The true northerner., 1896-04-15

mendous sensation throughout Europe.
Europe had not vet learned that the blood
Of kings and princes Is even as the blood
of other men The European courts heard
with horror and upliited hands that a
prince had been shot AZ IL by brigands, In
the ditch Of NintrnneS A5rr,d. in all
governmental circles. opinion was con-
flrmcd against Bonaparie. hut throughout
France the execution of the duke of EN-
ghicn was applauded AZ an act of just venge-
anco against "a conspiratOr On the side
of the First Consul many apologists APP
pcarcl some ON the ground that he saved
the Republic by saving himself at all haz-
ards, and others on the ground that Napo-
leon had not been personally responsible
for the killing of the prince.
Certain it Is that the death of Enghien
FASTENED the transformation of the Consu-
late into the Empire The seat of the First
Consul was already in everything but the
name throne Why not make IL throne
in fact? The facility Of the French for
change rendered easy the project which the
temper of n heavier and more serious race
would have rejected Like the Athenian
fancy, the Partisan mind flies quickly TO
the new. 1t hovers about the brilliant, the
extraordinary Ii satisfies itself with
glory and enthusiasm A II these qualities
in the soul of the people worked TO the adj
vantage and purpose OF Bonaparte; but
there was not wanting measure OF oppo-
sition The NapOlconic desire soon found
expression. Petitions began to be sent up
from all parts Of France These were
couched in suggestive hints TO tho First
Consul that he should consolidate has pOlC-
er. Allusions about the advantages OF a
hereditary succession began TO be circulat-
ed. Some of these were inspired by the
agents of the governments; Others were
spontaneous and sincere
On the 18th of April, 1904, the first
formal proposition for tho conversion Of
the Consular Republic into an Empire was
made by Curee in the Tribunate. The
measure included the title of Empereur des
Francais for Napoleon, with the right OF
hereditary succession i'm his family.
Though the influence Of the government
was strongly devoted to the scheme. the
proposal was met with serious opposition.
The conspicuous voice of Lazare Nicolas
Carnot, grandfather of the recently assas-
sinated President of the French Republic,
was heard above the din of affirmative APP
plause But on the 18th of May the meas
uTt was III Ilt CtIitt. ~ OOnSui-
tum was promulgated, by which the I'm
perial dignity was conferred on Napoleon
Bonapartc, and the decree was at once sent
to the people Another surprising election
was held, at which 3, SPA, 254 voters record
ed their decision OF these, g. 521, 675 were
in the affirmative, and only 2, $40 in the
negative Whatever critical history may
say of the antecedents of the Empire, GER
tai, l., hot OIL tor rttlar ~
mankind was ever confirmed in power by
such an acclaim of his countrymen! With
good reason the feudal notion of territorial
dominion hitherto expressed in the titles
of rulers, gave way under this Imperial
election; for Bonaparte was made Emper-
or not of France, but of the French.
Notified by the Senate of the establish
ment OF the Empire and of his own nomf-
nation thereto, Napoleon accepted the
trust. The ceremony of notification was at
St. Cloud Josephine was also congratu
lated by the Senate The Palace of St
Cloud was throngcd on the occasion with
the distinguished and elite of France
Just after the ceremony was over, foot
man, rich in gold lace and scarf, made his
way into the crowd, where the Baron
Claude Francois de Notwithstanding to
Bonaparte after the disgrace and dismissal
of Bourrienne-was standing, and said:
Sir, the EMPEROR wishes TO see your' IT
was the first time that that astounding
word had been applied TO Bonaparte! His
tory for nearly a century has confirmed 1t.
At St. Helena he himself-offended at the
small minded officiality that designated
him as General Bonaparte-said indig-
nantly, Il shall always be known in history
as the Emperor Napoleonp'
The Empire thus created was made to
date from the 18th of May, 1904; but the
coronation of Napoleon did not take place
until the 2nd of the following December
Practically, the change in the government
was not great. The stream of Consular
power flowed into the widening river Of
Imperialism without bend or the noise of
cataracts. The coronation was scene
memorable in human annals. Plus VII,
conciliated by the late Concordat, came
willingly from Rome to crown the soldier
of fortune, and TO leave on him and his
work the Papal benediction. 1t was at the
altar of Notre Dame-where the Revolu-
tionists OF the Terror had danced the Car
magnolc-that the Emperor-elect of the
French knelt to receive the diadem. The
Pope gave it; but Napoleon, taking it
from his hand, put it on his own head-a
thing most fitting to do; for he had made
it for himself
Josephine was crowned with her imperi-
Gus lord Returning from Notre Dame to
the Tuileries the Emperor, on reaching
his own apartment, tore off as rapidly as
he could the imperial vestments, and got
himself into his usual apparel; for he was
a man of business. The occasion was sun
lit with splendor, and all hearts seemed
full of life and light: all but one-the
heart of Josephine. To her what ominous
significance was in that clause of the sem
atus-consultum which made the crown
hereditary in the family of Napoleonl
Dire word was that word family" TO
Marie .Iosephe Tascer, whilom Madame dc
Beauharnais, now Imperatrice DIES Fran
cais. For she was forty-one and a-half
years of age-epoch well nigh fatal to pos
sible motherhood.
Only slight changes were made in the
new Imperial administration. All such
notifications looked TO the unity and glory
of the Empire. Napoleon preserved as
much as he could of the personnel of the
preceding Consular government. His two
colleagues, Cambaceres and Lebrun, were
appointed the one arch-chancellor and the
other rch-treasurer of state; Joseph Bona
parte was made GRAND eleCtOr and Louis