The Fall of Venice

1895

HUMILIATION OF THE PROUD OLIGARCHY BY BONAPARTE.

Contemptible Cowardice of the Patricians Who Had Ruled With Such High Hand — The French Conqueror Declared the Venetians Unfit For Liberty.

Since the days of Carthage no government like that of the Venetian oligarchy had existed on the earth. As its best it was dark and remorseless. With the disappearance of its vigor its despotism had become somewhat milder, but even yet no common man might draw the veil from its mysterious, irresponsible councils and live. A few hundred families administered the country as they did their private estates. All intelligence, all liberty, all personal independence, were repressed by such a system. The more enlightened from the mainland, many even in the city, had felt the influences of the time and had long been uneasy under their government, however smoothly it seemed to be running.

Now that the earth was quaking under the march of Bonaparte's troops that government was not only helpless, but it actually grow contemptible in its panic. There was indeed the most urgent necessity for a change. The senate had a powerful fleet, 3,000 native troops and 11,000 mercenaries, but they struck only a single futile blow on their own account, permitting a rash captain to open fire from the gunboats against the French vanguard when it appeared. But immediately, as if in fear of their own temerity, they dispatched an embassy to learn the will of the approaching general. That his dealings might be merciful they tried the plan of Modena and offered Bonaparte a bribe of 3,000,000 francs; but, as in the case of Modena, he refused. Next day, the grand council having been summoned, it was determined by a nearly unanimous vote of the patricians (690 to 21) that they would remodel their institutions on democratic lines. The pale and terrified doge thought such surrender to be the last hope of safety.

Not for a moment did Lallemont and Villetard, the two French agents, intermit their revolutionary agitation in the town. Disorders grew more frequent, an uncertainty both paralyzed and disintegrated the patrician party. A week later the government virtually abdicated. Two utter strangers appeared in a theatrical way at its doors and suggested in writing to the great council that to appease the spirit of the times they should plant the liberty tree on the place of St. Mark and speedily accede to all the propositions for liberalizing Venice which the popular temper seemed to demand. Such were the terror and disorganization of the aristocracy that instead of punishing the intrusion by death, according to the traditions of their merciless procedure, they took measures to carry out the suggestion. The fleet was dismantled and the army disbanded.

By the end of the month the revolution was virtually accomplished, for a rising of their supporters having been mistaken by the great council in its pusillanimous terror for a rebellion of their antagonists they decreed the abolition of all existing institutions, and after hastily organizing a provisional government disbanded. Four thousand French soldiers occupied the town, and an ostensible treaty was made between the new republic of Venice and that of France.

This treaty was really nothing but a pronunciamento of Bonaparte. He decreed a general amnesty to all offenders except the commanders of Port Luco, who had recently fired on the French vessel. He also guaranteed the public debt and promised to occupy the city only as long as the public order required it. By a series of secret articles Venice was to accept the stipulations of Leoben in regard to territory, pay an indemnity of 6,000,000 francs and furnish three ships of the line and two frigates, while, in pursuance of the general policy of the French republic, experts were to select 20 pictures from her galleries and 500 manuscripts from her libraries.

Whatever was the understanding of those who signed those crushing conditions the city was never again treated by any European power as an independent state. Soon afterward a French expedition was dispatched to occupy her island possessions in the Levant. The arrangements had been carefully prepared during the very time when the provisional government believed itself to be paying the price of its new liberties. And earlier still — on May 27, three days before the abdication of the aristocracy — Bonaparte had already offered to Austria the entire republic in its proposed form as an exchange for the German lands on the left bank of the Rhine.

Writing to the directory on that day, he declared that Venice, which had been in a decline ever since "the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope and the rise of Triest and Ancona, can with difficulty survive the blows we have just given her. This miserable, cowardly people, unfit for liberty and without land or water — it seems natural to me that we should hand them over to these who have received their mainland from us. We shall take all their ships; we shall despoil their arsenal; we shall remove all their cannon; we shall wreck their bank; we shall keep Corfu and Ancona for ourselves."

On the 26th a letter to his "friends" at the Venetian provisional government had assured them that he would do all in his power to confirm their liberties, and that he earnestly desired that Italy, "now covered with glory and free from every foreign influence, should again appear on the world's stage and assert among the great powers that station to which by nature, position and destiny it was entitled." Ordinary minds cannot grasp the guile and daring which seem to have prearranged and foreseen all the conditions necessary to plans which for double dealing transcended the conceptions of men even in that age of duplicity and selfishness. — Professor W. M. Sloane in Century.

Napoleon After Arcole

1895

It Was Then That His Imperious Spirit Began to Develop.

The two months between the middle of November, 1796, and the middle of January, 1797, display a marked change in Bonaparte's character and conduct. After Arcolo he was a man very different from the novice he had been before Montenotte. Twice his fortunes had hung by a single hair, having been rescued by the desperate bravery of Rampon and his soldiers at Monte Legino and again by Augereau's daring at Lonato. Twice he had barely escaped being made a prisoner — once at Valeggio, once at Lonato. Twice his life had been spared in the heat of battle as if by a miracle, once at Lodi, once again at Arcole.

These facts had apparently left a deep impression on his mind, for they were turned to the best account in making good a new step in social advancement. So far he had been as adventurous as the greatest daredevil among the subalterns, staking his life in every new venture. Hereafter he seemed to appreciate his own value, and to calculate not only the exposures of his person, but the intimacy of his intercourse, with nice adaptation to some great result. Gradually and informally a kind of bodyguard was organized, which, as the idea grew familiar, was skillfully developed into a picked corps, the best officers and finest soldiers being made to feel honored in its membership. The constant attendance of such men necessarily secluded the general in chief from those colleagues who had hitherto been familiar comrades.

Something in the nature of formal etiquette once established, it was easy to extend its rules and confirm them. The generals were thus further and further separated from their superior, and before the new year they had insensibly adopted habits of address which displayed a high outward respect, and virtually terminated all comradeship with one who had so recently been merely the first among equals. Bonaparte's innate tendency to command was under such circumstances hardened into a habit of imperious dictation. In view of what had been accomplished, it would have been impossible, even for the most stubborn democrat, to check the progress. Not one of Bonaparte's principles had failed to secure triumphant vindication. — Professor W. M. Sloane in Century.

The Napoleonic Love Letters

1895

Napoleon's love letters, to judge from one of the time which has been preserved, were as fine as the dispatches with which he soon began to electrify his soldiers and all France. "I awaken full of thee," he wrote. "Thy portrait and yester eve's intoxicating charm have left my senses no repose. Sweet and matchless Josephine, how strange your influence upon my heart! Are you angry? Do I see you sad? Are you uneasy? My soul is moved with grief, and there is no rest for your friend, but is there, then, more when, yielding to an overmastering desire, I draw from your lips, your heart, a flame which consumes me? Ah, this very night I knew your portrait was not you! Thou leavest at noon. Three hours more, and I shall see thee again. Meantime, mio dolce amor, a thousand kisses, but give me none, for they set me all afire."

What genuine and reckless passion! The "thou" and "you" may be strangely jumbled, as they are; the grammar may be mixed and bad, but the meaning would be strong enough incense for the most exacting woman. — Professor Sloane in Century.

Grouchy's Failure

1895

THE REASON HE DID NOT RE-ENFORCE NAPOLEON AT WATERLOO.

Story Told by Lieutenant Radoux, Who Served Under Grouchy and the Emperor. Interesting Career of a Soldier Who Loved and Believed In the Corsican.

Would Napoleon have won Waterloo if re-enforced by Grouchy? And why did Grouchy fail to re-enforce Napoleon?

This dual question has been the battle-door and shuttlecock of discussion and dispute by statesmen, military men and historical writers ever since the memorable 18th of June, 1815, when the great Corsican in the space of a few hours lost Waterloo and the throne of France.

A most interesting and in some respects unique interview was had only a few years ago with an officer who served under Grouchy in that Waterloo campaign. This was Francis Radoux, a lieutenant in Captain Michal's company, Seventy-fourth regiment of infantry; a remarkable man, with a remarkable history; a veteran of 96 years at the time he was called on, and yet both physically and intellectually finely preserved.

Lieutenant Radoux was born in St. Savan, province of Brittany, France, Sept. 9, 1790. His childhood was barren of other than commonplace incidents, yet his soul was alive at an early age to the tremendous events which in rapid succession convulsed his nation. The French revolution, the battle of Valma, the execution of Louis XVI and his queen (Marie Antoinette), the fall of Robespierre, the growing power and influence of a certain captain of artillery, Napoleon Bonaparte by name; the Royalist war in La Vendee, Lord Howe's victory over the French, the conquest of Holland by the French armies, the victories of Bonaparte, commander of the French army in Italy, over the Austrians; his Egyptian invasion and sanguinary work, the battle of the Nile and destruction of the French fleet by Lord Nelson, the crossing of the Alps by Bonaparte and defeat of the Austrians at Marengo; the renewal of war between France and England; Austerlitz, Trafalgar, Jena, Vimera and Corunna; the rapid promotion of the artillery captain to commander in chief and emperor of France — these had all followed in quick succession by the time the boy Radoux had reached the age of 16.

In that year, 1806, Radoux enlisted on a French privateer, the Vetren, Captain Legrand. But after a short and bloodless experience he, with others, was captured by a British cruiser. He was transferred to a prison ship, and for seven long, weary years and some months he was a prisoner of war. But one day he saved an English officer from drowning, for which service he was unconditionally released.

Radoux at once returned to his native town, where he was received as one risen from the dead. Ere long he married his youthful love, Mlle. Jeanette Adams, and settled down to domestic life, to cultivate the arts of peace.

Napoleon's escape from Elba, his massing of another large army on the Belgian frontier and the rallying of the allied forces to meet him are too familiar facts to need reiteration.

With the flight of the French army from Waterloo the military career of Radoux ended. The next year he, with his wife and infant child, emigrated to America. He settled in Raymond, Maine, where for many years he carried on milling and was also a famous dancing master and violinist, the best in each role of any man in Maine at that time. His second wife was an aunt, by marriage, to Nathaniel Hawthorne. It was at his pleasant, richly furnished home in Portland that I met him. I found him a nice looking, interesting, polished, genial and agreeable old gentleman. He was in a suit of black and wore a black velvet skullcap, was evidently under 6 feet in height, with a straight military figure, had full blue eyes, a but slightly wrinkled face, clear cut, pronounced features, with a small semicircle of gray locks and a beard of medium length and white as snow.

At my request he gave a history of his life connected with the memorable days when his commander, "the emperor," as he affectionately called him, to a large extent controlled the military and political affairs of Europe.

"But there is one point on which I am eager to have your opinion," I said when the aged veteran had finished his story.

"And what is that, please?"

"As you were an officer under Grouchy, and hence had unusually good opportunity to know the real situation of things, I would like to learn your opinion in regard to the failure of Grouchy to re-enforce Napoleon. You know that for a long time afterward there were bitter recriminations between the marshal and the emperor as to how this important duty was attempted to be performed, and the reasons why Grouchy failed, on the day of Waterloo, to arrest the lateral movement of the Prussian troops from Wavre toward Waterloo."

"Yes, yes, I know," responded the old soldier, with animation. "I can assure you that Grouchy did the best he could under the circumstances to carry out the emperor's orders, but it was wholly impracticable."

And he thereupon gave a clear and logical explanation of the case. In substance he showed that Grouchy, late on the 17th, had been sent, with 30,000 men, to pursue the Prussian army, which had been defeated at Ligny, but with a force fully inadequate to cope with the entire Prussian army, especially as Blucher, its commander, in the interim had been re-enforced by a large division under General Bulow. Besides, the roads, owing to the heavy rains of the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th (Waterloo day), were very muddy and sloughy, making the moving of the wagons and artillery slow and difficult. Then, again, had Grouchy early known that Bulow and Blucher had made a diversion to join Wellington, 12 miles distant, at Waterloo, leaving Thielman, with only 17,000 men, to hold him in check as best he could, he perhaps would have done differently. He could have fought Thielman with results sufficient to allow of his reaching Napoleon in season to afford him any aid.

"Yes; Marshal Grouchy did the best he could!" repeated M. Radoux, with emphasis. "I was there, and I know whereof I speak. The emperor's plans were well laid, but my commander could not accomplish the impossible. So the emperor of necessity fought single handed and alone against the combined superior numerical force of Wellington and Blucher, and the result was Waterloo and his crown were lost!" — New York Herald.


A Slight Change

"Are they lovers still?"
"Well, he's still, but she isn't. You see, they are married now." — Detroit Free Press.

A Curious Coincidence

1901

The letters "O N" might be supposed to possess a mysterious charm, as they form the termination of many of the most distinguished names in history. No other letters of the alphabet will furnish so remarkable a coincidence as may be found in the following list made up from ancient and modern names: Aaron, Solomon, Agamemnon, Solon, Bion, Phocion, Bacon, Newton, Johnson, Addison, Crichton, Porson, Buffon, Montfaucon, Tillotson, Fenelon, Massillon, Warburton, Leighton, Lytton, Walton, Anacreon, Ben Jonson, Milton, Byron, Thomson, Tennyson, Anson, Washington, Napoleon, Wellington, etc.

A Greek scholar has called attention to a very curious coincidence about the name of Napoleon. If you take away the first letter of his name, you have "apoleon;" take away the first letter of that word, and you have "poleon;" do this successively down to the last syllable, and you have "leon," "eon," and "on." Put these several words together in this order, Napoleon on oleon leon eon apoleon poleon, and you have a Greek phrase the literal translation of which is "Napoleon, being the lion of peoples, went about destroying cities."

Sell Lock of Napoleon's Hair

1920

LONDON, England, Jan. 1. — A lock of Napoleon's hair has been auctioned for $80. It was originally presented by Napoleon's valet to Henry Hollingsworth, captain of the 20th Regiment, which was on guard at St. Helena at the time of the Emperor's death.

The Old Suez Canal

1907

Few people are aware that there had been a canal across the isthmus of Suez before De Lesseps ever conceived the idea of his monumental enterprise.

A canal across the isthmus was actually constructed 600 years before the Christian era and served as a waterway for small vessels until about 1,000 years ago, when it was allowed to fall into disuse. Napoleon revived the idea and instructed one of the great engineers of his day to investigate the matter, but though a favorable report was presented to him, in which M. Lepere recommended the restoration of the canal, the work itself was never touched.

When M. de Lesseps undertook the task of cutting the canal he thought at first to follow the idea of Napoleon and restore the ancient waterway, but this plan was abandoned and the present plan determined upon.

The White Lady — Warning Death Phantom

1907

Warning Death Phantom of the Reigning House of Prussia

On the night before the battle of Saalfield Prince Louis of Prussia and his adjutant, Count Nostitz, were chatting in the Schloss Schwarzburg-Rudolfstadt. The prince was anticipating victory when he suddenly turned pale and rushed from the room, pursuing through the hall a shadowy white robed figure. The sentinel saw it also.

Next day Nostitz and the prince saw the white lady on a hill wringing her hands in despair as the Germans fell back. A few minutes later Louis was killed and Nostitz wounded. Nostitz told the story to his son, and the son to Unser Fritz.

The white lady's first appearance was when she was seen in the palace at Baireuth in 1486. She appeared eight or ten times in the next century. When the French officers were quartered in Baireuth she frightened them, in particular General d'Espagne, who, the day after he had seen her, pointed to a portrait on the wall and cried: "It is she! That means my death!" He was killed soon afterward.

The superstitious Napoleon wouldn't sleep in the castle, but the white lady went to see him elsewhere. She was seen before the death of the beautiful Queen Louise, of Frederick William III., of Frederick William IV., of Unser Fritz himself and of many other members of the reigning house of Prussia.

Saved by His Quick Wit Before Napoleon

1916

A Reply That Won Over Napoleon and the Duke of Modena

In the French campaign in Italy, in which Napoleon I first began to win the laurels which subsequently so abundantly crowned his career, a young Italian cavalry officer was taken prisoner.

Having serious doubts about his safety, it occurred to the prisoner to pretend be was a great personage. So he promised rewards to his captors if they would insure his good treatment, adding confidentially that he was the Duke of Modena.

He was exceedingly well cared for, and early next morning he was called before Napoleon, who was somewhat puzzled at finding two Dukes of Modena among his prisoners, for the real duke was also a prisoner. The real duke angrily asked his counterfeit by what authority he had assumed the title of Duke of Modena. The young officer answered:

"Your grace, the peril of my situation yesterday was such that had I known a more illustrious title I would not have assumed yours."

The reply so pleased both the duke and Napoleon that he was forgive his deceit.

—Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, July 29, 1916, page 3.

The Romans the First to Use Shorthand

1920

Roman Shorthand

The Romans were the first to use shorthand. They used it throughout the first century, B. C., continuing its practice for at least four centuries. Marcus Tulllus Tiro, the secretary and librarian for Cicero, was the pioneer of Roman shorthand.


Better Than Medicine

Remember that medicine is, for most part, nothing but the substitute of exercise and right thinking. And it does not take a great deal of either right thinking or fresh air to enable you to throw off any ordinary symptom of illness. All that is necessary is for you to hold in your mind the thought that you are both healthy and cheerful.


Watch the Exhaust

A government bulletin is authority for the statement that the greatest single factor in the operation of the steam plant is the way in which the exhaust steam problem is handled.


Bonaparte's Short Career

In 1802, on August 2, Napoleon Bonaparte was declared consul of France for life. Thirteen years to the day, the convention between the representatives of Great Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russia declared Bonaparte, then emperor of the French, to be a prisoner of the allies and entrusted Great Britain with his custody.


Of Course Paul Wasn't Mad

Paul and Billy live in the country. There are two girls in the family also. Their aunts in town are fond of sending them things. One package contained nothing for Paul or Billy. Paul wrote to his grandmother: "What's the matter with my aunts? They sent a package out here and there wasn't a thing for Billy or me in it, and Billy's pretty mad about it."

—Bedford Gazette, Bedford, Pennsylvania, January 2, 1920, page 7.