Recollections of the Last Half-Century (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1881. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... THE EMPEROR AND THE EMPIRE. It would be idle to disguise the difficulty of passing an accurate and dispassionate judgment on the eventful career of Napoleon III., whether we dwell on his advent to the Presidency of the Republic, on the establishment of the Empire, or on the sudden collapse of his reign. To account for his rapid elevation to the supreme power, it will not be out of place to revert to a fact as indisputable as it was unprecedented, namely, his immense popularity, which was the great lever by which he worked his way to the accomplishment of his designs. During the thirty-three years that elapsed between 1815 and 1848, the ideas of liberty and self-government had made enormous strides in the minds of the great majority of Frenchmen, who never found in the Governments that succeeded one another the means of obtaining satisfaction to their aspirations. On Prince Louis Napoleon appearing on the poliTHE PRINCE AND THE PEOPLE. 313 tical scene, they were startled at first, and while deprecating his daring attempts to upset the existing Government, could not help complacently admiring his chivalrous and adventurous character, denoting at any rate energy and pluck. Meanwhile, the political ideas of the Prince had made their way among the people, and were found by them to tally with what they expected from a really liberal ruler of their own choice. So it was that the understanding between the Prince and the people, that had begun by a tacit community of principles, showed itself open and irresistible at the first opportunity. There existed, however, between the Prince and the people a discrepancy of views which, from being slight at first, grew gradually wider until it became a regretful divergency. While the great majority of the people looked upon the Pri...