New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-05
NAPOLEON.
Some Ne1c Light on His Conception
Of CiUI Government.
Paris, November q.


During the last few days an extraordinary
quantity of hitherto unknown letters. documents
and miscellaneous data concerning Napoleon
have been made public. NJ. Maurice Nitrac, as
sistant librarian of the National Library, OBJ
tanned permission from the descendant of Count
Roederer who. during the Consulate and during
the first two years of the Empire. occupied the
post of President OF the Section of the Interior
at the state Council, to publish the menoranda
of private conversations that he had had with
Napoleon. Count Roederer, before and after
Brumaire and after the coronation, was fire.
quently summoned by Napoleon, and it was his
custom Immediately afterward to put in writ
ing what the great man said to him. The count
had a remarkably retentive memory. His notes
and diary have remained forgotten in the ar
chIves of the family, and their publication now
arouses keen interest
Count Roederer relates that the First Consul
whenever the preliminary draft Of a law or de-
cree was submitted to him. invariably asked the
following questions: is it complete? Are all
the circumstances and conditions provided for?"
After scrutinizng the paper he would inquire:
why did you not foresee thtS? Is Unnecessary
to state this? Is this absolutely accurate? Is
this useful? How was this formerly? How was
it at Rome? How was 1t in France? How does
it stand to-day? How Is it in other Countries"
In regard to political corruption Napoleon said:
( Onlfnefb IutFG! 1nlS IL CORRUPT anu mas
always been corrupt. When a man becomes a
minister the first thing he does is to build.
buy for himself a chateau Discussing the
qualities necessary for high military command.
he said: "a soldier who has no civil talents
never be anything but a tyrant. The art of
commanding is nowadays a chose Grille civil
affair. quality of general is calculation.
chose CtUile, another quality is knowledge of
men, quGIitG Grille, another is eloquence. not the
eloQuence of a lawyer. but the eloquence that
electrifes, qualit6 civ9e!' Concerning religion
he remarked: There is nothing nowadays to
fear from the clergy. They are no longer as
they used to be, the only learned body in the
government. VoItaire was violent 1t times
against religion, simply because he found there
resistance in behalf of abuses. As for me- 1
I'M a philosopher. l would have done in Egypt
for the Mussulman faith what 1 have just &C
complished in France for the Catholic religion
1t is not because am Indifferent TO religion, but
because respect the wishes and the consciences
of the people. We none of us really know
whence we come or whittier go. The sim
plest thing for ruler is to respect the opinion
that each individual honestly and in good faith
processes
Needless to say that the most authoritative
living biographer of Napoleon. NJ Frederic Mas
son. of the French Academy. presents many
fresh data and vast store of information in his
new book. "Autour de Sainte- Helene." This
volume is largely due to a lecture that N. Mas
son delivered last March. in which he recon
stituted the political situation of Europe at the
death of Napoleon. He censured with consider
able luminosity the memory of General Gour-
gaud whose reports from Saint Helena, con-
trary to facts represented the Emperor being
I'm good health in May. 1918. and brought down
upon the illustrous prisoner the redoubled
severity of his guardians. A descendant Of
General Gourgaud. Baron Napoleon Gourgaud.
sent his seconds with a challenge to NJ. Mason.
His seconds were Prince Murat and Colonel
Nitot: NJ. Masson's seconds were NJ Maurice
Barras, the author and Deputy, and NJ Edouard
Detaine, the painter. The dispute was arranged
by NJ. Masson's esta blishing his perfect good
faith in the matter. and by his promise to pub
Ifsh other letters and documents bearing on the ,
relations between the Emperor and General
Gourgsud that the latters descendant produced
from the family archives. The result is book
Of great value for all who are interested in Ma
poleonic history. There are anecdotes about
Napoeon's cooks and servants, we'll about
other retainers who exercised functions near the
Emperor. An amusing remark Of George " is |
related. The King hourly in expectation Of !
receiving the news Of the death of Queen Caro-
line When Lord Castlereagh apprised of !
Napolaons death at Saint Helena he fastened !.
to his sovereign and entering the royal cabinet :
said: sire, 7 bring the news that your /
ma jeSty's most mortal enemy has passed away" !
George " interrupted his minister with the !
hasty remark: what? The Queen is dead, is
she?'' Lord Castlereagh replied meeky. No,
sire. I merely spoke of Bonaparte."
Another batch of fresh letters Of Napoleon sp-
pears in La Revolution FRANCHISE" brought to
light by NJ. Armand Lods. They show that I'm
1871 Bonaparte regarded the little republic of
San Maripo the ideal of all government"
He made this known in letter dated February
2S 1897, when he exempted the inhabitants of
San Marine from ell taxation as part of the
states of the French Republic, and presented
them with treaty guaranteeing their indie
pendence with four pieces Of artillery and !
quintals OF wheat for planting in their
fields. c. L b.