The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-10

vulgar fables, which have been adopted
alike ny persons who have iuvOuntariy
forgotten the past and by those who have
never known anything of 1t. It is for the
friends OF old, 10 whom sle was 50 kind and
generous n happier days, TO protest against
this overflow OF insults. l therefore ask
Figaro tie permission 10 raise my feeble
voice TO establish some impartial truths
The Empress herself may perhaps be in
Cllued 90 blame me for TeylVlng the past that
is buried for her dear ones gone forever;
but l am certain to have with me all those
who remember her, including the tbGus lnds
OF mothers whose children 10 tile days Of
splendOT were the gOdsons Of the sovereign
lady who was once beloved by all France
81 viii not recall the different visits to
Paris Of the Countess de Teb8 with her
mother. the Countess de NuHtii0 but I
must refer 10 q detail inperfectly under
stood and often exploited against her. Ger
tanly he Countess de Ieba was highly
faJteTeG hOD0Ted and happy The dav when
tile Emperor asked her share MS destiny;
but sup-TsttioUs and tmid she was fright
eDeu az the very excess I GeI good fortune.
She cons. dered the difficulties snd the bur
den OF her sudden elevation and the loss Of
that independence which up 10 that moment
was assured to her boy her rank. her birth
and Der fortune, and. filed with gratitude,
loyalty and honesty, sought TO dissuade the
Emperor from his project But the En-
peIoT 1Cmiy persisted IN his resolution. As
he declared % the Corps LegislaJ.f men he
announced his marriage, he expected TO fiud
IN her d vile plOuS, gracious and good, who
would be an ornament 90 tie throne and its
most courageous supporter il the days Of
danger BY the nOblenesS Of her attitude,
by her tact aud the great purity Of her life,
Eugene won the sympathy ana the respect
Of all Europe"
The writer, after dwelling at some
length upon the good that The ex-Emprpss
Il in rr1 raf me-.
this IS my war attributed to the Empress,
has been repeatedly and widely published
everywhere Nothing could be more false
The Empress desired peace. The Emperor
and his Govern uent endeaYOTed sincerely
10 avoid cOnhagT8tIOn; but since 1866 the
opposition represented France as humiiated
by Prussia and conquered at SadOwa: and
the public opinion was In favor Of France
taxing up the gantlet The cry was for
WAT and Il was uttered with a tumuluous
energy that nobody f0Tgets. If the pro-
motors OF this movement hav-, since our
reverses, declined all responsibility for
their attitude in order to throw the
blame upon the Empress, history will have
no such paTuaNty. Moreover, the news
papers Of all shades published in 1870 and
the Official reports of the debates in the
CORDS LeglSiatif. established beVoud contra
dctlOn tue fact that the population Of Paris
wanted war. The feverlsh eXaltati0n in
the midst Of which our regiments left the
capital was such that when the Emperor
decided to 90 with his army be avoided
passing through Paris. An historian who
has certainly never been OYer,ndulgent TO
the empire, NJ. B0tham, admits that if the
Empress was the victim OF those WaTlike
passions she never showed them She
RnKIOuslY asked NJ. de Parieu what he
thought Ot the resolution taken. i think.
madame, said the President Of the State
Council, that IL tomorrow England could
h1d a formula that would permit US 10
avoid this war she would do a great service
70 ance. The Empress replied: That
Is precisely my opinion
But what was the attitude Of the Empress
Regent when the news came Of our first dis
aster2 A man known for bis attachment to
other princes, General Chabaud- LatOur,
gives this testimony: On the night Of the
7th to the 6Jh Of August we had Just heard
OF EoTbaCh and ReischCffeD. ] was called
TO tie Empress with the Ministers Moth
Ing could be more noble or dignifed than
Der language at that hour, I'VE are now
looking afLer the preservation of the en-
plre, she sad, wv must see TO the safety
OF France. Here is Tr0chu's testimony:
Tie Empress has displayed cOOlness, CHAR
6cter and courage, sentiments far more
French than imDeTialistic | wish 70 do her
this Justice When II was pressed to re-en-
force the army Of MaCMah0n shortly Def re
Sedan, the Empress was told that thes22. 900
men under General FinOy constituted the
guard Of Paris, and that If they were TO
leave the capital might be al the mercy Of
the demagOGues. Her reply, faithfully re-
ported by NJ. Henri Chevreau, was as fol-
lows: let me 6HtTeat you now at once and
FOR all not to think Of me- Think Of the
army: think of France ] will not listen
10 any discussion Of the question. Do not
lose moment, but let General Viuoy leave
this very day.