Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-18

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was young and handsome in person. Ho
was warmed with enthusiasm. The
brayest men and the most beautiful wo-
men were gathered around him-the
one to Hatter. and the other TO adore. II
the JacoSin was still fluid in his blood,
it no longer expressed itself in demo-
cratic mutterings and proclamatiors.
The long black hair Of the whiloIn revo-
iutiou;st YVES closely cropped. The bag.
gard italian face Of the pauper student
had given place to rosy cheek and smil-
ing lip. Except in the homogeneous
black cravat of the otherwise we'll
dressed First Consul, tho sansculotte
was no longer discoverable AZ his even
ing receptions!
But tho project was already on for an
extension and augmentation of power.
Glory must bs added to honor. The
mountain devil was busy in the
breast Of Bonaparts. In the aliurin2
summer OF 1902 the dream had already
possessed him of q life tenure Of the
Consulate. The victorious general and
popular chief executive would be consul
ad finem. The Senate concurred in the
pared. There was q dispute whether It
should be for ten years or for life; and
in this form the question was to be sub
mirted to the people. A plebiscite was
sent forth, and the French nation was
asked to pass Judgment en- its favorite.
Napoleon. sera-t-il Consul q Vie:"
Such was this inscription prepared and
put up over all the voting places in
France. Napoleon, shall he DO Consul
for Life:"
An extraordinary spectacle was wit
messed. On the 4th Of August, 1902, the
election was held. The voters in France
numbered 3,577, $50; and of these
3,3GS, 1S5 voted in the affirmative, leav-
ing only 2O9.074 in the negativei It
was perhaps tho most overwhelming
popular decree ever registered by peo-
pie Trus, the soldiers voted-voted for
their idol. True, the clientele of the
Consulate voted-voted for the master.
True, the Revolution voted-voted for
its offspring. True, the New Order voted
voted for its hope. But nevertheless,
the people voted-voted for their Nan!
Napoleon might we'll mutter, Whose
are the votes opposed to me? Those Of
biologists. Jacobins and peculators un-
der the Directoxyp' What he said was
true!
But not all, in the meantime, had
been we'll with the Republic-and with
him. Fortune in some things had gone
against the French. The coveted occupa-
ton of Egypt had tottered and fallen.
General Menou, who succeeded to the
command Of the army in that country
after the assassination Of Kleber, had
behaved with singular faulty. Failing
to perceive that eccentricity is not gen.
ius, he had turned Mohammedan, and
taken tho name Of Abdallah Bey. He
sank into inaction at Alexandria; and
| when, in March Of 1901, Admiral Keith
and Sir Ralph Abercromby landed ut
Abou1ir and came against him, he was
defeated in battle. and the prospects Of
the French in Egypt were ruined.
| Napoleon heard Of tho Egyptian dis
aster with anger and modification. His
chagrin was little relieved by the death
of Abercromby, who was fatally wound
ed in the battle of Alexandria, or by the
foolish assurances Of Menou that all was
going we'll. 1t became necessary for the
French colony to evacuate Egypt, and
this was done ON the 30th Of August,
1901.
The year 1909 has been cited as the
most glorious in French history. It was
certainly the most fertile in promise.
Why should not tho treaty Of Amiens
become the happy date Of a new era for
.I1 AL
England had gold and maritime glory.
Italy had emancipation. Germany had
experience-if nothing better. Russia
had her pacific Alexander /, her Suwar-
of, and her new provinces of Georgia.
The fatal thing in the treaty of
Amiens was that it promiscd-promised,
and did not perform. There were things
to be done; and these were not done.
Preternatural suspicion seized on the
cabinets of all Europe. Note the circum-
stances: England in the preceding war
had emancipated the negroes Of Hayti.
Toussaint POuverture, leader of the ma
6ves, had been made commander in.
chief by the French, in 1897. Independ-
ence was reached under the patronage
of France; but when Bcraparte became
First Consul, an act was passed in the
French Council for the restoration OF
slavery in the island; and an army under
General Leclerc, brother-in law of Bona.
parte, was sent to SANTANA to enforce the
decree. Toussaint was put down, treach-
erously seized and taken to France.
where he presently died in prison. The
civil conflict continued in Hayti; the
yellow fever broke ont, and an English
feet appeared of the coast. Notwith.
standing the peace Of Amiens, here wa
trdr.
In the meantime, Sebastian, Napo
Icons agent in the East, came back te
Paris, and published in The Moniteur q
report in which there was q hint of the
purpose Of France to reoccupy Egypt
Moreover, the First Consul proceeded tc
divide Piedmont into Departments, afte,
the French manner-as though the
country were altogether French. To the
complaints of Lord Whitworth. the
English ambassador, he simply answer