William Bouguereau, The Emperor visiting flooded Tarascon,
oil on canvas (1856), Hotel de Ville de Tarascon.
"The journey of the Emperor has a great significance and far-reaching. It shows the intimate union of sovereign nation and it has freely chosen, it provides the dedication to Napoleon III of all, today and destroyed the last traces of the party in disarray.
We can do better, to give everyone an idea of how the Emperor was welcomed by the people of the South, to reproduce the following letter, written from Tarascon, June 4, Mr. Adolphe Dumas, under the pressure of events.
"Newspapers Paris in three days, and the history of France in centuries, will tell the journey that the Emperor has done amid the disasters of Provence and the Provencal astonished admiration for such a great character and also big heart.
I am an eyewitness to all this enthusiasm, who guards the gates of houses part of the night to discuss this apparition, like a legend. Pending a longer narrative, let me prove what they say, what I hear and what I see.
I owe to my dear and unfortunate compatriots from Avignon, Arles and Tarascon, who need a voice to tell their gratitude to the Emperor, which extends to the most extraordinary exaltation.
You know our troubles, if you do not yet know the number. The Emperor left the Tuileries, it seems, Sunday morning, with a military frock coat, a sword belt, a cap of an officer, and his suite, consisting of six persons. This is the great monarch who just undo the Eastern war and peace, religious and political world.
The Emperor is in Paris, Napoleon III, the head of the councils of Europe, everyone has seen at work. But we have not seen, as in Lyon, on horseback and in water up to their waists, holding hands full of affection and full of gold to women and children trapped in their homes, and which reach out from windows.
We have not seen, as at Avignon, in a boat, with Bishop, the mayor and a rower, so as not to overload the boat, traversing the streets the smaller, more populous and poorest, and leader himself distributions and rescue.
We have not seen, as in Tarascon, and the, country submerged in the middle of a peasant refugee camp with their families at the foot of the Alpilles, emptying his pockets and his hands off the pot these brave farmers, rich farmers yesterday and this morning the state of gypsies.
When he arrived there before the water table which extends to Arles, and in this beautiful valley of Tarascon he saw only the tops of trees, it has not say a single word, he was so shocked.
He joined the two hands, I said a good woman, and he did: Oh my God!
He was still separated from Tarascon by a league of water, mulberry flower water, ruined barns, and who appeared on the surface like so many rocks, he jumped (that the word) in a little boat like a soldier, marine, and only wanted the boatman. Six hundred men were guards on the ground and wanted to follow him the Emperor raised his hand and showed three fingers open, which meant there was only room for three. Thus was party to rescue the Emperor Tarascon and Arles, through streams and forest trees. " [...]
The Emperor, by his firmness, his vigorous policy, forced Europe to recognize the French influence, he had taken our power to the high degree to which he had placed his uncle. Like him he had known in a few days and delete a sad past eighteen years of weakness and internal strife, civil unrest had vanished before the admirable acts of his administration.
By conquering for the country's legitimate place due to him in the council of nations, he had not neglected the goal more practical and important trade relations. Our trade had grown, our trade record, and the number of transactions, such as their importance, had taken on considerable proportions. The industry strongly supported, took a large share of this overall improvement of the great interests of the country. Never at any time, she had been more prosperous, and life-giving action had spread to all branches of production.
The Emperor, knowing conciliate the sympathies of Europe, preparing the country a new era of greatness and power. States allies had finally acknowledged the superiority and his advice and wisdom of its policy. Walking print operations strong strategic drive powerful that he managed to give the heads of the army, his rare intelligence, things of the war, his glance safe timeliness of its decisions, while it was created naturally in our favor unquestionable superiority that Europe finally accepted the ascendancy.
The people that we had been most opposed was linked with us by one of those powerful unions that same glory was cemented, the agreement between the two sovereigns made him so brilliant. And England at this moment Similarly, silent to see, during the disastrous floods that devastate our provinces have come, how she has sympathy for France.
The subscription opened in London to come to the rescue of flooded assumes the proportions of a national event, and the generous support we lend our neighbors across the Channel, since the queen and the high tops of the aristocracy, finance and trade, to the most humble artisan, are affixed to the moral and political treaty between the two nations an indelible stamp, and show how high degree of mutual sympathy and esteem reached the two peoples.
Only the old parties were still trying in vain to collect their scattered sections. Wasted effort as a result has proved, however, these incentives are deaf, these dark conducted in the crowd threw a malaise that was not going to doubt, but that could prevent new diseases, the devotion of yesterday, be more firm in their faith.
Well, this stumbling block, this atom tenuous that could perhaps be used to support evil passions, is now destroyed!
The Emperor, and it seems that the Providence has directed his steps, was to meet the very people who most openly disregarded his authority, the principle of order which he represents, along with the will so openly expressed by the vast majority of the nation, he appeared in this great state so rarely covered by the sovereign, and he came not as the leader of a great state, but as the father of the nation. He had erased from his heart the memory of injuries, and there was on his lips the words of commiseration, encouragement in his hands than the benefits in his soul that pity and love.
Also, we can tell, the emperor was a victory for us a thousand times more valuable than those resulting from the clash of armies. He has conquered the hearts of that perfidious advice, that negative beliefs held away from him. In the great disaster that has so cruelly experience of France, it exists as a mark drawn by the divine will, as a marker placed by Providence, which seems to invite every child in the soil to a general communion and sincere.
debris of the old parties that the truth could not conquer the powerful logic of accomplished facts had been are meeting today to convert the property, that they considered the enemy of public affairs. What the true interests of the country demanded of them, that eloquent voice of reason, justice, progress and constant real, could not make a man has done.
Instead of going to the decisive action, but slow, reason, instead of calling to his aid the results, bursting already, his new work, instead of pleading for him already ripened fruits of his great labors, Napoleon III did better: he spoke to the generous sentiments nation, he made the strings vibrate the dedication and courage, he understood only simple hearts we had great acts, as serious natures great movements were friendly, as it was ardent souls show boiling passions.
He did this, and now the people are for him. And now this will no longer only the majorities who cheer. But for all breasts, all mouths, that cry out, burning with enthusiasm and affection, which has resonated with so many units on the banks of the Loire and the Rhone, as June 14, Tuileries Notre Dame: Vive l'Empereur! "
Charles Robin, Floods of 1856. Voyage of Emperor ,
Paris, Garnier Frères, 1856.
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