The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-03-20
yine-trade with italy, but had failed

!
a student at Brienne, was doing his best
to get transfer to AK, where he might
substitute priestly for military edu-
cation. Madame de Bonaparte, now
thirty seven years Of age, was hoping
against hope that the government would
pay her the petty stipend due for the
care Of her mulberry orchards, but 10
payment was made
There came want into the household.
Lieutenant Bonaparte. making the con-
dition of his family plausible excuse,
sought and in February of 1853, OBJ
tanned, leave Of absence to visit Corsica
Thither he went, in poor health and
general morbidity Of mind By this time
his arbitrary character had begun to
show itself in full force. Once at home,
he played the despot He hectored all
his kinsfolk, with the exception Of the
mother, and she could hardly withstand
his impetuosity, willfulness and gloom.
Home again after an absence of near
ly nine years, the young officer busted
himself more with things great than
things little He was more concerned
with the political condition of tho world
than with the daily needs of his moth
er's house. He dwelt more on the state
Of Corsica than Oh the emptiness of Ma.
dame Bonaparte's cuisine-more on the
woes of Ajaccio than on those of his
brothers and sisters stomachs. He con-
ceived himself to be the patriot par ex-
cellence Of his age, and spent more time
in delivering socialistio monologues
than IN continuing the means to rescue
the family from impending ruin.
It was at this juncture that Napoleon
began to concern himself especially
about the institutions and history Of
England Along with his Necker he
studied Smiths wealth Of Nations, +"
then only twelve years from the press.
The Elizabethan age-not indeed for
the intellectual glory that was in it, but
for its political intrigues-impressed
him greatly; and he undertook to do
into fiction the features Of that era In
novel entitled the Count of Essex. -
Then he flew back to his "History Of
Corsica, revised the parts which he
had sent to the Able Raynal, and
pressed Oh with the rest. Alongside of
Voltaire, he would set upaa rival pro-
duotion Of his own, called the MASKED
Prophet "a marvellous and impossible
invention out Of Persia! Literature was
thus mixed with affairs; fiction flourish
ed at the meager meals which Madame
Bonaparte was able to set for her fam
lily; and anathemas Of Joseph unprofit-
able wine-shop were illuminated with
paragraphs about the glories of rebel
lion.
Ronaparte's leave Of absence-so ca.
gerly sought-soon became asintolerable
to him as to the rest. His paper gave
him privilege to be away from his COM
mand for six months; but before the end
of the fourth mountaineering casuis.
teal reasons.-he impatiently left Corsi-
ca to rejoin hts company. During his
stay in the island, be had accomplished
notwithstanding that would have
been much in any other. He had induced
the French intendant to agree to allow
his mothers claim. He had pushed for
ward the inert Joseph to try the lazy as
n nrrnfass:ss..ooli, aila hada seen Tim Installed
at Bastia. He had urged upon his equity
uncle the necessity Of patriotism He
had drawn up and submitted a system
Of coast defenses for the principal ports
Of the island. He had prepared a scheme
for the creation of an insular army. He
had studied and written necessarily at
furious speed, completing his Oriental
novel and his "History of Corsica :"
The latter was cast in the epistolary
form, and was dedicated to Monseigneur
Marbeuf, now promoted to the see of
Sens.
Meanwhile the Regiment La Fere had
been ordered from Douai, to Auxonne,
in Cote dor, 1872 miles from Paris.
Thithor Napoleon repaired, to rejoin his
command, in the last week Of May, 1888.
He took with him the manuscript Of his
History Of Corsica" seeking a pub.
Usher, but finding none, either at Va
lencs Or Lyons Or Auxonne or Paris or
anywhere else In this mundane sphere
forever.
It would be impossible to define the
mental condition Of Napoleon at this
stage of his development. Politically
for though soldier he was always a
politician -he went halting between
two forces. The one tendency drew him
powerfully towards the local independ-
ence of his native island. This involved
hatred Of the conquest and annexation
Of Corsica to France. It also involved
hatred Of France itself; Of the French
race; and of the French monarchy
in particular. But the other tendency
drew Franceward with equal stress. It
was from the powerful fact Of France
that all benefits had thus far flowed to
the family Of Bonaparte. By France he
had himself been educated. Besides,
Corsica, even as an independent state,
was limited field Of action. France is
great. France offers worldwide distino.
ton. Our commission as Lieutenant Of
artillery Is q French commission, and
our very sword is French blade.
But our History Of Corsica" is a pa
triotio and insurreotionary document.
It is inconsistent with our allegiance,
aud hurtful to what France may prom
Use hereafter. Therefore we would bet
ter shuttle, and rewrite our book. We
will put it into the mouth Of Corsicar
patriot of the old Genoese faction, tt
which the family Of our mother Ramo
limo once belonged In its present form