THE MAN OF DESTINY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 260, 23 January 1873, Page 5

THE MAN OF DESTINY.

The electric wire has flashed to Australasia intelligence of the death of one of the most remarkable personages of the age. His career was the most extraordinary that ever mortal experienced, and the wildest imaginings of romancers fail to furnish a more thrilling story than the life record of the distinguished exile whose eventful existence has just terminated. Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, was the third son of Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland, and Queen Hortense, (daughter of the Empress Josephine by her first husband). He was born in Paris, on the 20th April, 1808, consequently at the time of his death, he was sixty- five years of age. The first empire was then in the zenith of its splendor, and as he was the heir presumptive to the throne of his uncle, the great Napoleon, his birth was celebrated with great rejoicings. When the empire had been destroyed, and the Bourbons restored, the youthful Napoleon with his mother had to seek safety in exile. At school he was exceedingly fond of history and the exact sciences, and distinguished himself as a fencer, rider, and swimmer . He took part in the insurrection which broke out in the Papal States in 1830, and in 1831 he was offered by the Poles the command oftheir insurgent armies, which the crushing of the outbreak prevented him from accepting. The death of the Duke of Beichstadt, the son of Napoleon I and Maria Louisa of Austria, in 1832, opened the future to his ambitious hopes, and thereafter it became a fixed idea with him that he was destined to one day rule France. At this .period of his existence he wrote several remarkable works, which excited much attention at the time. In 1836 he made his celebrated Strasburg^asco ; and in 1840 he followed that mad attempt to seize the throne of France, but one still more rashly audacious and theatrical at ( Boulogne. For this he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment, and was confined in the forlress \f Ham. He occupied his time in writing, aftd at the end of five years succeeded in escaping. In 1848 Louis Phillippe was driven from the throne, and Napoleon returned to Fraice. He was returned as deputy for several departments, and was elected President of France. ' Three years afterwards came the famms coup d'etat ihen followed in quick succsssion.' the reelection of Napoleon as Presideit fewf 10 years, and his assumption of the lirperial purple, lhe $ecorid Empire was thei established, and the dreams of his youth fulfilled. In J. 853, he married the Countess de Montijo,

a Spanish lady of great personal attrac* tions. The leading events of his reign are too familiar, and the disasters which led to his exile, too recent to require recapitulation. Unscrupulously amibitious as he was, no ruler ever advanced the material prosperity of France so much as Napoleon 111. During his reign railways Were constructed all over France, commerce flourished, marshes were drained and agriculture improved. The necessities of his position compelled him to banish the intellect of France, and to exercise a stringent censorship over literature. He swayed at will the fierce democracy of France for four and twenty eventful years, and maintained order — but order without liberty. He raised his country to the position of the first power in Europe by the diplomatic tact of himself and his ministers, and the awe inspired by his enor mous military establishment. For many years before his deposition, Napoleon's position was insecure. When the friends and companions of his youth died, their places were filled by his mere creatures — men who were capital courtiers, but incompetent ministers. He gradually slackened the reins he formerly kept so tight, and the people liking the little liberty they obtained, demanded more. Discontent and dissatisfaction, carefully fanned by the exiled apostles of liberty, began to burn fiercely, and ■ the premonitory rumblings of a revolution, threatening to engulf the Becond Empire, became too loud to be disregarded. Then came, to divert the attention of the people, the Prussian war and destruction. As author, adventurer, statesman, and ruler, Louis Napoleon played his parts ably and brilliantly. Now his troubled life is done, men will judge more accurately of his capabilities and actions. We think in time to come, to use the words of Macaulay, "none will deny him any title to greatness except virtue." It is improbable that the ex Prince Imperial will ever make a figure in the world. The name of Bonaparte has lost its power over the minds of Frenchmen, and with the illustrious man who now lies in his grave, the strange history of that famous family will probably cease to interest, and the name to astonish or alarm the world. The establishment of a strong government in France will be facilitated by the death of Napoleon. His followers will probably declare against the Bourbons, and aid the formation of a republic.

Mr. Matthew Hay reports :— On the 15th inst. I submitted to auction, a dwelling house, &c,, at Blue Spur, the property of Mr. M. Roughan. The bidding not reaching the reserve, it was withdrawn, and subsequently disposed of it privately at a satisf ictory rate. At my sale rooms on Sat urday evening, I quitted 180 doz. ladies' and childrea's boots and shoes, and a quantity of drapery, at fair prices. Town lands were submitted by me at the Survey Office, on Monday, 20th inst, with the following results :— Havelock, sec. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, block 7, and sec. 5, block 8, purchased by Mr. S. Christie, at upset price of £2. Waipori, sec. 14, block 3, purchased by Messrs Cable and Drummond, at upset price of £5. Wetherstones, sec. 10, block 9, purchased by Mr. W. Hay, at upset price of £5.