The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-08
THE AcCTpENrs OF HISTORY.
Louis Napoleons Early Poverty-Rise and
Fall of the Second Empire.

rail- OF the second Empire.
George A. Sala's Lecture at Chicago
When a little boy his dear mother took him to
a soree in London, given by the Hon. Mrs. Nor
ton, one of the most beautiful women of her day
and then considered great novelist and poetess
The rank fashion and intellect of the time were
gathered there and among them-and chief
among them-his childish gaze was riveted upon
slight spare man with tawny complex
ion. and rather tawny hair. curled well on the
forehead, and dropping, heavy moustache and
beard-not exactly goatee, but spiked and
twisted-and a very remarkable eye-an eye
which seemed to belong to some one who was
just recovering from the effects of some strong
opiate-shining, and only half awake This
gentleman attracted him not only from his
facial peculiarities, but also from the fact that
in his black satin stock he wore the emblem OF
an eagle, in gold and diamonds.
1t was Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, q
young man then scarcely thirty, the son of Louis.
King of Holland, and Hortense, and yet, young
as he was, he had become notorious If not IA
nous. To the surprise, not only of conservative
France, but of all Europe, in December, 1848.
this discredited adventurer was elected Presi-
dent of the French republic for the term Of
four years, and TO that republic he solemnly
swore allegiance. When the real story Of
Napoleon came to be written, Mr. Sala thought
it would be found land he knew the circum
stance to be TRUTH that Louis Napoleon would
never have succeeded in making himself Presi-
dent of the republic without liberal expendi-
ture of money in his election campaign and he
happened to know whence that money came.
1t Was loaned to him-a vast sum-by the ban
lshed. but immensely wealthy Duke Charles of
Brunswick.
On what mere accidents history depended.
The great Napoleon 1 was in his youth desper
ately poor-an officer out of employment. He
sought service in the army of an Indian rajah,
and was accepted, but he couldn't go to India
for want of pair of boots. For want of them
he remained in France, became general of the
Army of Italy. First Consul, Emperor to be de-
teated at Waterloo after he had been the master
OF the world and 10 die banished man at Long
wood, St Helena. And Prince Louis Napoleon
was so poor, so embarrassed at the begin ming Of
1913, that he couldn't get the vilest OF uSurers to
discount his notes. even at GO per cent Ii he
hadn't obtained that loan from Duke Charles, of
Brunswick, there might never have been the
second empire, the coup detat the siege of
Paris, and the collapse.
In December 1851, when it ebecame apparent
that something was going to happen in Paris,
der OF his chief. Charles Dickens. Upon arriv-
ing there the first thing that he noticed was the
Ito hlm) phenomenal spectacle of no cabs or ON
nibuses. 1t was case of walk.
On his way to the hotel he was accosted at
every corner by a gendarme. who peremptorily
ordered him to show his passports, ana only
after being subjected to minute inquiry was he
allowed to proceed. The streets were lined with
conspicuous placards signed by Napoleon, say
ing that bv his wisdom he had been called to dis
solve the Assembly and take the reins of govern
ment, and he would throw himself upon the
suffrages of the people. At o'clock the special
correspondent started to sec what he could see.
He had proceeded to the corner of the
found himself contemplating the tall
est and certainly the ugliest cui-
rassier he had ever seen in his life. While lost
in wonde1ment at the dragoon's height and ug-
ness, that individual suddenly leaped down and
interrupted the correspondents train of thought
by placing the muzzle of a huge country pistol
against his forehead; and shouting 'Traverse"
Traverse" He felt the touch of the cold steel
and comprehended the order perfectly He
backed off and executed flank movement to his
hotel He had no sooner reached that shelter
than firing commenced in the streets, growing
in volume and effectiveness as the day wore
away. SO terrible did it grow that the next
day-the Sd Of Observation-Disclosures alone were
not used-but destructive bombs were thrown,
some OF them striking the hotel and creating
scene OF carnage that soon brought about the
most complete desertion of that caravansary.
The 4th he yentured from his hiding place;
the firing had ceased and Paris had I'M
dergone another transformation; it was
the old gorgeous careless Paris of a few days
previous. But in the crevices and corners of the
pavements were pools of human blood, and i'll
Railways and out of theway lanes and places
were piles of dead women and children, who had
been slaughtered by the soldiery the day before
as they charged up the streets and boulevards
in thousands These people had not disobeyed
the orders or the PRESIDENT prince; had not been
caught behind, before. or in the barbados for
ridden by the police department and the mill
strsots They had simply wandered into the
ebo,n craving the dangers that threatened
fnr tbe;r been slaughtered They had paid
d. etat had heen snc eth their lives. His coup
table person once told the no
was physical coward that af IL. 'nat Napoleon
| able day at Magenta the Emperor thfss inelnor-
pea green hue whenever in danger. 81 ou'o
believe Napoleon to have been a coward" said
Mr. Sala. II think he was man of phlegmatic
temperament