Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-13

II surrounded myself with that halo
Of mystery which pleases ana interests
| the multitude, gives birth 10 specula-
| tons which occupy the public mind,
and finally affords opportunities for
those sudden and brilliant disclosures
which exercise such important infu-
ence II was this very principle that
accelerated my unfortunate march 10
Moscow. Had | been more deliberate /
might have ayerted every evil but /
could not delay and afford time for
comment with my career already
traced out with my ideas formed for
the future, II was necessary that my
movement and my success should
seem, as It were, supernatural
lie pictured himself as crowned
Washington.
when ! acquired the supreme direc-
ton of affairs IL was wished that
might become a Washington. Words
cost nothing, and no doubt those who
were 80 ready to express the wish did
80 without any knowledge Of times,
places, persons or things. Had | been
In America | would willingly have
been a Washington, and should have
had little merit i'm so being, for | do
not see how | could reasonably have
acted otherwise But had Washington
been In France, exposed to discord
within and invasion from without, !
would have dehed him TO have been
what he was in America--at least he
would have been fool TO attempt il
and would only have prolonged the ex-
lstence Of evil. For my own part
could only have been crowned Wash
ington IL was only ia a congress Of
kings In the midst Of kings yielding or
subdued, that | could successfully dis
play Washingtons moderation, dsin-
terestednoss and WISDOM | could not
reasonably attain 10 this but by means
OF the universal dictatorship 10 this
! aspred, Can that be thought
crime?"
He recalled the campaign of Water
loo and the fate which overlook him
there with the calmnegs OF a man dis
coursng upon the events Of other times
The opening Of my campaign was
well managed and proved most success
full ! should have surprised the enemy
I'm detail but that a desertcr from
among our generals gave him timely
notice of my plans.
81 gained the brilliant victory Of
Ligny but my lieutenant robbed me Of
its fruits. Finally / triumphed even az
Waterloo and was Immediately hurled
into the abyss, Yet | must confess
that all these strokes of fate distressed
me more than they surprised me.
felt the presentiment OF an unfortu.
nate result. Not that this in any way
influenced my determinations and
measures, but the foreboding certainly
haunted my mind
There Is a great difference OF opn-
ion" continued the emperor, "as 70
what / ought TO have done, Many
t..f I A..
fought to the last. Others said that
fortune had abandoned me- that Wa
terloo had closed my career Of arms
forever. My own opinion Is that ought
to have died at Waterloo, perhaps n
little earlier Had / died at Moscow |
should probably have had the reputa-
ton OF the greatest conqueror ever
known. But the smise of fortune were
at on end | experienced little but re-
verses aftcrward; hitherto | had been
unconquered | ought to have died at
Waterloo. The misfortune is that when
man seeks the most for death he can
not ind IT, Men were killed around me,
before, behind everywhere but no bull
let for me-"
During the retreat from Waterloo
Napoleon was prevented from throw
ing himself upon the English bayonets
by Marshal Soult And this was but
one Of his many attempts at self de-
structlon,
GEORGE l.. KILMER.