The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-02-27

unoonsciously tho prevailing principles
Of the hour; and the character is form
ing while the first hesitant words are
conned from the primer. The boy Napo-
leon had around his schoolroom-as
around his cradle--an agitated atmos.
pierre 1t was banked with tie receding
clouds Of revolution There was light
ming Oh tho rim, and blood on the
fringes.
The majority Of the Corsicans had ao-
cepted the French nominations Some
still remembered Genoa with affection;
and many sighed for independence
Among the latter were the Buonapartes
The feeling Of regret for the lost cause
began to wane about the time that Nk.-
poleon was sent to school; but there Wis
still in his heart drop Of inherited b.
terness OIL account of the French cdk-
quest. He looked back angrily at tie
terrible conditions surrounding him Hi
his childhood AS late as his twentief b
year he broke out in passion. II Wis
born, said be, "while my country NJ Is
dying Thirty thousand French, vorniMd
on our shores, drowning the throne ii
liberty in waves Of blood-such was TIE
horrid sight which first met my view.
The cries Of the dying, the groans Of the
oppressed, tears Of despair, surrounded
my cradle at my birth. The utterance
shows how hardly the future emperor Of
tho French himself in youth became q
Frenohman.
When, from the sixth to the ninth
year Of bis age, the boy Bonaparte at.
tended school in his native town, three
lines radiated before his feet One Of
these was dim and clouded, but glorified
withpatches Of extreme light. It was
the way into the kingdom Of that New
Philosophy which was Just then reveal
Ing itself with such brilliancy In France.
A second and we'll trod way led straight
ly to the Church. Rome was great and
honorable. Her rewards of diligent am
bitfon were rich and certain. The young
aspirant who entered the colleges might
we'll expect emolument and reputation.
The third path led dangerously to the
military life. None might at that time
discern the coming upheaval of society,
with its concomitant reign Of the sword
But the agitations Of the epoch were
sufficient to encourage war. and to offer
measure Of inducement to follow in
the path Of military glory.
The taciturn schoolboy Of Aiacoio had
these three open ways before him. From
the first, he was precluded by the dis
positions of his family. intensified III
himself He never had the scholastic
trait. His abilities as pupil, and after.
wards as military cadet, showed moth
ing Of the philosophe Indeed he con-
oeived-how early in boyhood we know
not-a prejudice against philosophy and
the philosophers as we'll AS for the
Chu1uh, lie had an inbred admiration
for Rome; but the kind Of life offered in
the priesthood was without attractions
for him personally. BE was willing that
Joseph and other Of his friends should
become priests and bishops; but not him
self Neither the scholar 8 gown nor tho
priests surplice offered the slightest at.
traction to his Imagination.
The condition of the Buonaparte fam
lily about the years l776-78 was critical,
Carlo, the father, had given an interest.
ed adhesion to the French. &c had his
hopes from the annexation. He would
keep his titles and recover the proper.
ties formerly belonging to the family.
The Buonaparts estates in Corsica had
been mostly lost Some had been confis-
Gated by the Genoese party and convert
ed into Jesuit schools The recent revo-
luton had reduced Carlo g means almost
to naught He was himself Of no repu.
tation as an economist His family had
rapidly multiplied Two children died
in infancy between the birth Of Napo.
leon and that Of Lucien, in l775. The
family was brought almost to penury.
Carlo de Buonaparte could not get
back his properties The privilege Of
writing his name with de did not com.
pensate for his losses. He struggled with
adversely, and sought the aid of influen.
tial friends Among these the most
available was General Marbeuf. The
latter in 1879 appealed on behalf of his
Corsican friends to the authorities in
Paris for the privilege Of educating the
Buonaparte boys In France at the ex.
pense of the royal treasury. This thing
might be done-provided the applicants
should be under ten years Of age. and be
able to show four strains Of noble blood
in their veinsl In the case Of the boys
Buonaparte, this could not be proved;
and affairs in the homestead went from
bad to worse
At this junoture history, rather than
man, came to the rescue France was on
the verge Of bankruptcy. One finance
minister after another was appointed,
and one financial scheme after another
exploded in the hands Of the inventors.
1t became necessary to call together, at
Versailles, a council Of the mobiles. Carlo
de Buonaparte was chosen representa-.
tive from Corsica In going to perform
his duty at the French capital, he took
with him, to be distributed On route,
his two sons, Joseph and Napoleon; also,
the boys half uncle, Joseph Fesch; also,
a cousin Of Letitia, the mother As for
Fesch, be was to be left as student at
AK. The cousin had been appointed to
an office in the church at Autun; aud
at that place the distracted father deter.
mined to drop his two SONS at school.
This was In the year l77s. The com.
pany set out by way Of Florence, Genoa,
Marseilles, Lyons. The youngest Of the
company was sad-faced, big-eyed boy,
III such apparel as could be furnished in
the house Of an impecunious nobleman.