The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-04
Suppressed Letters of Napoleon
Are Given to the Public at LAST


When Napoleon Ill. forty years ago,
appointed a commission to edit and
publish the correspondence of his great
uncle 1t was but natural that the MEM
bcrs of this editorial staff omitted
everything that might have tended to
cloud the memory of Napoleon l., as
we'll as matter which might be dis
agreeable to the then reigning nephew.
Hence the magnificent collection, which
appeared in thirty-two volumes, can
scarcely be considered unadulerated
history.
That there was much concerning the
character of the great Corsican which
this collection did not contain was self
evident to the student, and two VOL
umes of 'Lettres Inedites," which have
just been published in Brussels, fill in
the want. This work, the authenticity
of which is demonstrated by many de-
tails concerning dates, persons, and
specimens of handwriting, is undoubt-
edly one OF the most surprising and
noteworthy publication of modern
times. In fact, aside from the "Ge-
danken and Erinnerungen" ('Thoughts
and "reminiscences of Bismarck,
there is no second work of document
airy history of equal Importance with
these "Unedited Letters published for
at least two generations.
Much Known of Napoleon.
OF course Napoleon l. has long since
ceased to be a yelled picture in his
tory. The literature concerning this
giant in war and statecraft is of SO
enormous proportions that important
disclosures were scarcely expected I'M
til these two supplemental volumes of
his correspondence appeared. This is,
no doubt, partly due to the fact that
70 and cIInnrnGSpd in
the great edition are here collected and
as a matter Of course, are as much Sc
lected" as were the documents in the
former.
There are over 1900 documents in
these two volumes. and they represent
the one feature Of the character of Ma
poleon I. which was the most strongly
pronounced besides the almost over
Whelming force as soldier and as ruler
his unbounded despotism. To MAIN
tain his power and rule over Europe,
to render them ever stronger and more
forceful, to suppress all opposition, to
support his throne and his dynasty by
all means, even the most criminal-all
this appears from these suppressed let
ters with absolute clearness.
These two volumes furnish the nat
ural history of a tyrant in the tyrant's
own words. Napoleon 1. never tolerat-
rule. He ruled absolutely and render
ed no account. Compared with this
passion for ruling Bismarck appears
like a pigmy and yet the letters
of Napoleon and the "reminiscences of
Bismarck are strangely fascinating in
the line of comparison. In the reck-
less application of police power and in
the manner of using the public press
Bismarck appears very much like Ma
n0l4On RIJf the latter hfc
press agent, figuratively speaking. No
matter where, whether on the battle
fields of Russia or OF Spain, whether
in the campaign in Egypt or in the
ElySee in Paris. he always found time
to give copious directions concerning
articles to be struggled into the public
press of his day.
Incredible Power for Work.
Aside from this. these two volumes Of
"Unedited Letters" furnish the most
convincing proof Of the almost incred-
ible power for work, for that ceaseIess'
application which makes 1t appear that
the secret Of Napoleonic success was
not mere accident or lucky star, but
FAR more the enormous capacity and
ability of this wonderful man.
In all those 1900 and more letters
there is but one passage which con-
tainS faint humorous tinge, letter
In which he gives to his brother the adj
vice: you are all crazy; take cold
baths!" Throughout this entire re-
markable correspondence there Is the
one principle: Sic volo, sic jubeo
(whoever opposes me will be crushed).
Demanded Obedience to His Rule.
And yet his crushing process Is not
what may be termed wanton cruelty.
He prescribes to the eXecutioner al
ways how far the latter may go and
designates the number of his victims
only to such an extent as appears to
him to be sufficient to cause obedience
to his rule,
Thus he writes from Paris Jan. 7.
1903, to Gen. Junot, in charge of the
French army in Portugal: 81 see with
pain that from your entry in Lissabon
to the moment when the first signs Of
opposition appeared, you have done
nothing to crush the latter. And yet
1 have written you repeatedly: Disarm
the inhabitants, disband the Portu-
gueSe troops, maintain your position by
force. But you seem to have your head
full Of ideas and have no knowledge Of
the Portuguese spirit nor of the condi-
lions which surround you. 1 do not
recognize in you the man of my school
L do not doubt that on receipt of this
you VIII diSarm the city, have 600 peo-
pie shot, and will take all other proper
steps,"
Even Napoleon's hatred and his per-
secution of certain people do not seem
to be caused by blind tyranny, but ap-
pear as well-considered means of an
unalterable aim: to strengthen his
regime. He thinks of everything, reg
ulates everything, even the most mi
mute details which executives other
wise leave to subordinates. Thus he
writes:
ITO the Citizen Gandin, Minister Of
Finance, Paris. the 18th Fructidor.
Year TX: Cardinal Caprera comes as
delegate of the ope to Paris. 1 desire
that the postal authorities be notified
to arrange the requisite measures and
that the customs authorities treat him
as ambassador extraordinary. He and
his suite may cross the frontier with
out being subject to the usual customs
formalitieS."
Attentive to Details.
Napoleon gave attention to the small
est as we'll as the greatest matters. He
writes from St Cloud, Dec. 9. 1902, to
the secretary of the navy: 81 request
70