The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-04-28
Internal Machines.

Internal Machines.
1t was not until more than two centu-
RES after the famous 5th of November
that the idea of employing Illuminating
process against the chief of the state
was adopted in France, where twice in
two months an attempt was made to
blow up Napoleon, at that time First
Consul. 1t was in each instance on the
occasion of visiting the opera that Napo-
leon, according to the designs of his en-
emles, was to be blown to pieces. The
Paris Opera House has, in fact, been the
chosen scene for carrying out large
number of murderous projects against
the ruler of the country. In addition to
the two attempts made on the life of Ma
leon L, it was In front of the opera that
the Orsini shells were thrown which so
nearly disposed of Napoleon III. in the
year 1857. It was beneath the portico,
too, In the old Opera, in the Rue Richie
lieu, that the Duo de Berri was assassin
ated but it would be too long story
to give even the briefest accounts of at
tacks made upon sovereigns by ordinary
means. It was intended to employ
against Napoleon I. destructive meth
iod OF mixed kind. Rockets and gren-
AIDES were to be hurled from various parts
OF the theater into his box. But, to in
sure his death, conspirators armed with
daggers and pistols were stationed in the
corridors into which the box opened,
with orders to shoot and stab him, if,
escaping the missiles, he attempted to
make his way to the outer doors. The
conspiracy, according to Napoleon him
self, who told the story at st. Helena,
was revealed by Captain in the line
"What limit is there" said Napoleon,
to the combinations of folly and stu
pidity? This officer had horror of me
as Consul but adored me as General. He
was anxious that I should be torn from
my post, but he would have been very
sorry that my life should be taken. [
ought to be made prisoner, he said, in
no way injured, and sent to the army to
continue to defeat the enemies of France.
The other conspirators laughed in his
face, and when he saw them distribut-
ing daggers, and that they were going
beyond his intentions, he proceeded at
once to denounce the whole affair."
The informer having been brought
before him, Napoleon at first suggested
to the Project of Police that he should
not be allowed to go to the opera that
evening. 1t was decided, however, that
his absence would awaken the suspicious
of the other conspirators. and every
thing was allowed to 60 on as though
the plot had not been discovered. The
sentinels outside Maps. IONS box were
ordered to let no one approach who had
not the password, issued immediately
before the Consul's departure for the
opera for it was known that certain
number of conspiratona had taken up
their position il tl'- ~-tYidor to extin-
guish the igLts ssa <ne moment when
tile rockets We're to be fired and the
shells thrown. The opera for the even
ing was Les Horaces," a work COM
posed by Porta to a libretto founded on
Comedies tragedy, and the signal for
action was to be the delivery of a pass
age in which the Horatii swear to con-
quer or die. Then all the lights were to
be put out, and, apart from the shells
intended for the Emperor, fire. works
were to be cast Unfortunately about
the theater, while the general confusion
was to be increased by cries of " Fire !"
The leaders of the plot, like the claquers
OF the present day, had attended the re-
hearsal of the opera so as to note the cue
given to them for the grand demonstra-
ton and attack. But at the perform
ance the Prefecture of Police was also
largely represented, and there were alto.
gether upward of 200 persons in the
theater who were paving no attention IN
the music except with view to,a partic-
ular quartet, in which the old Horatius
opened the piece by calling upon his
sons to swear que le der,sier de vous
sera mort on vaiaQueur." The instru-
mental introduction to the quartet was,
however, the signal for action chosen by
the police, and before the singing began
the conspirators were all in custody in one
of the vestibules of the theater. -Ne,u
York Herald.