The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-29
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
NAPOLEON 10 THE FRENCH.
Rart Two.

Part Two.
The miserable King who was con-
tent to surrender France as their
prey, has even his wrongs to Plead
The mockery of his sway desecrates
the divinity of his right, and he trem-
bles lest the vengeance of the ma
ton should sweep him and the des-
poilers from the soil before the work
Of ruin is accomplished
FrenchmenI You are now told,
that not only my ambition, but your
concurrent spirit or conquest, de-
mands punishment; even the acquisi-
tons of former Sovereigns and epochs
are now cited as your crinfesi And by
By Sovereigns whose empires have
been formed by successful encroach-.
ments on the independence and exist
ence Of neighboring Statesl-What
was Russia IN the beginning of the
last century, How came the EIector
of Brandenbwgh monarch of a pow
erfuI kingdom? Has. Austria. abb
zoFbed no Kingdom disnenbered no
provinces, and does she now hold no
domain by the sole tenor of force?
Look at the map of Europe
Has France only usurped? Do all the
States recognized independent even by
the Treaty Of Westphalia exist Look
round the g1obe-see the English flag
flying in every quarter, in countries
where religion, laws and language are
the greater part of Asia7 Is she not
still endeavoring to force the ram
parts that separates her from China
and has she not been waging a sec
ond war to recover her Influence on.
the American continent2
sour ambition was security If
England had not aspired to the do
minion of three-quarters of the globe,
should have te1nporised with the un-
friendly councils of Spain--If Russia
=
ed at Empire in Germany, never
should have proposed to repu1se her
from the Vistu1a to the Vo1ga-
Europe has acknowledged the
baneful influence of EngIand's usur-
patton; the blood that has flowed for
the past twenty-five years has flowed
at her purchase; and Europe VIII fur
Their rue the event Of a struggle that
removes the ascendency of a civilized
people for the domination OF North
ern baFbarians.
seYou are accused of having pre-
ferred war to peace. so long as war
was successful and your answers are
these:-who first warred against your
Revolution; who violated the peace
of Anfens, and violated it's shameless
gotfatfons repeatedly Offered, or broke
them off when Reconciliation was
practicable? Who made the war of
which you are now the victims2 Is
it not. q war of their own decree?
regretted your sacrifices, I was NOV
ed to vindfcate your indignities, but
I adopted the policy of peace-the
VIII of the nation, and respected it
as the bond between me and my peo-
pie
'Frenchmeni P9sterity viii judge
how far am responsible to my coun-
try, for the events of our military eff
forts. They will decide when history
records them, whether could have
mastered fortune; but my love for
France, my gratitude for her conf
dence and devotion to her welfare,
can never be subject to suspicion.
ITO France owe my existence, and
the consciousness of that claim has
confirmed the right of nature. French
men, am still your Emperor. but I
hold the crown for my son and your
interests-His succession can alone
ensure the fruits of your efforts
against q dynasty whose reign is
identified with your slavery Foreign
force may support the throne of
thirty millions of Frenchmen is not
to be permanently subduedl You
have acquired mournfu1, but useful
experience You are now convinced
that arms alone can redeem you from
yassalage and ignominy- Cherish the
brave men who have fought your bat
t1es-they VIII be the pillars OF your
array; and they viii conduct you to
victory
"On the rock where I am doomed
to pass my future days, by the dis
loyal sentence of your enenies-I
shall yet hear the echo OF, your tri-
umph, and hail in the loom OF It's
horizon, the flag of your independ-
>ncet''