Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 4.djvu/38

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28
BONAPARTE

useful only in so far as it contributed to the support of his own power. The Neapolitans soon discovered that their king was but a mouth-piece, and learned to despise him ; and his rule was disturbed by constant insurrections. In the beginning of 1808 Napoleon began to communicate with his brother regarding the affairs of Spain ; and finally, on the 10th May, wrote to him that the Spanish throne was vacant, and that he had destined it for him. Joseph, with many forebodings, was obliged to accept ; and for a short time matters seemed sufficiently smooth. But the smouldering discontent soon broke out into open flame over the land, and the Spaniards, assisted by the British and Portuguese, made a struggle for freedom. Joseph s influence in the kingdom was a nullity; the people had never accepted him, and Napoleon, by giving absolute command to his various marshals, robbed his brother of all real power. Thrice the new king was compelled to fly from Madrid, and it was with difficulty that he escaped after the final battle of Vittoria. During the great struggle of 1814 Joseph acted as lieutenant-general of the empire, and as adviser-iii-chief to the empress-regent. Under his brother s orders he sent off Maria Louisa and her son to Blois when the allied army approached Paris ; and it was on his authority that Marmont treated for the capitulation of the city. For these acts he has sometimes been blamed, but with scant justice. While Napoleon was in Elba Joseph took up his residence in Switzerland ; but he rejoined his brother in Paris during the Hundred Days. After the abdication he had an interview with the fallen emperor at the Isle of Aix, and generously offered to give up to him his cwn means of escape. The proposal not being accepted, he sailed for America and settled near Philadelphia, at Point-Breeze, on the banks of the Dela ware. Here he lived for some years under the title of Comte de Survilliers, endeared to the inhabitants by his liberality and gracious manners. After the July revolution of 1830 he wrote a long and eloquent letter, advocating the claims of his nephew, the duke of Reichstadt, to the French throne. Two years later he visited England, where he resided for some years, and to which he paid a second visit in 1839 In 1841 he was permitted to enter Genoa and Florence where his wife resided. In the latter city he died on the 28th July 1844. Joseph Bonaparte was of a handsome figure and commanding presence ; his manners were peculiarly suave and courteous. Of all the brothers he seems to have been the only one personally loved by Napoleon. His wife, the daughter of a Marseilles merchant, died on the 7th April 1845. The elder of his two daughters, Zenaide Charlotte Julie (born 1801, died 1854), was married to her cousin Charles Bonaparte, son of Lucien; the younger, Charlotte (born 1802, died 1839), was married to Napoleon Louis, second son of Louis

Bonaparte.

II. Napoleon, bora 1769. See Napoleon I.

III. Lucien, Prince of Canino, was born at Ajaccio,

21st March 1775. He was educated at Autun, Brienne, and Aix, and rejoined his family in Corsica in 1792. Already imbued with the principles of the Revolution he turned against Paoli when the latter declared against France, and was spokesman of the deputation sent to Marseilles to solicit aid from the republic. He did not return to Corsica, as the whole Bonaparte family soon afterwards emigrated to France, and he obtained employ ment in the commissariat at Saint Mnximin. Here he married Mile. Christine Boyer, of poor but good family, and began to take the leading part in the popular meetings of the place. He was elected president of the Republican committee of the town, and, by his moderation and firm ness, prevented excesses such as occurred in other parts of the country. After the fall of Robespierre he was in danger of being taken for one of his partisans, but resolutely maintained his ground, and declined to take refuge in flight. In 1795 he left Saint Maximin for Saint Chamans, where he had been appointed inspector of military stores, and where he was arrested and confined for six months. His release was obtained through his brother s influence with Barras, and he retired for a time to Marseilles. In 1795 he was made commissary to the army of the north, and spent some time at Brussels and in Holland ; Lut his heart was in the political warfare of Paris, and in 179G he obtained permission to resign. He had a short interview with Napoleon in Italy, and spent the two succeeding years in Corsica. In 1798 he was elected deputy to the Council of Five Hundred, and at once set off for Paris. He was an ardent adherent of the constitution of 1795 (the year III.), and sympathized rather with the Abb6 Sieyes than with the extreme party. His abilities were soon recognized : he was an able and powerful speaker, with a calm courage that defied all popular tumult. His house, also, vas the resort of the best literary society of Paris. It gradually became clear to him that the power of the Directory was divided and broken, and that a cov}) d etat was required to prevent another sanguinary revolu tion. There was but one man in a position to effect this change his brother Napoleon, whose unexpected arrival on the 10th October 1799 was received with the utmost joy. A week after, Lucien was elected president of the Council of Five Hundred. Careful preparations were made, and on the 19th Brumaire the principles of the Revolution ceased to have a living power. On that day the coolness, promptitude, and courage of Lucien alone pre served Napoleon from destruction. He took part in pre paring the new scheme of government, and was appointed to succeed La Place as minister of the interior. His com petency for the post was undoubted, but differences with his brother had already begun, and these were fomented by the treacherous Fouch6 ; so that, in little more than a year, he gave up office, and was sent as ambassador to Spain. He succeeded in his negotiations, though not entirely to Napo leon s satisfaction, and after his return to Paris took an active part in the arrangement of the Concordat and the establishment of a legion of honour. After the consulate had been settled on Napoleon for life Lucien was made a senator, and received the estate of Seppelsdorf. But his marriage in 1803 with the beautiful Mine. Jouberthon was displeasing to the First Consul, who already contemplated royal alliances for his brothers. Lucien, who did not approve the project of making the consulate hereditary, thought it advisable to leave France, and settled first at Milan, but finally at Rome. He lived in great magnifi cence, indulging his literary tastes, and apparently indifferent to the growth of the imperial power. After the peace of Tilsit Napoleon had an interview with him, and offered him a kingdom provided he would look upon it as in all respects a province of the empire. Lucien refused, and his brother then gave him to understand that he must quit the Con tinent. He withdrew from Rome, and settled on the estate of Canino, whence he took his title of prince, but soon came to the resolution of sailing for America. He embarked on the 1st August 1810, was captured by an English cruiser, and was carried to England, where for some time he was kept under surveillance in Ludlow Castle. He after wards purchased a house near London, in which he resided till 1814, when he returned to Rome. In two letters to Elba he offered assistance to his brother ; and during the Hundred Days he sat in the Chamber of Peers as a French prince. After Waterloo he advised Napoleon to dissolve the assemblies and proclaim himself dictator, and it was on his recommendation that the second abdication was made

in favour of Napoleon s son. All his efforts to obtain a