Framingham State University - Dial Yearbook (Framingham, MA)

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25 the Tory government of England allied with the privileged classes of Europe wished no man of N apoleon's stamp, for he was a man ofthe people. Their hatred of him could not be more plainly shown than by the words of Pitt, He is the child and champion of democracy. The allies took good care to misrepresent the character of Bonaparte. The history of this man has often been written by his enemies, and therefore produced in the minds of the people a wrong view of the sterling qualities of the greatest general that the world has ever known. If you read a true history of Napoleon, you will find that he was an advocator of peace. It is said that Napoleon was ambitious. To be sure he was ambitious, but who can object to this? Every man is, or ought to be ambitious to a certain degree5 why was it not justifiable in Napoleon? He was confident 'in himself, for he knew what his powers were. Everything that he did was done for the benent of France, the country that he loved so dearly. That he usurped the sovereignity of France is another accusa- tion. France was at that time torn by parties, oppressed by the unprincipled rapacity of some, excited by priests, surrounded by irreconcilable enemies to the new state of things, and impoverished by the long interruption of commerce and industry. The Consul found almost all social ties dissolved 5 the administration corrupt 5 religion abolished 5 justice insecure5 the laws disregarded 5 violence and weakness everywhere coupled together5 factions intriguing against each other5 Jacobins, Royalists, Constitutionalists, adher- ents to the Directory fthe Directory itself having been dividedj, opposed to each other-in one word, a state of anarchy which disgusted the people at large, and which led to the most daring attempts upon the person of the chief magistrate. Such was the state of France when Bonaparte took the reins into his hand. He directed his attention to every branch of government. The law, the finances, prisons, education, arts, industry, even the fashions of the ladies, which had become highly indecorous, every subject of general interest attracted his attention. Thus we read from the Encyclopaedia Americana. It can be seen from the foregoing statement that Napoleon was forced to do many acts for which he was much blamed. He was called tyrant by some, but the love that the French people bore him is sufficient proof of the unreasonableness of such an accusation. just think of Napoleon leaving the island of Elba, marching through France, and being received all along the route with acclamation of praise and delight. Could a tyrant ever be received in such a manner or was a tyrant ever received in such a manner? The march of Napoleon from the island of Elba to the heart of France has never been equalled. This same France, which some historians claim considered Bonaparte a tyrant, demanded of his executioners-for they were his executioners-his beloved

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24 . Napoleon NOT very long ago, in one of our class-rooms, the following state- ment was made, Beethoven dedicated his third symphony to Napoleon, but later in life said that he was sorry that he had dedicated his work to such a man. Almost instantly my thoughts wandered back to certain pictures and busts that I have great affection for, and I said to myself, Should Beethoven have been sorry that he dedicated his work to such a man ? No l' for as Gladstone said, He was the greatest administrator that ever lived. ' just permit me to state some of the accusations made against Napoleon, and let me present to you some statements in his favor. The principal accusation against Napoleon is, that he was the cause of many wars in Europe, in fact that he was the incarnation of war. The day after his inauguration as First Consul, Dec. 25, 1799, Napoleon addressed a letter to the King of England, written in his own hand, saying, The war which for eight years has ravaged the forequarters of the world, must it be eternal? Are there no means of coming to an understanding P Farther on in this same letter he says, How is it that they fthe English and F renchl do not feel that peace is of the first necessity as well as of the first glory ? The man who wrote that letter certainly wished for peace. What was the reply? None from the King to whom he wrote, but in Professor Goodrich's Select British Eloquence, we have a speech entitled, Mr. Pitt on his refusal to negotiate with Bonaparte, and it is 'in this speech that we have the reply of the British government. It was the most elaborate oration delivered by Mr. Pitt, says Professor Goodrich, and he also goes on to say, It presents a vivid and horrible picture of the miseries inflicted upon Europe by revolutionary France, while the provocations of her enemies are thrown entirely into the background. Mr. Pitt showed great dexterity in treating this government as merely a new phase of the Revolution, and thus bringing all the atrocities of the past to bear on the question before the House. His speech was admirably adapted to a people like the English, jealous of France as their hereditary rival, conscious of their resources, and prepared to consider a continuation of the contest, as the safest means of defending their liberties, their laws, and their most holy religion. In another part of his speech, he speaks of restoring the French king, In a manner equally suitable to the rights of sovereigns, which plainly shows that the people were not to be considered, for

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26 remains, received them with national enthusiasm, consigned them to a tomb in the very bosom of its capital, and has placed over them such a mausoleum as honors the grave of no other mortal. This honor to a tyrant ? Never ! And France has reason to be proud of Napoleon, for Lamar- tine declares him to be The greatest of the creations of God. Even his bitterest enemies are compelled to do homage to the universality and the grandeur of his genius. Sir Archibald Alison says, Never were talents of the highest genius of the most exalted kind, more profusely bestowed upon a human being. It would require the observation of a Thucydides, directing the pencil of a Tacitus, to portray, by' afew touches, such a character, and modern idiom, even in their hands, would probably have proved inadequate to the task. Equal to Alexander in military achievement, superior to Justinian in legal information, sometimes second only to Bacon in political sagacity, he possessed, at the same time, the inex- haustible resources of Hannibal, and the administrative powers of Caesar. Should Beethoven have been sorry ? 'o9. filiii To the Flag Oh glorious Hag which we honor today, And our fathers fought to save, Float far and wide o'er our beautiful land Where their lives so freely they gave. You were not bought with glittering coin, But the life-blood of a nation. , You hold first place in the people's hearts They fought for your salvation. You float o'er the grand procession. You deck the soldier's grave. You've seen the victor laurel crowned, And the fall of the hero brave. The soldiers where our servants true, They loved and honor thee. We render homage due to them, Who made this country free. When in the schools of this free land, We each a place may find, We purpose to teach youth to honor you, And their duty to mankind. M. T. Q.