The Washington herald., 1914-04-12
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tions. a true republic. But how glori-
Gus would have been his failure,
Enemies as well as friends played
their part in hurrying the republic to-
the throne, all classes and events con-
spring to the same end. Bourbon
plots supplied. indeed, the strongest
argument for making the change.
persisted in the folly which had lost
them their kingdom. 1t was truly said
of the Bourbons that in their misfor-
tunes they learned nothing and forgot
treason against their country as allies
of jealous foreign nations. they de-
scended to the next step In their deg
radiation and tried to bribe their way
back to the throne.
Their sordid measures succeeded with
some of the French generals, who were
the armies 81 the republic into the hands
of the enemy. But when Napoleon came
they found man they could not buy
They made eXtravagant offers to him In
his first Italian campaign, but he scorned
their money and their honors. After he
became first consul, the pretender, Louis
XVIII, younger brother Of Louis XVI.
wrote him, begging for the lost throne
and bluntly asking him to name his price.
IF you doubt my gratitude, fix your re-
ward and mark cut the fortunes OF your
To that base appeal from the son OF
ST. Louis the son of the people returned
this kingIy rerly: You must not seek
10 return to France. To do SO you would
have to trample upon 10000 dead bodies
Sacrifice YOUR interest to the repose and
happiness Of France. and history will
render you justice"
Bourbon Assassins.
The Bourbons in their despair then
sank to the level of assassins. For
years they had maintained their ennis
saries in Paris for the purpose Of TO-
menting revolution and anarchy. But,
under Napoleon's masterful rule, the
country was quickly pacified and the
nation reunited. France prospered and
revolutions langLished.
The Bourbons found themselves with
out an active party, and unable even to
incite riot. But II they could not hope
to overthrow TIE government. they could
plot the assassination nf Napoleon. As
he was on his way to the opera in the
winter following the battle of Marengo.
his driver a veteran who had been with
him in Egypt. and whom he had nick
named Caesar, found a cart, apparently
a water cart. standing across the street
When the escort had drawn II to one
side, Caesar, exssperated by the delay,
whipped up mis- horses and drove on at
a furious haste. In two seconds an in
fernal machine on the cart exploded.
But Caesar had driven so fast as to
remove his distinguished passenger be-
yond harms reach. At the terrible noise
of the explosion he stopped his horses,
riage. asked for orders. ITO the opera"
Napoleon replied, without betraying in
the least the rage that filed his breast.
As he had missed death by being two
riage followed his, had escaped as mar
rowly by being two seconds late. having
stopped at the palace door to let Gen.
Rapp rearrange her shawl and fold IL
over her sholders in the Egyptian man
ner. Arrived at the opera she found her
husband seated in his box in apparent
calm, and surveying the audience through
his opera glasses. The rascals wanted
to blow me up he said to her quietly.
Give me a book of the oratorio."
Several persons in the street had been
killed and many wounded. More than
forty houses were shattered, and even the
glass in the windows of the Tuileries was i
smashed.
When Napoleon returned from the
opera he ceased to disguise his indgna-
tion, but gave rein TO passion for pun |
ishing the perpetrators of the outrage. |
He refused to believe that the Bourbons |
would resort to such a murderous meas |
ure, although his minister of police. |
Fouche. insisted ii was a Royalist and not |
rorists' he insisted. 'wretches stained |
with blood. The Bourbons arc simply a |
skin disease. but the Terrorists are an
internal malady.'
In his determination to terrify the Ter
rorists 100 men were rushed into penal |
banishmen without any evidence against |
them. AfterWard IL was discovered that |
they had nothing to do with the Internal |
machine, and that it was the work of the |
Royalists, two of whom were detected, |
convicted and executed. Yet, so persist |
ent was Napoleon's suspicion that the |
Terrorists were a menace to his govern |
ment he did not recall the poor exiles |
from their prison colony in the tropics.
He organized a police Of his own to |
watch FcuChe and his pdtce- DO you
suppose because J am staying at NAL !
maison that krow nothing about what |
is going Cn?" he said TO Fouche 81
don't depend on your police. I do my |
own pClicinC. and 1 am on the watch |
til, O'Clock in the morning.
Fouche, whose duty II was to. watch /
the enemies of the enemies of the First |
Consul, but who always kept the sharp
boasted I'm after years that he hired |
his chief The Bourbon conspirators also
passed around the word that the secre-
tary is for sale
However that may be. the tender spot
which Napoleon always kept for old |
friends and associates was sore wounded
by the Oldest and closest of them all.
He had been glad to share his prosperity |
with Bourrienne as freely as they had
shared their poverty at Brienne and in
the streets of Paris. He gave him apart
ments in the Tuileries and also gave his |
family an independent establishment L
Disdaining TO limit his friend and con-
hdant to 2 fixed salary. he invited him
to help himself from their common cash I
drawer in the palace, and no account