Year: 1873

IMPERIAL DIPLOMACY.


One of the claims which the admirers of the
late Emperor Napoleon are never weary of
setting up for him is that of thorough
knowledge of human nature and ability to
select fitting instruments for his purposes
But the claim is wholly unfOunded. The men
who assisted him in the Coup dEtat and the
establishment of the Empire were certainly
well adapted for the work they did. But they
selected and used him. Their own poverty
and vices sufficiently designated them for the
parts they played. Theyall preceded the En-
peror to the grave except Fleury, and GER
tainly no sovereign thinks of employing that
eminent jockey as member of his privy
council. AS they fell away, one by one, and men
trained by the Empire and selected by its
head came on the stage, the age OF lncapacity
opened for France. One or two men of real
power struggled to the surface. There was
always a sort of dexterity and chic about the
parliamentary work of Rouher which had its
effect, though his failure in the Versailles
Assembly showed how much depended upon
his audience. Haussmann was, of course if
one leaves all moral questions out
of view, man OF extraordinary
merit. and his indignant refusal to
submit to any compromise when the En-
peror, in that pathetic Irritation with liberal
ism into which M. Olivier led him, dis
missed the great Prefect from office, did
much to restore him to the good opinion of
self-respecting men. But in contrast with
these few instances of ability. the history of
the Empire presents an almost unbrOken
series of appointments from the class OF
courtiers or adveRturers, where even mcdlocnty
is a distinction.


1t is probably in the diplomatic service that
the most signal specimens of incapacity were
found The men engaged in it were Of two
classes, the men of routine who had made
favor at court, and those members of the
aristOcracy who had deserted the FaubOurg st.
Germain for the honor and profit which could be
found in the livery of the usurper. The
Emperor, who felt keenly the contempt and
defiance with which he was regarded by the
old noblesse was always delighted when one
of them evinced any disposition to enter his
service, and regarded an illustriOus name as
a sufficient qualification for the most brilliant
positions. If he could not gain the recog-
milton of the Broglies, the Noailles, the
MOntaemberts, he was very proud and
happy with his MOustiers and Gramonts and
Latours dAuvergne to mingle with his Bene-
dettis and Mercers. These ancient names
were not to be had on easy terms, and he
could not irsist upon brains as part of his
bargain. There was never sovereign so
ill-served. We cannot forget the budgets of
fanciful inventions which he received from
his representatives at Washington during our
war, and during the invasion of Mexico. which
were written solely to meet his ardent
desire for bad news of our cause and
good news Of Macmillan. Instead of
disgracing the men who thus de-
ceived him to his damage, he promoted
them. When the time of his ultimate trial
came, when he needed the wisest and firmest
of cOunselors, his Minister of Foreign Affairs
was the Duke de Gramont, lately transferred
from Austria, his representative in Germany
| was the Corsican Benedetti, and in Spain the
Baron MERCER dc Lostende; men who lay
like mice in the claws of Bismarck and Of
Prim.


1t was upon instruments like these that he
relied for information as to the outside world
SO far as the army was concerned, he leaned
upon support still more farccal. 1t was Gen.
Leb0uf, Minister of War, who told him, when
he asked If the military arm was ready, 1--WE
care arGh-ready, Sire " prompt and dramatic
reply. which gave great satisfaction at the
Cercle IMPERIAL Gramont had already told
him that South Germany was ready to JOIN
him; so the way to Berlin was easy enough
But the army fell to pieces the moment it
was struck. Germany rose as one man, and the
people of France repudiated their Emperor az
soon as he ceased to be chief of his own
police


Evidently the best thing for the generals
and diplomatsts of the Empire is TO keep
silent and let the world forget them. But
they have not even the talent Of silence. They
have rushed repeatedly into print, showing
how the opposition (Which numbered about
one tenth of the Legislative Body prevented
the proper organization Of the forces. Re-
Gently NJ. dc Gramont and M. Mercer have
tried their hands at explanations with
not much success. The former shows
that Austria encouraged the war,
and hence he inferred that she would join in
TIA naivet6 which does more honor to his
heart than to his head. The latter essays a
higher fight and says boldly that the En-
peror did not oppose the candidature oa Mont