The National tribune., 1898-08-25


filling Europe with cdnsternation and the
clangor of arms, her hospitals with
wounded, and her Villages with mourning,
and her valleys and hills with her slain
children, and the guilt OF the whole IS
charged over to- NapoleOn's ambition,
while he never went into q war more re-
luctantly, or with justice more clearly on
his side. T.
do not design ito follow out the snbse-
ouent treaties tor show who were tho ag-
cressors. Russia and England deter.
mined never to depart from the basis OF
their alliance till they had effected the
overthrow of Napoleon; while he saw that
the humiliation of one or the other OF
these great powers was indispensable 70
the preservation OF his possessions and
his throne.
Conauests alone could produce peace,
and the war became one of determination
on the one side and of vengeance and
fierce retaliation on the other. Napoleon
felt that he was to be treated without
mercy or faith unless he surrendered
France into the hands of the deSpotS OF
Europe, to be disposed of as they should
think necessary for their own security,
and the stability of the feudal system,
on which their thrones were based. Ihat
after this he should wage war with a deS-
peration and violence that made Europe
tremble is not to be wondered at. But
I'D to the peace of TilSit, he and France
are free from the guilt of the carnage that
made the plains of Europe one vast Col
gotha.
Some time after this assertion was writ
ten down, | had occasion to refer to Ma
piers Peninsular War for some historical
fact, and fell upon the following state
ment, which, coming as it does from an
Englishman and one OF such high au-
thority in military matters, am induced
to quote:
"Up to the peace of Tilsit," says Napier.
1.-THE wars of France were essentially de-
fensive, for the bloody contest that vast
ed the continent so many years was not
a struggle for pre-eminence between am
bilious powers; not a dispute for some
accession of territory; nor for the political
aScendancy OF one or other natiOn-but q
deadly conflict to determine whether
aristocracy or democracy should pro
dominate, whether equality or privilege
should henceforth be the principle OF
European Governments"
But how much does this up to tho
peace of Tilsit' embrace1 First, All tho
first wars OF the French Republic, the
campaigns of 1892, '93, "a, and '95, and
the carnage and woe that made up their
years of BOnaparte's career, the campaign
OF 1885 in Italy and Germany, the battles
of Montenotte, Millesimo, Diego, Lodi, Ar
cola, CastigliOne, and Rivoli; the cam
paigns OF 1897, and the bloody battlefields
that marked their progress. 1t embraces
the wars in Italy and Switzerland while
BOnaparte was in Egypt; the campaign
of MarengO and its carnage; the havoc
around and in Genoa; the slain thousands
that strewed the Black Forest and the
banks of the Danube where Moreau strug-
gled so herOically; the campaign of Ho-
henlinden and its losses.
Yet this is but a fraction to what re-
mains. This period takes in also the
campaign of Austerlitz and its bloody bat
making in ItaIyuthe campaign OF Jena,
and the fierce conflicts that accompanied
ties of PultusRt Golyn,in, Heilsberg,
crowned by the'hdrtadful slaughter oil
Eylau; the campaigns OF Friedland and
Tilsit, and the hruIGtudes they left on
the plains of Europe.
All these terrible campaigns, with their
immense slaughteG, does an English his
torian declare to lie the result of a defen-
sive war on the part III France not merely
defense of territ0ry,I but of human rights
against tyranny. dIe6 repu blicans ponder
this before they adopt the sentiments OF
monster the man who was toiling over
battlefields to-, sage his country from
That Bohaparte foeed dominion no one
ever doubted: burtha it led him to battle
constantly the aihed continental powers
is untrue. On the contrary, Mr. Napier
declares that he was not only defending
France against aggression, but democracy
against ariStocracy, equal rights against
privileged oppre ssioh
Nothing can be more ludicrOus than the
assertion that Napoleon sought to con-
quer Europe, and fell in carrying out his
insane project. In youth, as all young
soldiers are, he was DESTROYS of military
glory. His profession was that of arms,
and he bent all his young energies to the
task Of excelling in it, and succeeded.
But when he became Emperor of France,
he stood on the summit of military re-
nown, and needed and sought no more
fame as a warrior. He was then ambiti-
Gus to excel as monarch. He designed
to follow in the steps of England, and
finally outstrip her in her mighty progress,
by extending commerce ana establishing
colonies. The secret OF the whole Opposi-
ton he received from her after the Repub-
lie had ceased to exist sprang from her
knowledge of his policy.
The East was regarded by him as the
appropriate theater for his ambition; but
the East England determined nobody
should plumber of it's enormous wealth
but herself, and so she banded Europe to-
gether to overthrow him. The encroach-
ments of France in the south OF Europe
during a time sof peace are the only
pretext offered by the English Gov
eminent for her interference and agrees
sion. 1t was not that her territory was
invaded, her rights assaiied, or treaties