assistance; Itsly il
was thought might be counted on
for past favors. With the two pros
poets before him of 3 successful cam
paign or forced sbdicstion, Napoleon
took the more suspicious horn of the
dilemma, and how he Jared Is known.
Disappointed by the soldiers, betrav-
ed by his generals, sbandoned by
Austris, discountenar eed By Italy,
execrated at Paris for the very acts
which Paris but q few days before
had made imperative, he could not
deeply have regretted when final de-
feat met him at Sedan.
Treated generously by the Emperor
William of Germany he retired to
Chiselhurst, snd for the past two
yesrs had been leading secluded life
at that pleasant English villa, with his
wife snd son--calmly watching the
progress Of political affairs on the
stage from which he was driven, but
making no demonstration towards
regaining his role and again playing
a part among the crowned heads
Such Ia in brief his history. He was
undoubtedly one Of the greatest rul-
ers, and in many respects one OF the
most sagscious men OF modern times.
Also, apart from Whatever extraordi
nary measures he may have been
compelled to resort to in obtaining
and maintaining power, there Is no
reason to doubt that he was ct heart,
and in the main, a humane and good
man. History will do him iairer jns-
tice than he has received from many
small critics of his own generation.
So lived, SO died, Charles Louis
Napoleon, Emperor III. OF France.
The personal power shown through
his career cannot be detrscted from
the excellent traits shown in his early
manhood prove him anything rather
than what petty lsmpooners of his
own country, or scribblers of ours,
whose ignorance is only equaled by
their purposeless pref jldice, would
paint him. They may shoot their
little venom-tipped arrows over his
coIpes, even as they shot them at his
political prosperity and domestic
happiness while living. but posterity
will recognize his virtues and his
merits with that supreme contempt
for his assallants which be visited upon
them during life.