The Washington herald., 1914-07-05

and corrupt government to any modern
improvements introduced by a foreigner.
nation at the insult to their nation the
Spaniards drew their knives and cut
every French throat that lay bare to
their murderous hands. This was
Italy and Egypt and Poland he had bat
tied only with the alien oppressors OF
the population, to whom he presented
himself as a lberator. In Austria and
Prussia he had not fought the people, but
only a stupid and selfish aristocracy. In
emphasizing the difference between Ma
poleon's earlier and later campaigns Ma
pier. the foremost English military his
Of Spain he and France had been engaged
solely in "a deadly conflict to determine
whether aristocracy or democracy should
predominate, whether equality or priv
ilege should henceforth be the principle
Of European governments"
When Napoleon accepted the challenge
of the popular revolt in Spain and un-
dertook to crush a people, ne ceased 10
be the champion and became the enemy
of democracy. Apparently he himself did
not appreciate the full and fatal signi-
fcance Of the step he was taking nor
realize that he was planting his feet in a
| to have become the victim of a self-de-
fusion such as he had SO often scornfully
censured in his generals. He was max
! ing a picture" as he called the fault in
situation.
In the picture that he was contemplate
| ing he saw himself a second Charlie
magne uniting Europe in a new empire
of the West. But In the ten centuries
since the Carlovingian empire was found
ed. nations had risen and the sentiment
of patriotism had become a mighty force
! Napoleon himself had no nation and
| had grown up a stranger to patriotism.
His country had died when he was born,
as he bitterly said in his youth. BY a
strange stroke of poetic Justice he had
| left his subjugated Corsica, had con-
quered its conquerors and brought the
continent under the rule Of an islander.
| His army was a medley of nations and
races; his camp babel Of tongues. Ital-
| ians guarded his eagles on the dykes OF
! the North Sea; Poles bore them through
| the passes Of the Pyrenees, and Span
iards patrolled the sandy bounds OF his
dominion by the Baltic.
First Blow of Fate.
He viewed with contempt the savage
! fury of the undisciplined rabble that had
set all Spain ablaze. To suppress their
revolt vas aiiSr "ShiiG's play" lay he lightly
would not cost him more than 1900 men.
| BE gay" he commanded King Joseph.
''and do not let yourself be troubled.
/ But poor Joseph could not fairly be ex-
/ pected to display much gayety as he
/ found himself elevated on the point Of q
bayonet and enthroned on q keg of gun
! powder. Within nine days Of his entry
| into his new capital. the imported King
was in fight northward from the hordcs
! that overran his kingdom.
! Had that misfortune come singiy II
would have been bad enough. but II was
\ accompanied by a disaster that stunned
the Emperor and left him speechless with
] grief and rage. A French army under
! Gen. Dupont had been caught between
! two fires at Baylen. in Andalusia, and
/ nearly 20.oo0 Frenchmen had laid down
7 med them in.
/ The Emperor was in Southern France
/ when he was struck by that blow of
/ fate" as he called IT. Through three
hours Of silent agony he held the direful
Z news IN his breast. without llsping a hint
/ Of Il. until plaintive cries at last escaped
his lips.
1 An army Of Napoleon had surrendered
ira Ias;no R.tfIs In n Doxen Yearx.