UL
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"WE OO WHERE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES POINT THE WAY; WHEN THEY: CEASE TO LEAD, WE CEASE TO FOLLOW.'
BV JOHN G. GIVEN.
EBENSBURG, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1819.
VOL. G. NO. 12.
1 1 1 11 1
1 1 J I II II III
1 WVAWV'
Z5
IYI ISO ELLANEOUS
EMPEROR'S PRESENT.
One morning in the month of June 1800
the Empress Josphine's jeweller wasush
ered into a little apartment of the Tuiller
ros, in which Napoleon was seated at
breakfast.
" "The necklace must be the very best
you can produce," said the Emperor.
4I do hoi care for the price; nevertheless
will have it submitted to a fair valuation.
I warn you of that Not that I doubt
your integrity, but because
in short, because I am Jnot a lapidary my
self, and therefore not a compctant judge
of such measures. As soon as it is finish
ed, bring it to me, and take care that you
how it to no one, you understand.
"Yes, sire. But I wish your majesty
could allow me a little morr time, that I
may be enabled to select the stones in the
most satisfactory manner. Choice dia
monds are very scarce at present,
-nd they have risen greatly in price."
At these words the Emperor turned
harply to the jeweller, and said.
"What do you mean? Since the cam
paign of Germany the jewel market has
been overstocked, Parbleu! I know ifjfor
& fact, that our French jewellers have been
purchasing largely from the pretty Princes
of the Germanic Confederation, who the
King of Prussia, and Emperor of Russia
have ruined by stirring them up against
me. Go to Bapts, or to Mellerio; they
can let you have as many diamonds as you
may want.
t "Sire, I have always 'made it a lule
never to avail myself of the assistance of
other tradesmen, when I have the honor
of working for your Majesty's august
family i have at this moment in my
possession a set of diamonds which I pur
chased from the King of Prussia, who has
commissioned me"
"That is your business, Foncier, not
mine But with regard to the neck
lace, do the best you poasibly can, and
show the peopio beyond the Rhine that
we surpass them in jewelry as well as in
all e-rher things.
""' . On a sign from Napoleon, Foncier made
his last bow and withdrew. A week after
his interview the Emperor received a neck
lace. It was surpassingly beautiful.
The jewels, the pattern, the mounting,
even the case in which it was enclosed
all were unique. Napoleon had it valued
jtVas estimated to be worth 800,000
francs, precisely the price which Foncier
demanded for it. The Emperor was per
fectly satisfied.
A boat this time, (June, 1806,) Prince
Louis Bonaparte, one of Napoleon's young
er brothers, was raised to the the rank of
sovereignty, and proclaimed King of IIol
jand. j On the day when Napoleon "was to re
reive the crown of that relm from the
Jiands of the Dutch envoys, and to place it
on his brother's head, all the court assem
bled at St. Cloud, Louis and llortensc ar
rived in the morning from St. Leu. The
ceremony, which was attended with great
pomp, took place in the Salle du Trone.
Xhe envoys of the defunct Batavian re
public were magnificently entertained, and
it was announced that the new King and
Xiueen would set out for their dominions
on the following day. In the evening Na
poleon sent to inform llortense that he de
sired to speak with her in his cabinet.
.She immediately attended the summons
and when the page threw open thefolding
doors to announce her, the title of "Her
.Majesty the Queen of Holland" greeted
.her ear for the first time.
, llortense," said the Emperor, "you
have become the Queen of a brave and
virtuous people. If you and your husband
jact wisely, the house of Orange can never
again return to Holland with its old preten
sions. However, from ray knowledge of
.the Dutch people, I think.I can discern in
ithem one remarkable fault; it is, that un-
jder the outward appearance of great sim
. plicity, they are fond of luxury and espe
cially of wealth. "With them vanity is
j, the strongest feeling next to interest. Now
it would be bad policy to suffer yourself
in the eyes of your new court to beeclips
cd by the over dressed wife of some rich
: burgomaster, who has nothing to be proud
, of but las money-bags. You must have
,a good assortment of jewels; and here is a
little ornamet which I beg you will ac
.cept. Wear this necklace sometimes in
t remembrance of rne. I have purchased
t jt myself, out of my own savings." So
.paying Napoleon clasped the glittering cir
rclet on the neck of llortense, and embra
cing her with paternal affection bade her
T fare well. .
t When seated on the throne of llollaud,
Queen llortense rendered full honor to
r her step father's present. On every
courMlay, at the palace of the Hague, at
( cveay fete given in the Maon de Bois,
the superb ni-Marc adorned her swan-like
ncrk.
But soon came tl.ose disastrous days
when Napoleon's sun began to set. llor
tense descended from the throne precisely
as she had ascended it, in willing obedi
ence. On her arrival in Holland her sub
jects had greeted her with cries of "God
bless our lovely Queen." On her depar
ture those cr.es were changed to "God bless
our good Queen!" To a heart like that
of llortense, this last greeting was consol
atory, even at a moment when a throne
was lost. On retiring into private life, she
devoted herself to the education of her
children, and to rendering filial attentions
to her mother, who, like herself, was the
icidow of a throne.
The cannon of Waterloo had ceased to
roar, and Napoleon was obliged to quit the
Elysees, and to take refuge in Malmaison.
the last abode of the Empress Josephine.
One evening when he was alone in the
salon, seated before a table on which lay
scattered the notes from which his second
act of abdication was to be drawn up, a
lady entered. It was llortense.
"Sire," said she in a voice trembling
with emotion, "does your Majesty remem
ber the present you made me at St. Cloud
about nine years ago?"
Napoleon gazed at the daughter of Jose
phine, with a mingled expression of grief
and affection, then taken her hand, he said.
"Well, llortense, what have vou to saTto
me?" '
"Sire, when I was a queen you gave
me this necklace. It was of great value.
But now 1 am no longer a queen, and
you are unfortunate: therefore I
entreat that you will permit me to return
it."
"That necklace llortense!" replied Na
poleon, coldly. "Why deprive yourself
of it? It is now, probably, the half ofyour
fortune. And your children?"
"Sire, it is all I possess in the world.
But as to my children they will never re
proach their mother for having shared with
her benefactor the bounty which he was
pleased to confer on her."
She burst into tears, 'and Napoleon
struggled to conceal his emotion. ....
"No llortense," said he, averting his
head, and gently repelling the hand
which was stretched out to him; "no I can
not" "Take it; Sire; I implore you. There
is no time to be lost- They are coming!"
With these words she thrust the jewel
case into his hand. A few hours after
wards, the necklace was stitched into a sil
ken ccintare, which Napoleon ' wore un
der his wais:co.it.
Six weeks after this incident, Napoleon
was on the deck of the Bellerophon, pre
paring to embark on borad the Northum
berland. The arms of the persons of his
suite were taken from thenx, their baggage
was inspected, and they were not permit
ted to take with them cither money or
jewels. The trunks of the illustrious pris
oner being searched, a box was iountl con
taing four thousand Napoleon d'or. He
was informed that the money must be giv
en up. This sum, together with some
funds which Napoleon had lodged in the
hands of Lafitte prior to his departure from
Paris, was all his fortune.
Whilst the ispection was going on Na
poleon was gently pacing up and down
the quarter-deck with M. Las Cases.
Casting a furtive look around him and
finding that he was not observed, he drew
from beneath his waistcoat the silken
ceinture, and gave it to his companion
saying
"My dear Las Cases, a certain Greek
pilosopher used to say that he carried all
his fortune about with him, though certain
ly had not a shirt to his back. I don't
know how he managed; but this I know,
that ever since our departure from Paris,
I have been carrying all my treasure under
my waistcoat. I now begin to weary of
the burden. Will you relieve me of it?"
He unfastened his ceinture, and Las
Cases, without making any reply, took it
from him, and fastened it round his own
waist. ;
It was not until after his arrival at St.
Helena, that Napoleon informed M. de
Las Cases that the siiken Land which he
had confided to his care on board the Bel
lerophon contained a necklace worth eight
hundred thousand francs. Subsequently
Las Cases expressed a desire to restore it
to Napoleon. "Does it not incommode
you?" inquired the Emperor dryly. 'No
sire.' 'Then retain it,' rejoined Napole
on; 'fancy it is a chain or an amulet, it
will not trouble you."
Fifteen months afterwards Las Cases
was by order of the English Government
unexpectedly separated from Napoleon.
He and his son were removed from Long
wood, and conveyed to Plantation House
where they were kept under strict sur
veillance until they embarked for the
Cape of Good Hope.
Meanwhile, Las Cases still held pos
sobtion of the diamond necklace. Time
run on, and he was infi-rined that l;c had
only a few days longer to remain at St.
Helena. He was distressed at the though
of departing without being able to return
the treasure to its owner. What could
he do? All communication between him
and Longwood was peremptorily inter
dicted. A plan occured to his thoughts,
and he determined to run the risk of at
tempting its execution. Among the per
sons who had recently arrived at St. Hel
ena, there was an English officer, whose
open countenance and candid manners en
couraged Las Cases to place confidencejn
him. This officer came to Plantation
House, in the suite of the Governor. He
spoke French perfectly: and Las Cases
seized an opportunity of whispering a few
words to him unperceived. "I have rea
son to believe that you possess a noble
and generous heart, and will venture to
put it to the proof. You can render me
a most important act of service; and one
that will compromise neither your con
science nor your duty. It is an affair
which concerns my honor and that of my
family. I have in my possession some
thing of consierable value, which . I am
anxious to return to the Emperor. If
you will undertake to deliver it to him
my son will slip it secretly into year
pocket."
The officer replied merely by a signif
icant nod of the hend. Young Las Ca
ses who was with his father, had received
his instructions, and Queen Hortense's
necklace was dropped into the officer's
pocket unperceived, though quite within
sight of the Governor's staff.
But the greatest difficulty yet remain
ed to be accomplished- that of conveying
the treasure to its owner. Two whole
yt-ars elapsed ere this could be effected.
It occurred to the Emperor Napoleon
that he had, for some time, been the object
of more vigilant watchfulness than before.
He could not stir from Longwood without
observing an English officer, who kept
his eye upon him, following him like a
shadow. One day, Napoleon remarked
that the officer was watching him . more
closely than usual; and turning round be
exclaimed angrily, 'What is the meaning
of this? It is very hard that I cannot take
a breath of air without having a spy on
my footsteps!' Then cutting short his
walk, he hurried back in the direction of
Longwood. The Englishman turned
back also, and coming close up to Napo
leon 'Sire!' said he, in a tone of pro
found respect. 'Begone, sir!' said Napo
leon sharply 'There can be no
communication between me and your em
ployers. Bogone, I say!'
'Sire,' resumed the officer, with an air
of perfect composure, 'your Majesty is
under a mistake.' He then hurriedly ut
tered the words 'Count Las Cases I
have something of value.'
'Ah!' exclaimed Napoleon, tell me
what you have to say!'
'I beg that your Majesty will continue
your walk without seeming to notice me.
I have a packet which I have carried
about with me for two years, seeking an
opportunity to deliver it. Will your Ma
jesty contrive to let me throw it into vour
half' .
Napolcoii uncovered, and passed his
hand across his forehead, which was an
habitual action with him when endeavor
ing to recollect anything. By a move
ment as quick as thought, the necklace
was thrown into his hat.
'Now,' said the officer in an undertone,
I trust your Majesty will pardon my im
portunity. I have fulfilled my mission,
and you will see no more of me. May
God bless and preserve your Majesty!'
S1 t 3 (t
About the end of April 1821, some days
before his death, Napoleon desired Gen.
Montholon to come to his bedside. 'My
friend,' said he, 'I have under my pillow
a necklace of considerable value belonging
to llortense. -1 had good reasons for not
allowing any one here to know that I pos
sessed an article of such value. When I
am gone, take it into your care, and when
you return to France, (should you ever
be so fortunate as to return there;) give it
to llortense. Should sorrow have burried
her to an early, grave, give it to her chil
dren, my nephews.'
Montholon promised to fulfil these com
mands. .
'Now,' said Napoleon, pressing his
hand, I die satisfied.'
The malady continued to make rapid
progress; and when General Montholon
was assured that Napoleon had but a few
hours to live, he took his post like a faith
ful sentinel, at the bedside of the invalid.
At length Dr. Amomarchi pronounced the
fatal words, 'All is over!' and Montholon
gently raising his sovereign's head, drew
from beneath the pillow, the treasure con
fided to his care.
After many, adventurous journeys in
America and in various parts of Europe
Montholon returned to his native France.
Having performed what he felt to be his
first act of duty, that of embracing his
aged mother, he set out for Aremberg, to
restore to the ex-Queen of Holland a neck
lace now doubly consecrated as a memo
rial of happiness and misfortune. For a
long time she preserved it with feelings of
sacred veneration; but in a moment of se
vere pecuniary cistress, she found herself
compelled to part with it. The King of
Bavaria offered to purchase it, by settling
on the ex-Queen an annuity of twenty
three jbou sand francs. Necessity ratified
the bargain, and two years afterwards
llortense was no more.
Kingdom of Naples.
The baffled attempt at revolution in the
kingdom of Naples has materially aggra
vated the political abuses it was intended
to destroy The concessions which were
made by the King have all been either re
tracted or neutralized by new assumptions.
The constitution still exists in form, but
only as a testimonial of royal perfidy, and
a monument of popular instability. It is
no more the real law of the land than the
Koran. It gave the people a representa
tive Parliament; but that Parliament, after
many of its principal members had been
arrested, was arbitrarily dissolved, and no
thing but the royal fiat will ever speak
another into existence. The liberty of
conscience, the liberty of speech, and the.
liberty of the press, which the constitution
created, the King has annihilated. The
prison not only awaits every man who
gives expression to free sentiments, but
frequently is the doom of him whose only
crime is silence, and for months he lays
without trial or the least observance of the
most ordinary forms of justice. Bibles
are excluded with greater rigor than ever,
and all other books of liberal principles.
Foreign journals, except those of a high
monarchical tone, are contraband. Of all
the Parisian papers, the Bourbonist Jour
nal des Deb at s and the Legitimist Assem
blee JYationale, are the only ones that find
admittance. A severe censorship is exer
cised over all domestic publications, and
in the whole kingdom no liberal press, nor
anything wearing its remotest semblance,
exists. The popular journals have all
been exterminated, and the three or four
others are but placards of royal edicts,
and wretched, garbled compends of for
eign news, In not one of them have I
yet seen an article tending in the least to
enlighten and ennoble the people. Men
of high standing are arrested on the wan
ton denunciation of any malicious street
vagabond; letters are intercepted at the
postoffice on the slightest suspicion; dom
iciliary visits are constantly made, and the
closest surveillance is maintained over the
whole face of society. I had not been in
the city a week, before I was kindly cau
tioned by our consul, to take heed lest my
public correspondence involve me in trou
ble with the civil authorities. A quaran
tine of fourteen days has been established
against every person coming from Rome
by land, and of twenty-one days against
all arriving by water from Malta or Mar
seilles, or from any of the ports of Upper
Italy. Its ostensible object is to guard
against the cholera, but everybody here
understands that its real
out all political infection.
design is to shut
Is it possible that this state
of things
win soon oe changeas liy no means.
King Ferdinand is a man of narrow mind
and contracted views; and the advisers in
whom he most confides are persons who
have lately been recalled, and restored to
all their former privileges. Bigotry, intol
erance, machiavelism, and consummate
selfishness possess both the ear and the
heart of the King, and it is idle to pre
sume that he will voluntarily part with his
irresponsible power. But what force can
compel him? The same army which saved
him from the' fate of his kinsman, Louis
Philippe, is as loyal as ever, and ready to
support him in every emergency. It num
bers fifty thousand men,. and is daily in
creasing. Finer troops I have not seen in
Europe, and no popular demonstration
could stand a dav ajrainst them. But there
is another fact, which decides the question
more conclusively than either the mon
arch's disposition or the soldier's sword
it is the character of the people themselves.
The populace, as has lately been the case,
may bo seized with a momentary passion,
and by violence attempt to right their
wrongs; but, in the mass, they are so be
nighied as to be lost to every noble senti
ment, and utterly below every truly lofty
enterprise, and all sustained heroic exer
tion. They are as incapable of self-gui
dance as the cattle of the held; they must
either be driven by potentates, or led by
demagogues; inconsistent as the wind, to
day, led by hunger, they veil, "Up with
the barricades.'" and to-morrow, tickled
with some state pageant, they shout "Long
live the AmgJ '
The hiirher classes make their ostenta
tion their glory, and pleasure their
Their time, their fortunes and their talents
are squandered in frivolitv. Their life is
thoughtless, aimless, "useless. Riding in
the afternoon along the Chiaia in princely
carriages, drinking in royal music in the
evening at the Villa Reaie, intriguing till
midnight with each other's wives and
daughters at some soiree, and dreaming
on downy pillows till mid-day these are
the segments that make up its daily round.
No city in Europe, externally, is so vir
tuous as Naples. No public women pol
lute its streets, no immoral plaj's defile its
theatres. Its outward conventional pro
priety borders even on fastidiousness.
The statues in the garden, though as radi
ant with innocence as the sun with glory,
are carefully plastered and patched; the
pictures in the galleries, though as chaste
as the "icicles that hang from Dian's tem
ple," if I undraperied, are locked up in
private recesses, and even every little an
tique Cupid, in the Museum, "no bigger
than the forefinger of an alderman," is
made to sport its tiny fig leaf. Yet, if I
may trust high minded men, who are well
acquainted with all grades of Neapolitan
society, moral corruption, almost univer
sally prevails. It manifests itself in the
upper classes in negotiated amours, and in
the lower by unparleying libertinism. In
short, the people are too ignorant to know
and too pusillanimous to assert their rights;
too superstitious to understand, and too
depraved to perform their duties. Knowl
edge and virtue, which are the very life
blood of every free government, exist not.
Every clement of civil and social regener
ation is wanting. Who, then, or what, is
to effect a change? Cor. JT. Y. Courier.
CP" An angry woman in Albany lately
pursued her husband through the streets,
and finally in a fit of desperation, attempt
ed to shoot him with a shovel. Ex
change. We have since received the following
particulars in relation to this melancholy
affair. Immediately after this diabolical
attempt, the husband in a fit of despera
tion loaded himself with one boot and dis
charged it with unerring aim at his dan
gerous antagonist. The wife, receiving
the contents of the whole discharge, was
for a moment compelled to fly for protec
tion behind the breastwork of two dry
good3 boxes and a molasses hogshead; but
recovering herself she again led on to the
charge, and, by a skilful manoeuvre, cap
tured the enemy by the discharge of a fry
ing pan. They were both taken home in
a wheel-barrow. Boston ffctkly Museum.
A Fair Hit.
We commend the following story to
such of our contemporaries as can enjoy a
laugh at their own expense. It is told by
the editor of the Dayton 'Eranvcript, and
it-is certainly a fair hit at the cloth:
Wa kqra ii nl I cnm 1 OO miljic 1 7
within the last few days by land and by
water. The tavern-keepers, steamer-captains,
&c, &c, have uniformly chalked
our hat, and indignantly refused to permit
us to pay our way. In short, upon the
raging canawl, upon the expansive lake,
in the packets, hotels, and floating palaces
of Lake Erie, we have had a great 'free
blow,' and have uniformly been regarded
among the 'dead heads.' This you will
regard as very pleasant, and certainly a
very agreeable and advantageous- way ot
traveling. But there was one 'free blow'
we received, which came near knocking
us into the middle ol next week. Hie
incident is so comic?l that we will relate
it if the joke is at our own expense.
AVhile on board of one of the splendid
steamers which ply between Buffalo and
Chicago, the fuz on our chin grew rather
longer than was agreeable, and we repair
ed to the barber s shop on board to nave
it taken off. The fellow did it in first
rate style. After he had combed and oiled
our head, brushed our clothes; and slicked
us up fine, we felt gratified, pulled out a
dime and proffered it to him as a reward
for his services, He drew hirnstli up with
considerable pomposity.
'I understand,' said he, dat y ou is an
editor?'
'Well! what of it?' said we.
We neber charges editors nuffin,' said
he.
But my friend,' said we, 'there area
good many editors travelling now-a-days,
and such liberality on your part will prove
a ruinous business.
'Oh, neber mind,' said he, 'we makes
it all up off the gemraen!'
We incontinently sloped.
LsTime is the cradle of hope, but the
n-'rave of delusion. Time is the stem cor
rector of fools, but the salutary counseller
of the wise- Wisdom walks before l,
Opportunity with it, and Repentence be
hind it. He that has made Time his
friend, will have little to fear from his
enemies; but he that has made Time his
enemy, will have little to hope from his.
friends,
Frcm the New York Organ.
Car Glorious roloii.
A vast and momentous responsibility
rests upon the Congress whose sessions
have just commenced. It is but too appa
rent that there is a good deal of bad and
exasperated feeling in reference to the sla
very question, and it is to be feared that
there are fanatical spirits on both side
who regard the continued Union of th
States as of small account compared with
the triumph of their views.
We look upon the Union as the only
reliable pledge for the continuance of our
republican forms, and the realization of
the high hopes inspired here and in Eu
rope by the example of our success and
glory. Only let the tie which binds us
be once broken, and we should soon be
split into many and antagonist sovereign
ties, with hostile interests and jealousies.
The fragments thus torn apart would be
pitted against each other, under the influ
ence of those feelings which have always
made civil discords the most fearless and
unrelenting. Let fanatics and demagogues
succeed in separating the North .nd
South, and we shall find that the rending
process shall go on till in place of one
glorious confederacy we have become a
multitude of discordant and feeble tribes,
each the prey of designing and ambitious
men, and over the sad eclipse of our na
tional glory the despots of Europe and
the world would hold high and prolonged
jubilee.
We have looked with hope under our
present perilous and menacing prospects
to the return of Mr. Clay and Mr. Cass
to the Senate. Both of these distinguished
men wield great influence, and both ap
preciate, at its just value, the Union of
the States. We doubt not they will throw
the whole weight of their influence in fa
vor of conciliation and forbearance, and
we trust with decisive effect. Indeed we
have thought that perhaps true patriots of
both parties may yet see reasons lor joy
inthe defeat of these statesmen as candi
dates for the Presidency, since their ele
vation to that high post might have depri
ved them of their side novy so much need
ed in the Senate. It may be that theenme
benignant Providence which has soften
succored us in emergencies, is about to
use these eminent men as the great in
struments for preserving the integrity and
permanence of our glorious Union. If it
shall appear that they or either of them
has been reserved for this high honor they,
as well as we, may well be content, for no
higher glory can be won on earth.
We trust the press and the people
throughout the Union will speak earnest
ly and unanimously in condemnadn of
Jiat blind and fanatical fury which threat
ens us. We rejoice in believing that the
great mass of the people North and South,
and cherish the Union, and would
mourn in bitterness of spirit over its rup
ture. This is our great security. Let
this spirit beam forth in all its strength
and appalling brightness, and let it awe
the reckless and the designing who jgould
take from us our palladium , an'Jthcirth
right,
Popping the Question. -It is common
for girls when they give their consent to
say to their lovers, 'Go ask my father.'
A bachelor recently got acquainted with a
pretty woman, to whom, he very soon
popped the question, to which she replied,
'Go ask my husband!' He supposed her
to be a spinster.
An Elopement in Contemplation.--The
Rochester American is responsible for
the following:
Cocrtixo Sce.ne.- Aliss Canada.
Please sir, will you marry me? -- '
Uncle Sam. I cannot disguise my af
fections for so amiable and beautiful a
young lady; but your papa must be con
sulted, and I must procure his consent.
Miss C. O, never mind. I'll ask him
myself, and if he refuses, ye'll get up an
elopement,
A Stubborn Fact. The Brooklyn Ad
vertiser says: Dip the Adantic Ocean
dry with a teaspoon stop this journal
from going ahead twis.your heel into
the toe of your boot make postmasters
perform their promises, and subscriber
pay the printer send up fishing hooks'
with balloons and fih for stars get astride
a gossamer and chase a comet when a
rain storm is coming down like the catar
act of Niagara remember where you left
your umbrella choke a mosquito with a
brickbat in ?hort prove all things hither
to considered impossible, to be possible,
but never attempt to coax a woman to say
she will when she has made up her mind
to say she won't.
HTCoto ttrangers for charity. acq;iiin''v
ce for advice, unl relations for notliiti j r.4
yi'U ill itlwavs hao A yupply.
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