Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-26

period of fifteen months. His occupa-
| lions at that place were much like those
at Valence and Ajaccio. He performed
his military duties in desUltory way,
but with mere exactitude than the
French code Of military ethics at that
time required. But military duty de-
manded only a fraction OF his time; the
rest was given to that intense but frag
mentary study by which his mind was
trained and supplied with a wide range
of information.
The winter of 17SS-S9 was passed by
Bonaparte in his quarters at Auxonne.
AS yet, Lieutenant Bonaparte had never
as 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
he was always dwelling upon-led him
| to commit himself (ambiguously) to the
Corsican 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 Go, or in what cause his sword should
| first be actually unsheathed. His nature
was always to avail himself of the first
contingency. Napoleon is doubtless
such was his sloep,ess vigilaIce-the
only great man of history who never
lost an opportunity!
Bcnaparte was with his regiment, So
called "of Iron, at Auxonne, when the
| great Revolution in France began.
| Within q month from the trifiing event
! at Seurre, the States General assembled
ut Versailles. There, on the 9th of May.
| 1889, the most remarkable political
| body OF modern times went into session,
on the condition of France and man
kind. There was a 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- Hoistein on the heads
of Riquetti de Mirabeau, the phiiosophic
Volney, the lean Jean Paul Marat, the
big young Danton Of Arcis-sur-A ube,
the 1.-the Camille, the Sea- green Robe
spierre, and the rest.
1t was the beginning of the end Of
much-the opening of small crevasse
in the great dyke whereby feudal civ
ilizatiOn had walled in the destinies of
mankind for centuries. Outside that an
Gent wall lay the roaring ocean, soon to
rush in wave on wave, till the deluge,
fiecked with blood, should rise to the
pirnacles Of all palaces, and splash the
domos of all cathedTals.
The 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 il one spirit, and
the towns Of the North in another.
On men themselves the news fell from
week to week with varying effects ac-
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 q
flag. Such mind was Bonaparte's.
No doubt he was a born revolutionist-
provided always ne could himself con-
troll the revolution. His nature was fit
ted in every part for that state Of fruit
full anarchy which tends again to order.
He was essentially man for the storm
and hurricane, but suited best the after
stages OF the tempest.
Would rot this revolutionary fire in
! France leap the sea and kindle itself in
Corsica: Does not occasion now offer for
the recovery of Corsican independence?
Does not the path Of destiny open by
way Of Ajaccio rather than BY way Of