New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-20

THE DEATH OF THE PRINCE IlIPERIAL.
The spear of South African savage has
practically extlnguisbed the hopes OF politi-
cal party in France. The same Zulu strategy
that lately cut off the flower of the British
troops in South Africa has now been fatal TO
the claimant of a throne. The gentle and
amiabla boy who was still called the Prince
Imperial of France. though the throne to
which he aspired no longer existed, has suf
fere1 a rude and terrible death, and the
Bonaparte claim-if that can be called so
which has no rightful title and claims what does
not exst-reverts to a Prince who was really
hostile to the Third Empire, and has no hold
,non the affections of those who hope for its
restoration.
This young Napoleon was virtually the
last of the Royal line, and the man
ner of his death may be said, in all serious
ness, to be appropriate. The Bonapartes were
Adventures from the beginning to the end.
The first of the line, who began as a sub
lieutenant of artillery and ended as petty
prisoner on a South Atlantic island, having
meanwhile made the earth shake with the
tread of his armies and built up thrones and
pulled them down as children play with their
blocks. was simply the most sublime adven-
turer the world ever saw. The second Emperor
was but little more than caricature of the
first, and yet the likeness was sufficient
to dazzle the eyes of the French people.
He was an ADVENTURE at the very beginning,
for it was with some difficulty that his nomi-
nal father was induced to acknowledge him
as a son, and all his subsequent career was
in harmony with the method of his forced
adoption into a paIvenu family. Arousng
the laughter of Europe by his absurd and III
effectual demonstration at Strasburg, and
again at BoulOgne with his sickly eagle !;
escaune from the prison at Ham in work
ingman's dress; agitatlng his claims IN the
midst of the French colony in LondOn-he
was an adyenturer still, decidedly amusing
one at that. Ii was only with the c0ap
d6tat that he developed a share of that
genius for magnificent crimes which the great
Nanoleon possessed and the wanton precipi-
tation of the war with Prussia proved
that lie was still doing what the
Napoleons have always been doing, before
and since-playing a game. OF the boy who
is lust dead, much can be truthfully said that
II is pleasant to say. He seems to have been
noted Tor his winning manners, his real ami
free from the vices of princes, unless common
gossip has shown HIM more charity than it
usually shows TO royal persOnagcs. But he
was nevertheless merely the third in re-
markable line OF soldiers of fortune. His
career in NapOleOnic imposition and clap trap
began when his father took him to the seat
of war in 1870, aud announced to The French
nation in one of the typical NapoieOnlc bulle-
tins, the Princes baptism of fire. II was
continued, in exile, by various political ieints
and devices, contIived by the Bonapartist
party, and it has concluded with the theatre
cal enlistment for the Zulu War. This gave
him place in the public eye out of which
he WAS fast fading. 1t gave him an
opportunity to address parting bulletin to
his supporters. not one of whom ever dreamed
that he would incuf actual danger, much less
encounter death at the hands of negro saw
ages. 1t might almost be said to be consisten
that his death was one which might morel
naturally have befallen vulgar adventurer.