South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1882.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2842, 4 May 1882, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1882.

“The evil 1 that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones.” One of the most notable illustrations of the truth of this bit of proverbial philosophy, is afforded by the history of the late Emperor, Napoleon the Third. There is now scarcely an individual who bestows a thought, much less a word, upon him who once was head of a great nation, and bearer of one of the most illustrious names in all history. Before the memory of the man had been lost in oblivion, he was often spoken of but generally in disparaging terms. Probably no man had fewer personal admirers and friends than Louis Napoleon in the gay crowds that thronged the brilliantly lighted Tuileries and paid homage to the Empress Eugenie ; who presided over the Court with all the grace, sweetness, and more than the beauty of Mario Antoinette. There was hardly one on whom His Majesty could have depended to assist him in adversity. He was not in this respect anything like so well off as poor weak Louis XYI., crazy lockmaking king, who in his darkest hours always found friends to rally round him openly or to assist him in secret. Louis seems always to have had a consciousness of this. He was notoriously a fatalist, and predicted his own death in England, which actually occurred. He was never intoxicated by the eminence of his position, or the splendour around him. His fixed impenetrable face gave people the idea that he was always plotting and scheming. The persons with whom he was really confidential were the only ones who entertained anything like affectionate regard for him. His people had no love for him. Ho moved about among them and was recognised as the head of the nation. But loyal love towards himself, nobody entertained, and when his hour of misfortune came no one pitied him (save a very select few), and he went into exile uncared for by the nation. Yet it is not too much to say that this man was never properly understood nor valued at his proper worth, Tte unfortunate war which brought h ruin was no net of his. But when mt ruin came no man paused to think ol the many wise and profitable measures

which'were all hie own. He who is careful in tracing events to their source, in studying the eventful history of France during the nineteenth century, will not fail, however, at length to do justice to the dead man.

When Louis Napoleon came info power in France he found:—First, that Paris was France ; secondly, that there were two elements of French society that could never be trusted unless they were kept busy, viz., the soldiers and the workmen ; and thirdly, that between pleasure and war the people were so morally emaciated that there was no commercial life of a healthy kind in them. He set to work to meet these several difficulties. He began to beautify the capital and fortify the coasts and carry on great harbor schemes. This made him the hero of messieurs les oavriers and the “ ’orny-’anded ” were his most obedient. No more treason in the slums ; no more revolutions in filthy cabarets ! He got up a succession of quarrels and expeditions, which kept the array, going in campaigns. He pleased the soldiers by reviews, and receptions, and by making much of them altogether, and by the pantomime of dressing up the little Prince Imperial in the guise of the well-re-membered petit corporal. So much for the workmen and soldiers. Then perceiving that the commercial energy of the nation only wanted developing, and that, once in full vigor it would prove a mugh more profitable channel for the energies of his commercial subjects than war and revolution, on which Prance has fed.for years past. He addressed himself to bring about an understanding and a mutual est'em between his own people and the English. nation. How far he succeeded, the commercial treaty and the increased inf :rcourse between the fjwo nations soon attested. This was no easy work. The French were not ardent at first, and the English were lor a long time suspicious and cold. But, by degrees, the steady persistence and constancy of the man made themselves felt, and the union between France and England was < nented ’by mutual esteem, and has never ceased to be a firm and profitable alliance. Such •works as these were the good deeds of Louis Napoleon. If he was urged-' to a throne by personal ambition, he used his power when he had acquired it, with patriotism and .discretion. He thoroughly understood the dangerous features of French society and managed ’ them all with consumate skill. And it must be remembered that for many years before his death he was a great sufferer. It was a disease-worn, tired body that at last lay down in the seclusion of Ohislehurst. His end was inglorious. There was nothing dramatic about the prisoner of Sedan. No one remembered anything he had done, and he moved unnoticed and unapplauded off the stage on which he had for a long time been the chief; figure, into the greenroom where ho divested himself of all his r disguises and went off quietly into exile. Some day France, will do justice to the founder of her commercial prosperity, as England has long ago done amends for her suspicions ; to the sovereign who in good report and ill report was her faithful ally and friend.