The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-04
THE 1APo1BoNfo PERIOD, 13o5-1s15
Fourth Lecture in the Course by Professor
 Arthur M. Wheeler,

Fourth Lecture in the Course by Professor
 Arthur M. Wheeler.
 The fourth of the course of lectures on 'The Napoleonic Period From 1795 to 1915, !" by Professor Arthur M. Wheel CT, was given at the Historical society building yesterday afternoon. He ad- dressed the audience in part as fol- lows;
 gro form a correct estimate of the career of Napoleon we must remember that his interests were always parallel with the interests of France and that the intersts of France were from the first antagonistic to England. 1t is fair to say that there was no such thing as peace between Napoleon and England under the rule of George III
 Peace had been established between Austria and France. England was not making money out of the war, so 1t was thought a good time for her to make peace. A treaty was made in which England agreed to return to their rulers all the provinces which she had taken to give up Egypt to the Turkish government, and to abandon Malta.
 "Let us now look at Napoleon's char acter, in time of peace. He had great power not only to tear down but to build up. In 1901 he formed a com cordat with the church and re-estab- lished 1t so that every bishop and ecclesiastic was entirely dependent upon the government. Organic articles were introduced and every precaution taken to keep other churches from interfering He established schools and a series of popular school education. He then turned his mind in another direction and here again his interests ran paral- Tel with those of France. He improved the roads, began a system of canals by which the waterways of France could be monopolized, and be drained and converted into beautiful fields He then made an attempt to give to the people a uniform code of laws, Tn 1902 this code was published. At about this time an election was held throughout France and he was elected consul for life Dur ing this interval of peace Napoleon's life was grand to look upon. Why could it not last?
 Soon after this time Napoleon wrote a letter in which he said: The English are not keeping their treaty We hope they will see that the interests of England and France are identical.' A reply was made to this letter and short ly after England declared war and laid embargo on every French vessel on the seas. Napoleon ordered large number of war vessels to be built, and now we can see how gigantic was his conception-a grand descent upon the shores of England. He said: Give me six hours control of the channels and England cannot stand without aid
 Tt was at this time that the second attempt was made to destroy Bona- parte Nearly forty came into France from London, one at a time, and it was supposed that the Bourbon family were at the bottom of the plot. The reamrk was made No matter who slays the beast, we are all ready to join the hunt Napoleon. secured possession of the Duke of Bourbon, gave him trial and he was led out and shot. Thousands tried to persuade him from this act and wo- men came before him on their knees, but he said, Women know nothing of politics. He has conspired against the government and therefore must die.'
 Hike meteor he dropped in conse- quence of the assassination of Duke Bourbon. This point is the beginning of the extraordinary movements which | mark the remainder of his career, and | now, for the first time, the cruel part of | his nature begins to show.
 "A few battles are fought in the | northern part, but they are unable to | crush Napoleon. There is change 1 now in his whole nature. Thunderbolts | go forth this way and that. He at- tempts to surround France by the in- | of his family with the mo- blemen of surrounding territory. Of l the whole system he is the head, and 1 I will have it. becomes all the logic of events on his side.''