The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-07-08
PRAISING EUGENE.
THE EMPRESS RIGHTFUL PLACE IN
HISTORY DESCRIBED.

An anonymous writer in the Paris Fig
AFRO has created a sensation by the public.
ton of documents which throw new light
on the conduct and character of Empress
Eugene. His story reads like novel
The writer says:
1T is not defense that am undertak
ing. the empress would forgive no friend
for that; it is not a biography. for whole
hook would hardly suffice to tell the story
of life SO full of bcwildering contrasts
wish simply by facts to destroy nn iniqni
tous legend which tends to distort our his
tory and rests solely upon falsehood and
dishonesty.
During the past few years there has
been published almost everywhere series
Of hooks, pamphlets and articles calculated
to mislead the public opinion. People have
discussed even the most trivial acts of a
sovereign whose misfor.unes SHOULD he a
barrier against injustice. They have
scrutiniZed her life, her projects, her
thoughts, and even her inconsolable griefs
And they have invented and linked with
her name vulgar fables which have been
adopted alike by persons who have involun
tarily forgotten the past and by those who
have never known anything of it,
1T is for the friends of old, to whom she
WAS NO kind and generous in happier days,
to protest against this overflow of insults
therefore ask permission to raise my fee.
BILE voice to establish some impartial
truths. The empress herself may perhaps
be inclined to blame me for reviving the
past thai, IL buried for her and dear ones
gone forever: but am certain to have
with me all those who remember her in
Guiding the thousands Of mothers whose
children in the days of splendor were the
goasons OF the sovereign lady who was
once beloved and applauded by all France
THE MARRIAGE.
Il will not recall the different visits TO
Paris Of the Countess de Teba with her
mother, the Countess de Montijo. but !
must refer to detail imperfectly under
stood and often exploited against her.
Certainly the Countess de Teba was highly
fattered, honored and happy the day when
the emperor asked her to share his destiny:
but, supeStitious and timid, she was
frightened at the very excess of her good
fortune. She considered the difficulties
and the burden of her sudden elevation and
the loss of that independence which up to
that moment was assured to her by her
rank. her birth and her fortune, and, filled
with gratitude, loyalty and honestly sought
to dissuadc the emperor from his project
But the emperor firmly persisted in his
resolution Az he declared to the corps
legislatif when he announced his mar
riage. he expected to find in her IA wife
pious, gracioL., and good, who would he an
to the throne and it's most cour
ageOus supporter in the days of danger
BY the nobleness of her attitude, by her
tact and the great purity of her life. Eugene
won the sympathy and the respect of all
Europe"
After detailing some of the numerous
acts Of charity of the empress. her weekly
visits incognito to the slums of Paris,
where more than 500 families received rs.
sistance from her generous hand in utter
ignorance of the name of their benefac
tress, the writer comes down to the aimee
terrible
1T WAS NOT HER WAR.
1.-THE phrase this is my war. attributed
to the empress, has been repeatedly and
widely published everywhere Nothing
could he more false. The empress desired
peace. The emperor and his government
sincerely to avoid II conhagra
ton, but since 1866 the opposition repre-
sented France as Inundated by Prussia
and conquered Mt Sadowa, and the public
opinion was in favor of France taking up
the gauntlet. The cry was for war, and it
WIS uttered with atumultuous energy that
nobody forgets. If the promoters of this
movement have, since our reverses, de
clined all responsibility for their attitude
in order to throw the blame upon the EN-
press. history will have no such partially.
Moreover, the newspapers of all shades
published in 1870 and the official reports of
the debates in the corps legislatif establish
beyond contradiction the fact that the pop
ulation Of Paris wanted war. The feverish
in the midst of which our regi
ments left the capital was such that when
the emperor decided to go with his army
he avoided passing through Paris. A his
torian. who has certainly never been over
indulgent to the empire, M. Rotham, ad-
mits that II the empress WAS the victim Of
those warlike passions. she never showed
them.
"She anxiously asked M. de Parieu what
he thought Of the resolution taken 4
think, madam said the president of the
state council, that If tomorrow England
could find formula that would permit US
to avoid this war, she would do great
service to France. The empress replied.
That is precisely my opinion.
THINK OF THE ARMY"
But what was the attitude of the EN-.
press regent when the news came of our
first disaster' A man known for his at
tachment to other princes, General Cha
baud l.atour, gives this testimony: On the
night of the 1th to the Sth of August we
had just heard of Forbach and Refs
choffen. | was called to the empress
with the ln.nisters Nothing could be
more noble or dignified than her language
at that hour I'VE are now looking after
the preservation of the empire" she said;
1--WE must see to the safety of France"
Here is Trochu's testimony: THE empress
has displayed GOODNESS, character and cour
age. sentiments far more French than i'm
perialistic. wish to do her this justice. " d
when it was proposed to re-enforce the
army of MacMahon shortly before Sedan
the empress was told that the %, 0o0 men
under General Ninoy constituted the guard
of Paris, and that if they We're to leave the
capital might be at the mercy of dema
gogues. Her reply, faithfully reported by
M Henri Chevreau, was as follows: Let
me .entreat you now, once and for ALL not
to think of me, Think of the army, think
of France will hear no discussion of the
question. Don't lose a'moment. Let Gen
eral Vinoy leave this very day."
The rest of the story is like some ro-