New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22
PRINCE NAPOLEON.
"REMINISCENCES By ONE WHO KNEW HIM

"REMINISCENCES By ONE WHO KNEW HIM.
Il was as a mere boy that was first presented 70
Prince Napoleon at the Paais ROYAL by NY father.
and os he was very fond Of the latter be was good
enough 70 inaugurate the acquaintance BY pattIns
NIX head and kissing my cheek-an honor which
my Youth induced me TO regard with feelings OF
resentment rather than satisfaction. took DuV
little interest in the conversation that ensued.
which WAS concerning matters beyond my boy!sh
comprehension. but | can distinctly remember
being greatly struck by the alarming frequency
NJ tbe Princes vawns, which ended by making NE
50 nervous that.I began 10 yawn too. ms hapit
Of yawning on the part Of the Prince was DUE
believe 20 some chronic trouble with the liver, ana
was most dsconccrting For he would yawn az
the rate Of about once every two minutes even Oh
the roost solemn occasions. and no matter 10 whOm
he was talking
The next occasion on which saw him was IN
London in the early part Of 1871. "heh the
German army was still encircling the beleagureh
Paris lie had taken a house IN the ncighD'fAoou
of HYDE Park and-w accustomed 70 strou several
times week over 70 residence. where he would
establish himself in huge armchair In my fathers
library. smoking innumerable cigarettes. ana IN
Weighing by the hour against the Impress
Eugenie-" Cette Femme chat woman, as he
WAS wont 10 call her-whom he Denounced as
primarily responsible not only for the overthrow
Of the Empire and for the origin OF the teTnDc
war then waging but also for every other MS
fortune ard disaster that had ovcrtaken france
since the day when she became the wife OF his
cousin Napoleon Ill OF tie latter he invariably
spoke with "A warmth Of affection surprising IN
man who appeared 50 thoroughly stepped In GYM
cism.
No one. not even the Emperor. understood the
character Of Eugene so well as Prince Napoleon.
He had known her when. as n young schoolgirl OF
the Pension du Sacrc Occur at Paris. she was won't
to spend her Sundays and half holidays AZ the
Passv home Of bis old friend. the Comtesse dc
Labordc 1t was there that he became acquainted
with the unfortunate mystery concerning her birth,
and with the awkward questions regarding her
parcntace and legitimacy THIS. however, only
contributed 10 interest him in her behalf. lie
sincerely ptied her. and remained her warm
friend and even admrcr. until the moment mat
il became apparent 70 him that the Emperor had
become infatuated by her charms. believing that
she was fitted neither by birth nor education. nor
yet by her somewhat stormy social career since
She had made Ter debut in the salons Of the
Comtesse de Laborde and Of Mrs. Gould ten
years previously, 10 become tie first lady OF
France, lie did everything that las IN lis power
10 oppose the match and to Givert his cousins
attention 70 the marriaceablc PriIcesscs Of Royal
birth AT foreign courts.
His efforts, though understood and appreciated
N their true value BY the Emperor. who was
the most obstinate Of meme dOuX entcie. as lis
mother, Queen IIortense. was wont 10 call him
proved fruitlcss. and il was with heavy heart
and forcbodin2s Of evil that the Prince attended
the magnifceut wedding ceremony al NOtre Dame
Oh January 30. 1853.
Eugene was too much Of a Spaniard ever .
forget or forgive tie hostility Of her quoEdam
friend and aduiTer to her marriage, ana from
tAcnccforth became the most bitter enemy 81 the
Prince. Her vengeance took every Conceivable
form II was she who first started the altogether
false and unjustfable dea about his being den
Gent in courage, and who converted ms nursery
nickname Of Plon Plon "A childish abbrcvia'lpn
Of the word Napoleon into popular soubriquet
Indicative Of his alleged cowardice on tie Held oil
battle II was sufficient for the Empress 70 Know
that the Prince was in favor Of particular course
for her 70 seek the adoption Of one directly con-
trary thereto, utterly Indifferent as 10 whether II
was right or wrong. Her aninosty toward him
appeared 10 blind her reasoning powers, and ms
much as the advice which he rendered was in
mon-sensc. while on the other hand her influence
on the EMPEROR. the Government and the Court,
was superior 10 his, it the wrong and not the
right course which nearly always prevailed The
Prince was strongly opposed to the Mexican cam
paign-straightway tie Empress threw herself
heart and soul into the enterprise which resulted
50 dsastrously Indeed, the participation Of the
French Government therein was entirely her own
doing In the same manner the urgent recon-
mcndations by the Prince 70 the Emperor 70 iulil
the promise made by the latter 10 Count Oavour
for the Withdrawal Of the French garrison from
Rome were set AZ naught by Eugene who IN
sisted that the troops should remain The result
was that popular feeling in ltaly WAS turned
AGAINST France by the presence Of "a foreign army
OF occupation on the banks OF the Ilber ana th't
when in 1870 the French Government appealed
TO Italy for help against the German invader a
deaf ear was turned to its entreatie' Few VIII
ever know how strong n fight the fflnce was
obliged 70 make % prevent the Emperor rom
| recognizing the Conlederat, Government dnrne
the American Rebellion. For as soon as ever she
! ascertaincd that the Prince was in favor of the
Union she NJ once esDouscd the caus" oi the Nouth
and tried her utmost 10 bring her husband 20 do
! en- likewise II was tie attitude, too, Of Prince
! NAPOLEON in deprecatng any conflict with Ger
many, on the ground that the military equipment
and resources Of the latter were superior 10 those
Of France, that induced the Empires TO take 81
prominent a part in promoting the war OF lS'O-
! 1871, which resulted in the overthrow OF the I'm
pire and in the loss Of Alsace and Lorraine
" C,est ma guerre moi she cNultinely exclaimed
during the first few days which followed the he
! Ginning Of hostili'es and Prince Napoleon wa'
never tired Of referring 10 this most unfortunate
remark in tones of bitter irony, La gnerre dc
lImperatrice
The Prince. it must be admitted, made no at
tcmpt 10 conceal his aversion TO bis cousin
! Spanish wife. and not only made her the butt OF
many of his sarcasms, but even treated her OIL
many occasions with scant courtesy. As an Illus
| tration thereof may mention an incident related