Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-27

FRANCE naQ now become an ocean OF
motion brass, seethinS. bubbling. break
ing along the pillows into flames Of
lurid light The Revolution was coming
to its crisis hunger and despair in the
hearts Ct men had dono their perfect
work. War was on with Prussia and
Austria and England. The emigrant no
bility ACROSS the borders was in league
with the enemies of the French nation.
That nation had sprung up, an infuri-
ated tigrcss, and woe be henceforth to
traitors! There WIS intrigue between
the dying court and tho Emigres beyond
the Rhine. 1t was now or never. The
Terror camo on: chateaus were flaming;
the streets were slippery with rod; the
axe went always up and down in the
Place de la Revolution; the day of death
and determination was at hand.
This condition Of affairs in the ex-
tinct Kingdom of tho Bourbons brought
the revolutionists of France and those
Of Corsica into CLOSEST sympathy; for
Jacobinism is universal 1t is simply
humanity in instruction. Whether IL
be in France, in Germany, in Italy, in
the Mediterranean islands, in England.
or the party cursed cities Of the United
States, it is all the same. The only ques-
ton with Bonaparte now was whether
his destiny might be better attained by
the leadership of the Corsican revolu-
tionists or by allying himself with the
Jacobins Of Paris.
With skillful duplicity he did both.
Corsica, on his return, was in fer
ment. Tho popular pYty was at one with
the French democrats. The National
Convention passed q decree that the ex-
lied Corsican patriots might return.
Paoli went home by way of Paris, where
he was recognized as hero and made
Acknowledgements and military govern
or of his native island. France was d.
vided into departments, and Corsica
was declared to be one of these.
Meanwhile, the world was turned
upside down. The Convention had taken
the autumnal equinox of 1899 as the
date of new era for mankind. 1t was
an epoch Of universal abolition. The
marvellous thing was that while the old
expired under the stroke of the destroy
er's wand, the new did not spring up
in its place. The King was brought to
trial and death. The proud daughter of
Theresa went swiftly after her lord.
Moderate patriots throughout France
and the world were alarmed and an
gered. Washington would follow Lib
erty no further. Paoli, establishing
himself at Corte, stood Reconsideration.
He was too old and conservative to be
rebaptized in the muddy waters OF JAG
obinism. But Captain Bonaparte ut
Ajaccio was not of such mind and kind.
He found himself at this juncture on
two military steeds, both going in the
same direction, but at different rates of
speed. He had never resigned his COM
mission as colonel in the Corsican Ma
tional Guards; but he now held q COM
mission as captain in the French army,
and was receiving pay from the nation
al treasury. His captaincy and his colo
nelcy did not consist. He temporized
and intrigued with the revolutionists
during the winter of 1929; had an
interview with Paoli at Corte; departed
without satisfaction; broke with the
governor, who ceased to be q hero in his
eyes; made q conspiracy to invade Sar-
DINA; tried to obtain an independent
command; fell under condemnation of
the Paolists. and in June of 1893, was
obliged to leave Corsica with all the
family Of Bonaparte.
Napoleon arrived at Nice on the 18th
Of June. and there rejoined his COM
pany. The Fourth Regiment, to which
he belonged, had been transferred to the
extreme southeast, as protection against
the menaces Of the world along that
threatened coast. The whole valley of
the Rhone was afiame with tho Revolu-
ton. Horror on horror had been heaped
throughout France.
Napoleon became French Republic
an soldier. He was a soldier of fortune
in o sense more profound than that
phrase had ever before conveyed. 1t
must be confessed that the hardships
and merciless conditions through which
he had passed, bearing with relentless
pressure ON his tremendous mind-in-
famed as it was with unquenchable am
bitions-are better calculated to excite
the compassion and sympathy Of after
times than to kindle against him that
anger and consciousness which o mere
ly logical consideration CT his shortcom-
ings, failures and unprincipled schemes
would suggest. The Judgment is miti-
gated in contemplating such q character
emerging from obscurity, under the play
Of complex forces, into the foreground of
light and action.
The regiment Of Captain Bonaparte
constituted a part Of the Army of the
South, under command of General Car
teaux. It was the business of this divi-
sion Of the French national forces to
operate for the recovery Of Marseilles
and Toulon; for these cities were held
by the enemies of France. They had
fallen into the power Of the English
fleets, assisted by the local loyalists.
The situation was striking. Patriotism
was aflame in both the cities; but the
representatives of the late monarchy,
protected by foreign power, were not
yet down. 1t was out of Marseilles that,
in July Of the preceding year, a band
Of patriots, most unique and strong, had
marched to Paris, singing ON the way
and to the very porches of the Tuileries,