Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-10
DEATH or LOUIS NAPOLEON.

DEATH or louis NAPOLEON
Dispatches yesterday brought the in
telligencc OF the death of Louis Napoleon
yesterday morning at Chiselhurst. The
news was not unexpected after the pre-
vious reports of his condition. Thus passes
from the stage oflife one Of the most event.
full characters of this generation, wSose
history is as strange as a Romance. As .
descendant of Napoleon the First. his
nephew believed that lie was born 70 be q
ruler Of France This belief supported
him in exile, Il prison, and under the most
wandering about in poverty and keeping
company Of not the most reputable char
acter, ana when il England without
means to obtain decent living, he still
cherished the belief that he should sit upon
the throne Of France. Failure in his effort
10 achieve the ohioc. Ct his ambition did
, not discourage him, but through tue prison
! bars and without friends to solace or aid
him he looked forward with hope TO sue
! cess
The remarkable strokes By which he crt
his way to the throne are as singular as
anything in his illustrous uncle's career
From beggary and I prison he mounted
10 the supreme command. Every
step after he was installed ruler Of the
French people until the fatal war with
Germany seemed - enlarge his power
and establish it more firmly. His militia
~ cooperation with England il lie Cri-
inca left the larger share OF honor with
him. His campaignin Italy Was brilliant,
giving him the popular reputation Of Aav-
ing inherited in some degree the genius
Of his ancestor for successful warfare
His diplomacy was saillful. Other nations
feared him, and at one time he seemed to
be the arbiter of the destiny of Europe.
Marvellous rs wa: his rise quite as wen,
derfal was his fall. Engaging in quar-
i rel over the question OF q king for Spain,
he gathered an army which he supposed
% be inyincig,e, and rushed in to humble.
divide and conquer Prussia as he imagined.
( The result was that his army was beaten
/ in every engagement and he himself was
taken prisoner at Sedan, losing his crown,
and compelled by the disaster to take up
, his residence after the war In n foreign
country where he died in exile.
That Lors Napoleon was man Of great
ability admits Of no doubt His achieve
ments considering all the circumstances
evince power OF a high order He has
left in France enduring monuments of his
genius and love Of country in the improve
lnents which he made during the time he
held and controlled and was the govern
nent. No monarch did more to make the
! kingdom great, prosperous and glorious in
lis public works and buildings and for the
general happiness of the people. But his
rule was that Of 4 despot, az it necessari-
" had 70 be while he kept the throne
His support was the army and not the pco-
| pie. In his private character also Napo-
Icon was corrupt, lcentious. His mis-
tresSes and love intrigues were the scan
da1 Of the court and nation. By his death
disturbcr Of the present state of affairs
| In France is removed, thus improving the
! chances Ct Theirs to establish his govern
ment. No doubt there will be universal
regret in France, for though the people
disliked the despotsm of Napoleon. the
name is cherished warmly in the hearts of
Frenchmcn, they have his works to praise
him. and the unsettled and distracted state
Of the country will cause many to sigh for
! the rule that gave them steady and
strong government while it lasted
He was born in 1903, and his mother
was Hortense Beauharnais, daughter OF
the Empress Josephine; his father was
| Louis Napoleon. He took part in the
Carhonari instruction in the Papal States
in 1881; attempted a revolt at Strasburg
in 1886; was sent in exile to America the
same year went to London in 1888;
landed at Boulogne with fifty followers
! in August 1910, and in October was SEN
| fenced to imprisonment for life; escaped
from Ham in 1916; arrived at Boulogne,
was elected deputy and took his seat in
the National Assembly in 1915; accom-
plished his celebrated coup d'etat in 1851,
and was elected President of the French
Republic for ten years; was elected and
declared Emperor in 1852; and was taken
prisoner ut Sedan and lost his throne in
1870.
mr., BLAINE AND THE CREDIT