Year: 1859

BONAPARTE. ,

 It were indeed bold task to venture to draw into comparison the relative merits of George Washing ton, the father of our republic, and of Napoleon Bonaparte. the ambitious Emperor of France, in the service of their respective countries Yes, we would repeat it. it were bold task and yet bold as it is, we feel at last impelled to open it. They were both great, and yet how widely diferent-we might say, almost opposite in their traits of character sed uapares like but unlike Washington was gov-l erned by principle, Napoleon by passion. Look at George Washington, the unselfsh, calm and digni- fed patriot of North America and then at Napo- leon Bonaparte, the cold, inhexible and selfish Elm peror of the French and I would ask, does not Napoleon lose by the comparisona Let us look at | Washington the man, or if you please, at Washing ton the almost demi-god, or even at Washington the boy, with his backwoodsman 8 shirt and mocca- sins. and he Is still the same. The blood that courses through his veins is not the halfrozen cur rent of Greenland, but the warm lfe-blood of the South doubt not but that at any time, he would with the calm fearlessness of man but not sol with Napoleon. Ambition was the star by which all his actions were guided, and although he would have gone through fire and water in the service of France he would have been actuated by no positive principle it would have been merely that he might have acquired wealth and distinction. Bonaparte did great things, but when you penetrate the tu- malt and tempest of ostentation with which he kept himself surrounded; when you pierce the trappings of boast and preparation and promise in which he was always arrayed and the pageanrry of style and illusions and ideas with which he stroveto

 illustrate and set off his life it is indeed wonderful under this glitterng mass, how small soul he hid The great historic idea which he endeavored to inn pose on Europe the embodiment of his character, was altogether of the heroic, nay the sublime. Of all the elements of power he was surprising mas- ter but they were generally of kind that his o- ponents could not because of their witness, and which he found only by plunging. He was very base.

 l I would far prefer the proud defeat of Pava to the dishonoring triumph of Rivoli-gained the latter was by mean and cowardly falsehood. He was hero only for the vulgar. His worst acts his most popular and when hear the tumultuous accamations which the world offers up to him, sometimes stop to ask myself. are these, in thelr true character, shouts of praise, generations of infamy? Is such fame, glory disgrace? Such was the greatness of Napoleon. Like that of Alex ander and Charlemagne, find nought in it to ad- mire or esteem, except his untamed, tireless ener- gy. But there is greatness far other than this and vaster than that, which the pedestal of vanity can support; greatness avelse from fame and al- most inconsistent with success-not the echo of opinion, but the consciousness of the mind In the solemn hour of midnight meditation, when all num- dane and temporary thoughts and cares have drop ped off from the lonely soul the aspirations of tine meanest then point to thing as the only real and immortal substance in whole existence, the pure high selfapproved spirit of man: There is an order of persons, who, making this their deity,

 their entire universe, refer every word and act to its effect on this, regarding the world and all that is external to themselves, with profound indiffer- ence. These are mpelled to put forth their extre- most energies and do great things not by ambition, which being vice, degrades while it raises. With them, pride is the foundation of all virtues. From everything base or wrong, they gre checked by a consciousness of their dignity Under the taint of the smallest sin, like the ermine when its fur is ruff fled, the spirit pines in careless, hopeless anguish and finds no moment toerable but that which brings it's end. Of such style of greatness was Washing ton, the savior of this country. Let us look at George Washington the despiser of danger, sitting so calm and serene among the wintry hills of Val ley Forge, while the pestience thns the camp, and treason plots its schemes for his ruin in Congress Yes, love to look upon him as he receives the let ter announcing the cabal which has been formed by dishonest and ambitious for his destruction. See the seorn flush his cheek and fire his eye ; I hear the words of indignation ring from his lips as look his broad chest heaves, his clenched hand grasps: and yet in a moment he is calm again. He has subdued his feelings of indignation, not because they were unjust, but from the sublime reason that the cause in which he is engaged is too high, too holy tor any act of personal vengeance.

 But we could draw quite different picture of Ma | poleon Bonaparte. Like Washington, he too is de- spsed of his country, but how differently docs he bear his fate! Once he walked the halls of the pal ace of France, and wore upon his head monarch's crown. But now he is in the cold prison at Elba. See his brow is knitted as if by revenge, and as he parakes of the scanty repas that is set before him, something like scorn plays around his lips l Let us look at them in the battle -feld-WashiEg- ton commanding his troops with the courage of | Christian, Napoleon with that of soldier In in teectual power in depth and grasp and versatility of mind and in all the brilliant parts which capti vate and adorn Napoleon greatly, if not im- | measureably, Washington's superior. But in the calm and deeper wisdom of practical duty, in the government of others, and still in the govern ment of himself, and in seeing clearly the right, Washington was again Napoleon's superior. Wash ington had wisdom Napoleon had genius. Wash ington was firm, patient and self-denying; Napole on was all fire energy and ambition. The name of