Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-08-26
THE LAST NAPOLEON.
A NEW VIEW OF THE FRENCH
RULER, WHO WAS AN ENIGMA.

Difficult to Understand-Hfs Character
Is Hard to stimate-His Reserve For
babe Penetration.
No story among the scores imbedded in
! that remarkable book, IAN Englishman in
Paris" a book now admitted to contain
| the "reminiscences of Sir Richard Wallace,
has interested us like his description of
his first interview with Napoleon III. The
future emperor was then only candidate
for the presidency, and the men present
Cavaignac, Theirs, Lamartine and Victor
Hugo-deceived by his weary manner and
impenetrable look, and perhaps also by an
instructive dread or distaste, set him down
either for an imbecile or secret drunk
ard, an impression which spread fast and
far through the diplomatists of Europe.
Sir Richard, a keen observer who, though
liable to dislikes, weighed the great per-
sonages of France in a careful balance,
shared for moment in his friends impress
sion, but after few minutes watchful-
ness decided that they were wrong, that
Louis Napoleon was himself the drug, and
that every one who came in contact with
him was bound to yield to its influence"
So strong was his impression that he evil
IDENTIFY regretted in after life his failure to
warn his political acquaintances; but at
the time he was restrained by the dread of
ridicule. Many years afterward, when
lister after minister, diplomatist after
diplomatist after months, or it might be
years, of intercourse with the new ruler of
France, came to Sir Richards opinion.
Louis Napoleon was not only a very able
man in certain directions-he was no adj
ministrator and a bad judge of men-but
he was to a certain extent an original one,
with occasional flashes of insight; but he
had in a high degree quality which in a
lower dp0raa believe he
among men of certain kinds of ability, but
which is seldom either described dis
cuSsed. His presence positively lowered
the intellectual force of those to whom he
spoke, so that they talked and advised,
and above all planned, with less capacity
than they naturally possessed. That seems
a strange thing to say, but every one who
is at all observant will admit its converse
namely, that they know of men and
women whose presence in a room, even if
they are comparatively silent, definitely
and perceptibly increases the intellectual
brightness of all who are congregated
there. The latter may hardly know the
possessor of the influence, they may not be
interested in his particular range of sub
jects, but they feel that they are at their
best, and that it is somehow because of
him, and this although they do not, it may
be, attribute to him genius or any excep-
tional mental power
This force, for it amounts in some men
to force, is said to.have been possessed to
an amazing extent by the Marquis of Wei
lesley, and the writer has heard it attrib-
uted, among men more recently deceased,
to Professor Palmer, whom, however, he
did not personally know. 1t is, we believe,
the secret OF much success in life and of
many promotions which seem ineXplicable
to the outside world, but which are de
Tended by all in personal contact with the
promoted man, including those whom he
has superseded IS between individual
and individual it's strength is frequently
quite amazing, and is commented on in the
constant remark that SO-and-So is nothing
omparatively unless Such-a-One is by
side So-and-so being all the while much
the greater man We do not believe in
deed that the fact will be denied. nor is it
usually wondered at, the usual eXplana-
ton, personal sympathy, being accepted as
sufficient-it is not sufficient by any means,
but that is not our subject just now-and
if this eXhilarating influence exists, why
not it's opposite?
The opposite is, however, rarely admitted
frankly, except as regards the reation of
individuals. The man is lucky who has
never had friend kinsman whose
presence he felt to be depressing. whom,
though he might respect him G. Ike him,
or use him, he felt TO be the snr-ce of some
influence which depressed hia own energy
or keenness of perception. who was, in
fact Sir Ric ..rd Wallace's 'op:ate" incar-
nate in the flesh. y man of that kind.
whose influe, ce extends to every one with
whom he is brought i'll contact, is of
course more seldom met with, but we are
convinced, every intimate of Louis
Napoleon was, that he exists, and to eX-
plain him is a most difficult intellectual
problem. L iversal fear will of course ex-
plain him, aid does explain him in Prince
Bismarck 9 case, whose colleagues, when
he was in power, always seemed stuplder
in his presence; but these men 90 not al
ways excite fear.
Louis Napoleon frightened nobody, and
was in no degree overbearinG. The man
in ancient history who must have borne
mentally the closest resemblance to him,
Tjberius Caesar, scattered death wholesale
for inadequate reasons: but Louis Napo-
leon was essentially kindly to all but sus-
pected assassins, pardoned grave errors
with too much readiness, and was rs COM
pletely without his great uncle'S liability
to out bursts of ungentlemanly violence as
he was without his fascination. He had
not even a forbildug manner in the sense
that Sir Robert Peel had Il fOrbidding man
ner nor in the long array of charges flung
in memoirs at his head can we remember
one of want of poiitcncss.
The dreary man. or rather, to coin a
necessary word, the drcaryfying man, is
generally pol tie, and indeed, were he not,
would in III st men awaken instead of
REFRESHING intellectual power Anger
misdirects force, but does not make 1t tor
pid and it is torpifying influence which
we are discussing now. To alleSe want OF
ssympathy' is no explanation at all
| Nobody Of the group assembled around Sir
Richard Wallace WAS seeking sympathy
| from the expectant president, or com
! planned in any way of its absence, and be-
sides, if we comprehend the memoirs
which refer to him, Louis Napoleon was