The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-09-18
NEW NAPOLEON LETTERS
Curious Correspondence Throwing
Fresh Light on His Character

LONDON-Some curious letters
have Just been found written more
than 100 years ago which throw fresh
light upon the extraordinary character
of Napoleon. The Paris correspond
ent of the Standard has sent most
interesting account Of these, which has
been published in that paper.
Napoleon was married at st. Cloud
on April 1, after which he departed
to Compiegne, where letters Of con-
graduation poured in to him from
every part of Europe. 1t is in keep
ing with the character of the man that
he elected to answer all this cores
pondence personally. In handwrit-
ing which was almost illegible, he
made rough list of his correspond
ents and then dictated his replies to
his secretary, Fain.
A most interesting point is brought
out by the fact that the majority Of
the letters which he wrote at frst
were of a warmer and more cordial
character than those he finally des-
patched. 1t would seem as though on
reading them over he had found them
too familiar and not perhaps uphold-
ing his character in the light in which
he wished it to appear. For instance.
the letter to the King of Prussia was
at first:
Monsieur mon Frere:
81 was quite certain that the news
of my marriage with the Archduchess
Marie Louise of Austria would cause
your majesty to share in the joy that
l feel at an event that is as important
go, Fo,, %l,o of vrnxy
people. The congratulations that your
majesty sent me in the letter that
Count Kalckreuth was instructed to
hand me have touched me deeply.
ETC.
Having read it through, he struck
out the above and wrote it out in am
other form which can be seen in this
correspondence. For all the German
princes he had but one model: it was
more to the point more terse, less
effusive m
THE proofs of attachment, that You
have often given me were of a nature
to convince me that you would feel
real pleasure in hearing of an event
as interesting to my. imperial family
as to the welfare of the peoples con-
fided to my care" III,
On another occasion he dictated
letter to the Russian Emperor. the
draft of which was most comphmen-
tary.
Il am extremely sensible Of the
manner in which Prince Kurakin has
acquitted himself of the extraordinary
mission which your majesty entrusted
to him. The choice of this minister
was the more agreeable to n, tnce
the prince, his brother, you sesty's
ambassador to my court, .-.joys all
my esteem, and this gives me an OPP
portunity of letting him know the
special liking l have for both Of
them"
Before this letter could be DESPATCH
ed, however, Prince Kurakin had evil
IDENTIFY managed to get himself into
disfavor with Napoleon, for the COM
pliments We're all struck out, and tina
letter went in cold, official form,
as can be seen from the corresponds
ence.
TIL king of Wurte mberg was one Of
the "freres' whom Napoleon had cre-
ated for himself To him he wrote
expressing great admiration and re-
spect for Count Taube, who had been
the messenger of congratulations to
Napoleon. Having devoted quite a
dozen lines of praise of this man, in
the final text all amenities were OBJ
liberated and were replaced by a few
lofty and cold commonplace. He
seems to have spent all the spare time
of the two first months of his mar
ried life in writing answers to con-
gratulations which were of the most
freezing kind, in style peculiarly his
own
They are interesting as showing his
shades of feeling towards the readers.
To the Swiss and Hanseatic towns the
great man showed more cordiality,
whilst to the Prussians he maintained
merely a dgnified decorum which up
held his dignity without raising them
too much in their own estimation. In
some instances the rough draft of a
letter has gone through changes fol-
lowing the acts of certain ambassa-
doris, or recollection of some paat
misdemeanor on their part.