New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22

at Erfurt as neither more Hoi iV9' ''
missions of treachery to Napoleon inc
answer of Talleyrand to such charge would Vi
course. he that upon which his whole "apoiosla
.ro vita STA rests. namely. that his first and
HIGHEST dnty was 10 his country, and that III
this case he devoted himself 10 the interests OIL
France. as bound in honor to do.
There is danger in this theory, for 1t may nc
rsod 70 vndicate many otherwise lndefcnsio!c
acts and it is so used sometimes, even by thlS
master of sophistry. But the example OF trtur'
is certainly in his favor, for there can nc no
Iobt that Napoleon's desire TO crush Austria, and
70 secure n Russian alliance for that purpose WAS
fraucht with grave menace to French interests
while Talleyrands endcavor to thwart TINS Schehc
ard save Austria from ruin was in every way
hinhcr politics, and more consonant with the
welfare not alone of France, but of Europe
Talleyrand held secret interviews at Erfrt WIN
Alexander. whom he had learned TO know at
Tilsit Taieyrand gives much information COLI
corning the proceedings at that place, such as
only an eyewitness and a highly placed o'a'e
dignitary could convey: and especially doe' ne
enlarge upon the EmpcrOrS colloqulcs WIN the
German men of letters, Wicand, Goethe and
othcrs who came or were sent for, TO meet HIM,
and with whom he discussed Tacitus, startling the
Teuton authors by the eccentricity Of his crtique
lie also dscoses one Of NapOeOns smaller devices
for forming opinion-his conveyance of the whole
! "Comedc Franchise company to Erfurt TO play
classic tragedies carefully selected for thelr
daptable references to conquerors ana heroes'
Talleyrand observes that "NapoleonS ldea III
causing heroic times to appear on the tage was
70 misead all that old German nobility in the
midst of which he was, and to carry them away
by imagination into other regions, where men
h,., I,o,n col, ohulo their actions,
creators of their race, and pretending to draw
their origin from the gods passed before its eyes
In the pieces drawn from history, the representa-
ton Of which he ordered the policy Of some
chief character always recalled some clrcum-
stances analogous with those which occurred
daily since he himself had appeared on the stage
of the world, and all that became the subject OF
hattering alusions.7 The momcntary effects an
ticiDatcd were produced but no lasting i'm
prcssors were made. The "pit-full of kings J"
applaudcd the universal tyrant TO the echo. for
they had still something to lose. The growing
vanity of Napoleon was flattcrcd. and his mc!o-
dramatic instinct Gratificd But Taleyrand was
the real hero of Erfurt, for his connections with
Alexander had put the Emperor in such state
Of miad that the cunning the persuasion and the
threats of Napoleon were dead loss; and that
before quitting Erfurt the Emperor Alexander
10 rcaSsurr him with regard to the fears which
the Erfurt interviews had caused him This,
SAYS 1allcyrand was the last service was able
10 render Europe rs long as Napoleon continued
TO reign and this service in my opinion, | was
also rendering TO himself personally
The scconl volume opens with the sixth part,
covering the years 1s0O-1S13. Here Tallcyranl
is no longer an actor. but n ookcr-on, though
a. lao thar his nf uforma-
ton continued 10 he exceptionally full and trust
worthy beginning with a review of the sham
kingdoms established by Napoleon for his family
the text being the political folly and mischicvous
results of this shori-sghtcd family system, the
writer proceeds to deal AT length with the history
of the relations between the Empire. the Gallican
Church and the Papacy. Here opportunity Is
afforded for n bghtng criticism upon Napoleon
and here again his characteristics duplicity and
brutality are put strongly in evidence. II wai
the period Of the Austrian marriage, which, il
seems was advocated by Tallcyraud in the
Imperial Council preferable 10 Russian
alliance: and this time the Emperor was pleased
by the Austrian preposSesslons of his vicc-grand-
clcctor who, by the Ivy, has word Of pity or
sympathy for the unhappy Josephine. so cruelty
and basey cast of. yet so terribly avenged subSe
qucntly The bulk of this paper, however. is
cccdincs concerning the Concordat and the at
tenpis 10 adjust the quarrel with Pope Plus the
Seventh, whose persecution continued for ten
wears and in fact ended only in 1874. when the
Empire WAS on the point of crumbling 10 pieces
The chronicle Of this great ecclesiastical dispute
resembles in several points that of the Spanish
intr.cJlcs On the side was the Pope, physically
helpless materially impotent, but never releasing
his hold upon the keys of Peter. ON the other
hand was the greatest living warrior and dcspot,
bent with iron insistcnce upon having his way,
and not even cstoppcd from actual violence by
the dread Of exciting the religious Indignation
/ of France against the opprcssor of the Holy
See
Napolcon finding verbal menace, persuasion, re-
| quest equally useless TO secure the POpcS consent
10 his own spiritual suicide. rcsortcd 10 more
! congcnlal agencies. stripped him Of his temporal
! tiles and that not answering the purpose. seized
| and threw him into prison. There IS grim
Pcomicallty about the mpudcncc with which the
| Empcror. after having thus deprived the PontH
Of all power and all liberty, demanded that he
should proceed exactly as though he had been
| free Even the private secretary of Plus hal
been taken from him. and all his papers. Under
thc circumstances he had excellent excuse
for declining TO issue bulls 10 nominate as con-
fcssors Gallican bishops. or in any way to transact
the ecclesiastical business. which could not be
carried on without his approval. OF course
Napocon was not to be beaten by such rcralci-
,rancv Forthwith he called an Ecclesiastical Coun-
ell In consider the situation and suggest remedies.
! This Council was timd. and il was unc-servlnS.
/ H. only went n little way. and cvadcd
the main issues. Another Council was called, this
time Of Bishops well affected 10 the Empire, but
il. while going beyond the high-watcr mark of the
first still left the fundamental problems undo
tcrmincd and ciIied by suggesting n larger body
10 settle matters. Napoleon was growing tired,
and the last Council was refractory, showing a
clear inclination 10 side with the captive Pope.
The angry Emperor no sooner asccrtained IFS bent
than he dissolved it, emphasizing mis- feelings by
| ...Iin1, thnse hishnns q NincPnnPS priSOncIS.