The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1913-11-04


achievement under the conditions Ma
poleon had to face.
And with this force he met an Aus
trian army of 10000 and defeated it
slgnally after bitter engagement.
Emperor Napoleon.
Il shall now give myself to the ad-
ministration of France. That was
the statement of Napoleon Bonaparte
in 1902 after he had overthrown the
government and had instituted a con-
sulate, to which he was elected first
for ten years, and then for life. There
were three consuls, and Napoleon was
known as the first consul To one of
his sublime ambition, however, the
thought of association in government
was unbearable. Two years later
despite his attitude expressed in his
own words, II am a friend of the Re-
public; | am son of the Revolution;
| stand for the principles of liberty,
equality, and fraternity" Napoleon de-
termlned to make an office for him
self that would be absolute and here
ditary. The title of king had grown
hateful to the people of France; so Ma
poleon chose emperor" instead, and
in 1904 he assumed the title and the
office.
Many were shocked; but none could
resist his ammuption of imperial pow
er. A popular vote showed that only
1900 people opposed the new govern
ment. Pope Plus VII accepted Napo-
Icons request to take part in the coro-
nation ceremony on December 2, 1904.
The event occurred at Notre Dame
Cathedral. The pope poured the mys-
tic oil on the head of the kneeling
sovereign. 1t was ten centuries since
any pope had left Rome for a corona
ton, and In the minds of the Latin
peoples this was conservation of a
monarch that put him on an equal
plane with the proudest rulers of Eu-
rope, whose power reposed on the
basis of Divine Right When the
pope lifted the crown Napoleon per-
formed an act so striking in it's orr
ginality that the people held their
breath. He took the crown from the
pope's hands and placed it on his own
head. He then crowned Empress jose
phine.
few months later Napoleon jour-
neyed to Milan, the capital of what
was called the Cisalpine Republic, and
there proclaimed the kingdom of Italy.
He crowned himself then with 'the
ironcrown of the Lombards" and
Named Prince Eugene, his stepson.
heir to the throne
During the ceremonies the republic
OF Genoa sent ambassadors to Paris
with the request to be incorporated
into the French empire. This Offend
ed Austria, and led to the third war
with that empire since 1892, when the
republic Of France was proclaimed
Friedland- $780,"
Emperor Napoleon's brilliant VIC
tory at Frieldland was the event that
placed him at the topmost height of |
his militar" power. In fierce battle, |
noted for the strategy characteristic |
of Bonaparte, he defeated large Rus
sian army. This was on June Ia, 1907. |
Car Alexander of Russia had re-
fused to comply with the demands of |
Napoleon regarding trade with Eng
land. England would not recognize
Napoleon as emperor, and he retored
by forcing several of the European
nations to sever commercial connec-
tons with England. Car Alexander
held out The forces of both emper-
ors met at a small town called Heils-
berg, near Friedland. Napoleon dis
posed his army in such away that he
led the Russian general, Benigsen, to
believe that he had to conquer only a
small number at Friedland. Part of
he French army was hidden in the
'emi-circle of wooded hills that sur
rounded Friedland
From one of these hills Napoleon
watched the movement of Bennigsen
nj hte. Sc
general believed that a corps of 1900
men in command of Lannes, stationed
1T Friedland, was the extent of the
orces opposing him. Bennigsen en-
gagged in skirmish with this corps,
md drove it back into the city. The
army then followed, and
crossed the River Abe. Napoleon
waited, feeling assured that Bennig-
sen would not have time to retreat.
Then he brought his army of 10000
men to the aid of Lannes, and sur
'ounded the Russians, pouring upon
mem a converging fire which worked
disastrous results. The fragments of
3ennigsen's army retreated to the
Russian border, whittier Napoleon's
orces Pursued them
At the Russian frontier Napoleon re- {
,elved a communication from Gear
Alexander requesting peace. 1t was
agreed that the two emperors should
meet on a floating rafe near the city
If Tilsit.
The result of this conference was
he foundation of what has been call
I'd 'Napoleons dream to build a vast
european empire"
Whatever may be said of that, it was
surely the beginning of his downfall. t