The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-03-27
NAPOLEON BY APPIANL.

period Of fifteen months. His occupa-
tions at that place were much like these
at Valenoe and Ajaccio he performed
his military duties in desultory way,
but with more e1actitude than the
French code Of military ethics at that
time required But military duty de-
manded only O fraction Of his time; the
rest was given to that intense but frag-
mentary study by which his mind was
trained and supplied with wide range
Of Information.
The winter Of 1889 was passed by
Bonaparte In his quarters at Auxonna
As vet, Lieutenant Bonaparte had never
as q soldier drawn blood, or seen it
drawn by others. His restlessness now
bore him rapidly on to action. His pas
sion for doing something and for "fol-
lowing his destiny''-a fiction which
be was always dwelling upon-led him
TO commit himself (ambiguously) to the
Corsioan patriots. His adroitness was
such, however. that he kept ever cord
to his purposes whereby he might re-
cover himself for France In fact. he
knew not what thing he would be called
TO do, or in what cause his sword should
Arst DO actually unsheathed. His nature
was always to avail himself Of the first
contingency. Napoleon is doubtless
such was his sleepless vigilance-the
only great man Of history who never
lost an opportunity
Bonaparte was with his regiment, 30
called "of Iron, at Auxonne, when the
great Revolution in France began.
Within month from the trifling event
at Seurre, the States General assembled
at Versailles. There, on the 9th Of May,
1880, the most remarkable political
body Of modern times went into session,
ON the condition Of France and man.
kind There was procession Of great
men; gathering to their seats In the
Hall of Menus; seating Of six hundred
representatives Of the people; looking
down from the gallery Of the young
Baroness de Stael- Holstein on the heads
of Riquetti dc Mirabeau, the philosophio
Volney, the lean Jean Paul Marat, the
big young Danton Of Arcis-sur-Aube,
the 1.-the Camille, the Sea-green Robe.
sphere, and the rest
1t was the beginning of the end OF
muoh-the opening Of small crevasse
in tho great dyke whereby feudal civ.
ilization had walled In the destinies Of
mankind for centuries. Outside that an
oient wall lay the roaring ocean, soon to
rush in wave on wave, till the deluge,
f1eoked with blood, should rise to the
pinnacles Of all palaces, and splash the
domes Of all cathedrals
Tho effects of the extraordinary move.
ment thus begun for the reform Of the
French nation were strikingly diverse IN
the different parts Of the kingdom.
France was as yet homogeneous in moth.
ing. The towns of the South, under the
loyal sentiments Of the old Provencal
race, received the news in one spirit, and
the towns Of the North in another.
On men themselves the news fell from
week to week with varying effects &C.
cording to their personal characters and
prejudice Of race. In general, they who
had imbibed the principles Of the new
French philosophy either went after the
Revolution or ran before it waving a
Gag. Such a mind was Bonapartes.
No doubt he was q born revolutionist-
provided always he could himself con-
troll the revolution. His nature was flt-
ted in every part for chat state Of fruit
full anarchy which tends again to order.
He was essentially a man for the storm
and hurricane, but suited best the after
stages Of the tempest
Would not this revolutionary fire in
France leap the sea and kindle itself In
Corsica? Does not occasion now offer for
the recovery Of Corsican independenoe3
Does not the path Of destiny open by
way of Ajsn,io rather than by way Of