Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-12-10
WATTERSON ON BONAPARTE.
Napoleon the First IA Desperate Ad-
venturcr. who Played for Empire
With Loaded Dicc-Rcncctions
ut the Hotel DIES Invalides.

at the Hotel DIES Invalides.
have just come from one of my Wis
It's to the tomb of Napoleon. WI. ties
Henry Wattcrson to The Couricr-JOur-
nal. II is altogether the most beauti-
full, and at the same time the most inn
posing sepulcher in the world. The
sarcophagus, of the richest porphyry.
stands in n lowered crypt. or vestibule,
or basin. and. instead of looking up.
YOU look down upon it, The canopy,
erected in the Hotel DIES lnvalides TO in
case this patriotic and martial shrine. is
magnificent surprising anything of the
kind known to ancient or modern times.
II is connected with the great chapel of
this home for the old and disabled
soldiers of France, and has within it
lesser chapcis and inches, which con-
tain other monuments and tombs, that
to the great Bonaparlc occupying the
rotunda beneath the dome. Subdued
light from many-colored stained glass
windows tittingly eliminates the place,
elligics in gold and marble decorate it,
and, from Il massive altar of precious
stones and metals, death seems to smile
upon life.
TO my mind Napoleon Bonaparte ex-
lists as a type OF all that is wicked and
monstrous in human nature and
destiny; an arch-iiend, with frenzied
gift of military ambition and genius;
and IN no sense worthy of such a tenn
pie. 1t could find, indeed. no adequate
reason for being. except that it stands
not alone as "a monument to q famous
warrior, but also as symbol of
national pride and glory. Illogical rs
it may be, and unchristlan, yet as long
as might can force its way against
right, | suppose men and women will
continue to fall down and worship mere
proves.
Bonaparte was not IA statesman and
he was not patriot. He wa, not even
a Frenchman. He was a vulgar
foreign adventurer, who had discover
ed a new trick of war. precisely
rs gambler might discover new
trick of cheating, and, greatly favored
by fortune. he played his marked cards
successfully until they were revealed to
other experts and began to be played
back upon him, when down he went,
like any other charlatan. He has
neither the self-restraintS OF great
character nor the sagacty of n great
Intellect. That he was, personally. n
coarse. vain-glorious bully and egotist
we have abundant test mony for be-
licving and none to the contrary; and.
though he has lain IN this gorgeous
l,,lt
and, though the land Is full of memorial :
which he caused TO be erected in his
honor, no influence of his can be
found which j. not distinctly a curse.
He founded neither system nor a
dynasty The code to which he attach
ed his name was none OF his. The one
successor, bearing that name, who
followed him upon the throne, was not
Bonaparte nj all, but notoriouslv the
illegitimate son of Il Dutch admiral by
Hortensc. the daughter of Josephine.
whose case IN equity was thus at last
made good. Even N this direction.
however. the line was stopped; and
there is about as much likelihood OF
the son of PlOn Plon wearing the i'm
r per!al purple a. of the statue upon the
Colomc Ncndome q sccnd Ing from its
elevation and taking the rein, of
power.
The one titled race in France meancr
than the Bonapartc, the Orleans
family-are ia an equally poor way OF
recovering their lost supremacy; 50
that whatever may have been the past
Of French history. the future. under
the republic. bcgn to wear tolerably
hopeful aspect The only part of the
population who would it they could.
restore monarchical government are
the shOp-kccprrs and tie II nphs du
pave of Pars. with whom prosperity
and debauchery are more or less
synonymous terms The mass and the
body of the people are republicans.
Bat. to return TO the first Napoleon.
He came To- Paris when old things were
passing away. and where. amid the
universal shipwrcck. great opportun
ties presented themselves to uncalcu-
lating intrepidity. OF this the young
Corsican had abundance Throughout
MS entire career he showed an astound-
inc lack both OF reelection and forecast.
He was daring and self-cOnfdent. nde-
fatigabe and reSolutc. unprincipcd and
lnconsidcrate. That he was born
NOlultI lltlt can DC no NONDis ana 10
the usual retnue OF brilliant soldierlv
qualities. such ~ decision and dash.
magnetism and enthusiasm. he United
the genius of Il diScovcrer or an inven-
tor. He had worked ont of his inner
consciousness a new theory in the sci
cncc of field operations
All that was wanting to develop this
was command The minister of war
had mistress of whom he was red
She was pretty and sprightly, aud Ma
poleon fell in love with her, and, being
willing to marry her. got the army OF
Italy rs her dover The highway of
fortune was accordingly opened TO him.
and by the application of his original
art of war victory after victory was
achieved; be rose TO the head of affairs
he captured the revolutions he erected
upon the ashes Of the old monarchy an
empire far eclipsing it in glory, sending
the dssentons of the national assem-.
bly, and the horrors OF the reign of