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Phipps +Colonel, Late Royal Artillery + +1891 + + + +CONTENTS: +CHAPTER XI. to CHAPTER XVIII. 1807-1809 + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +1807 + + Abuse of military power--Defence of diplomatic rights--Marshal Brune + --Army supplies--English cloth and leather--Arrest on a charge of + libel--Dispatch from M. Talleyrand--A page of Napoleon's glory-- + Interview between the two Emperors at Tilsit,--Silesia restored to + the Queen of Prussia--Unfortunate situation in Prussia-- + Impossibility of reestablishing Poland in 1807--Foundation of the + Kingdom of Westphalia--The Duchy of Warsaw and the King of Saxony. + +Meanwhile the internal affairs of the towns over which my diplomatic +jurisdiction extended soon gave me more employment than ever. The +greatest misfortune of the Empire was, perhaps, the abuse of the right +arrogated by the wearers of epaulettes. My situation gave me an +opportunity of observing all the odious character of a military +government. Another in my place could not have done all that I did. I +say this confidently, for my, situation was a distinct and independent +one, as Bonaparte had told me: Being authorised to correspond directly +with the Emperor; the military chiefs feared, if they did not yield to my +just representations, that I would made private reports; this +apprehension was wonderfully useful in enabling me to maintain the rights +of the towns, which had adopted me as their first citizen. + +A circumstance occurred in which I had to defend the rights of the +diplomatic and commercial agents against the pretensions of military +power. Marshal Brune during his government at Hamburg, went to Bremman. +to watch the strict execution of the illusive blockade against England. +The Marshal acting no doubt, in conformity with the instructions of +Clarke, then Minister of War and Governor of Berlin, wished to arrogate +the right of deciding on the captures made by our cruisers. + +He attempted to prevent the Consul Lagau from selling the confiscated +ships in order to sell them himself. Of this M. Lagau complained to me. +The more I observed a disposition to encroach on the part of the military +authorities, the more I conceived it necessary to maintain the rights of +the consuls, and to favour their influence, without which they would have +lost their consideration. To the complaints of M. Lagau I replied, +"That to him alone belonged the right of deciding, in the first instance, +on the fate of the ships; that he could not be deprived of that right +without changing the law; that he was free to sell the confiscated +Prussian ships; that Marshall Brune was at Bremen only for the execution +of the decree respecting the blockade of England, and that he ought not +to interfere in business unconnected with that decree." Lagau showed +this letter to Brune, who then allowed him to do as he wished; but it was +an affair of profit, and the Marshal for a long time owed me a grudge. + +Bernadotte was exceedingly disinterested, but he loved to be talked +about. The more the Emperor endeavoured to throw accusations upon him, +the more he was anxious to give publicity to all his actions. He sent to +me an account of the brilliant affair of Braunsburg, in which a division +of the first corps had been particularly distinguished. Along with this +narrative he sent me a note in the following terms:--"I send you, my +dear. Minister, an account of the affair of Braunsburg. You will, +perhaps, think proper to publish it. In that case I shall be obliged by +your getting it inserted in the Hamburg journals," I did so. The +injustice of the Emperor, and the bad way in which he spoke of +Bernadotte, obliged the latter,--for the sake of his own credit, to make +the truth known to the world. + +I have already mentioned that I received an order from the Emperor to +supply 50,000 cloaks for the army. With this order, which was not the +only one I received of the same kind, some circumstances were connected +which I may take the present opportunity of explaining. + +The Emperor gave me so many orders for army clothing that all that could +be supplied by the cities of Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubeck would have been +insufficient for executing the commissions. I entered into a treaty with +a house in Hamburg, which I authorised, in spite of the Berlin decree, +to bring cloth and leather from England. Thus I procured these articles +in a sure and cheap way. Our troops might have perished of cold had the +Continental system and the absurd mass of inexecutable decrees relative +to English merchandise been observed. + +The Director of the Customs at Hamburg got angry, but I held firm: my +cloths and my leather arrived; cloaks, coats; boots, all were promptly +made, and our soldiers thus were sheltered from the severity of the +season. To preserve peace with the Imperial Custom-house I wrote to M. +Collie, then Director-General, that M. Eudel having wished to put in +execution the law of the 10th Brumaire and complaints had been made on +every side. Marshal Brune asked for my opinion on this matter, and I +gave it to him. I declared to M. Collie that the full execution of the +decree of 31st October 1796 was impracticable, injurious to France, and +to the Hanseatic Towns, without doing harm to England. Indeed, what said +article 5 of this law? "All goods imported from foreign countries, +whatever may be their origin, are to be considered as coming from English +manufacturers." According to this article France was a foreign country +for the Hanseatic Towns, and none of the objects enumerated in this +article ought to enter Hamburg! But the town received from England a +large quantity of fine cloths, buttons; ironmongery, toys, china; and +from France only clocks, bronzes, jewellery, ribbons, bonnets, gauzes and +gloves. "Let," said I to M. Eudel, "the Paris Duane be asked what that +town alone exports in matters of this sort and it will be seen how +important it is not to stop a trade all the more profitable to France, +as the workmanship forms the greatest part of the price of the goods +which make up this trade. What would happen if the importation of these +goods were absolutely prohibited in Hamburg? The consignments would +cease, and one of the most productive sources of trade for France, and +especially for Paris would be cut off." + +At this time neither Hamburg nor its territory had any manufacture of +cloth. All woollen stuffs were prohibited, according to M. Eudel, and +still my duty was to furnish, and I had furnished, 50,000 cloaks for the +Grand Army. In compliance with a recent Imperial decree I had to have +made without delay 16,000 coats, 37,000 waistcoats, and the Emperor +required of me 200,000 pairs of boots, besides the 40,000 pairs I had +sent in. Yet M. Eudel said that tanned and worked leather ought not to +enter Hamburg! If such a ridiculous application of the law of 1796 had +been made it would have turned the decree of 21st November 1796 against +France, without fulfilling its object. + +These reflections, to which I added other details, made the Government +conclude that I was right, and I traded with England to the great +advantage of the armies, which were well clothed and shod. What in the +world can be more ridiculous than commercial laws carried out to one's +own detriment? + +At the beginning of 1807 my occupations at Hamburg were divided between +the furnishing of supplies for the army and the inspection of the +emigrants, whom Fouche pretended to dread in order to give greater +importance to his office. + +I never let slip an opportunity of mitigating the rigour of Fouche's +orders, which, indeed, were sometimes so absurd that I did not attempt to +execute them. Of this an instance occurs to my recollection. A printer +at Hamburg had been arrested on the charge of having printed a libel in +the German language. The man was detained in prison because, very much +to his honour, he would not disclose the name of the writer of the +pamphlet. I sent for him and questioned him. He told me, with every +appearance of sincerity, that he had never but once seen the man who had +brought him the manuscript. I was convinced of the truth of what he +said, and I gave an order for his liberation. To avoid irritating the +susceptibility of the Minister of Police I wrote to him the following few +lines:--"The libel is the most miserable rhapsody imaginable. The author, +probably with the view of selling his pamphlet in Holstein, predicts that +Denmark will conquer every other nation and become the greatest kingdom +in the world. This alone will suffice to prove to you how little clanger +there is in rubbish written in the style of the Apocalypse." + +After the battle of Eylau I received a despatch from M. de Talleyrand, to +which was added an account in French of that memorable battle, which was +more fatal to the conqueror than to the other party,--I cannot say the +conquered in speaking of the Russians, the more especially when I +recollect the precautions which were then taken throughout Germany to +make known the French before the Russian version. The Emperor was +exceedingly anxious that every one should view that event as he himself +viewed it. Other accounts than his might have produced an unfavourable +impression in the north. I therefore had orders to publish that account. +I caused 2000 copies of it to be issued, which were more than sufficient +for circulation in the Hanse Towns and their territories. + +The reader will perhaps complain that I have been almost silent with +respect to the grand manoeuvres of the French army from the battle of +Eylau to that of Friedland, where, at all events, our success was +indisputable. There was no necessity for printing favourable versions of +that event, and, besides, its immense results were soon felt throughout +Europe. The interview at Tilsit is one of the culminating points of +modern history, and the waters of the Niemen reflected the image of +Napoleon at the height of his glory. The interview between the two +Emperors at Tilsit, and the melancholy situation of the King of Prussia, +are generally known. I was made acquainted with but few secret details +relative to those events, for Rapp had gone to Dantzic, and it was he who +most readily communicated to me all that the Emperor said and did, and +all that was passing around him.-- + + --[Savory gives the following account of the interview between + Napoleon and Alexander at Tilsit. + + "The Emperor Napoleon, whose courtesy was manifest in all his + actions, ordered a large raft to be floated in the middle of the + river, upon which was constructed a room well covered in and + elegantly decorated having two doors on opposite aides, each of + which opened into an antechamber. The work could not have been + better executed in Paris. The roof was surmounted by two + weathercocks: one displaying the eagle of Russia, and the other the + eagle of France. The two outer doors were also surmounted by the + eagles of the two countries. + + "The raft was precisely in the middle of the river, with the two + doors of the salon facing the two opposite banks. + + "The two sovereigns appeared on the banks of the river, and embarked + at the same moment But the Emperor Napoleon having a good boat, + manned by marines of the Guard, arrived first on the raft, entered + the room, and went to the opposite door, which he opened, and then + stationed himself on the edge of the raft to receive the Emperor + Alexander, who had not yet arrived, not having each good rowers as + the Emperor Napoleon. + + "The two Emperors met in the most amicable way, et least to all + appearance. They remained together for a considerable time, and + then took leave of each other with as friendly an air as that with + which they had met. + + "Next day the Emperor of Russia established himself at Tilsit with a + battalion of his Guard. Orders were given for evacuating that part + of the town where he and his battalion were to be quartered; and, + though we were very much pressed for room, no encroachment on the + space allotted to the Russians was thought of. + + "On the day the Emperor Alexander, entered Tilsit the whole army was + under arms. The Imperial Guard was drawn out in two lines of three + deep from the landing-place to the Emperor Napoleon's quarters, and + from thence to the quarters of the Emperor of Russia. A salute of + 100 guns was fired the moment Alexander stepped ashore on the spot + where the Emperor Napoleon was waiting to receive him. The latter + carried his attention to his visitor so far as to send from his + quarters the furniture for Alexander's bedchamber. Among the + articles sent was a camp-bed belonging to the Emperor, which he + presented to Alexander, who appeared much pleased with the gift. + + "This meeting; the first which history records of the same kind and + of equal importance, attracted visitors to Tilsit from 100 leagues + round. M. de Talleyrand arrived, and after the observance of the + usual ceremonies business began to be discussed." (Memoirs of the + Due de Rovigo, tome iii. p. 117). + + "When," said Napoleon, "I was at Tilsit with the Emperor Alexander + and the King of Prussia, I was the most ignorant of the three in + military affairs. These two sovereigns, especially the King of + Prussia, were completely 'au fait' as to the number of buttons there + ought to be in front of a jacket, how many behind, and the manner in + which the skirts ought to be cut. Not a tailor in the army knew + better than King Frederick how many measures of cloth it took to + make a jacket. In fact," continued he laughing, "I was nobody in + comparison with them. They continually tormented me about matters + belonging to tailors, of which I was entirely ignorant, although, in + order not to affront them, I answered just as gravely as if the fate + of an army depended upon the cut of a jacket. When I went to see + the King of Prussia, instead of a library, I found that he had a + large room, like an arsenal, furnished with shelves and pegs; on + which were hung fifty or sixty jackets of different patterns. Every + day he changed his fashion and put on a different one. He attached + more importance to this than was necessary for the salvation of a + kingdom." (O'Meara's Napoleon in Exile.)]-- + +I, however, learned one circumstance peculiarly worthy of remark which +occurred in the Emperor's apartments at Tilsit the first time he received +a visit from the King of Prussia. That unfortunate monarch, who was +accompanied by Queen Louisa, had taken refuge in a mill beyond the town. +This was his sole habitation, whilst the Emperors occupied the two +portions of the town, which is divided by the Niemen. The fact I am +about to relate reached me indirectly through the medium of an offices of +the Imperial Guard, who was on duty in Napoleon's apartments and was an +eye-witness of it. When the Emperor Alexander visited Napoleon they +continued for a long time in conversation on a balcony below, where as +immense crowd hailed their meeting with enthusiastic shouts. Napoleon +commenced the conversation, as he did the year preceding with the Emperor +of Austria, by speaking of the uncertain fate of war. Whilst they were +conversing the King of Prussia was announced. The King's emotion was +visible, and may easily be imagined; for as hostilities were suspended, +and his territory in possession of the French, his only hope was in the +generosity of the conqueror. Napoleon himself, it is said, appeared +moved by his situation, and invited him, together with the Queen, to +dinner. On sitting down to table Napoleon with great gallantry told the +beautiful Queen that he would restore to her Silesia, a province which +she earnestly wished should be retained in the new arrangements which +were necessarily about to take place. + + --[Las Cases mentions that at the time of the treaty of Tilsit + Napoleon wrote to the Empress Josephine as follows: + + "'The Queen of Prussia is really a charming woman. She is fond of + coquetting with me; but do not be jealous: I am like oilcloth, along + which everything of this sort elides without penetrating. It would + cost me too dear to play the gallant' + + "On this subject an anecdote was related in the salon of Josephine. + It was said that the Queen of Prussia one day had a beautiful rose + in her hand, which the Emperor asked her to give him. The Queen + hesitated for a few moments, and then presented it to him, saying, + 'Why should I so readily grant what you request, while you remain + deaf to all my entreaties?' (She alluded to the fortress of + Magdeburg, which she had earnestly solicited)." (Memorial de St. + Helene).]-- + +The treaty of peace concluded at Tilsit between France and Russia, on the +7th of July, and ratified two days after, produced no less striking a +change in the geographical division of Europe than had been effected the +year preceding by the Treaty of Presburg. The treaty contained no +stipulation dishonourable to Russia, whose territory was preserved +inviolate; but how was Prussia treated? Some historians, for the vain +pleasure of flattering by posthumous praises the pretended moderation of +Napoleon, have almost reproached him for having suffered some remnants of +the monarchy of the great Frederick to survive. There is, nevertheless, +a point on which Napoleon has been wrongfully condemned, at least with +reference to the campaign of 1807. It has been said that he should at +that period have re-established the kingdom of Poland; and certainly +there is every reason to regret, for the interests of France and Europe, +that it was not re-established. But when a desire, even founded on +reason, is not carried into effect, should we conclude that the wished- +for object ought to be achieved in defiance of all obstacles? At that +time, that is to say, during the campaign of Tilsit, insurmountable +obstacles existed. + +If, however, by the Treaty of Tilsit, the throne of Poland was not +restored to serve as a barrier between old Europe and the Empire of the +Czars, Napoleon founded a Kingdom of Westphalia, which he gave to the +young 'ensigne de vaisseau' whom he had scolded as a schoolboy, and whom +he now made a King, that he might have another crowned prefect under his +control. The Kingdom of Westphalia was composed of the States of Hesse- +Cassel, of a part of the provinces taken from Prussia by the moderation +of the Emperor, and of the States of Paderborn, Fulda, Brunswick, and a +part of the Electorate of Hanover. Napoleon, at the same time, though he +did not like to do things by halves, to avoid touching the Russian and +Austrian provinces of old Poland, planted on the banks of the Vistula the +Grand Duchy of Warsaw, which he gave to the King of Saxony, with the +intention of increasing or destroying it afterwards as he might find +convenient. Thus he allowed the Poles to hope better things for the +future, and ensured to himself partisans in the north should the chances +of fortune call him thither. Alexander, who was cajoled even more than +his father had been by what I may call the political coquetry of +Napoleon, consented to all these arrangements, acknowledged 'in globo' +all the kings crowned by the Emperor, and accepted some provinces which +had belonged to his despoiled ally, the King of Prussia, doubtless by way +of consolation for not having been able to get more restored to Prussia. +The two Emperors parted the best friends in the world; but the +Continental system was still in existence. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +1807. + + Effect produced at Altona by the Treaty of Tilsit--The Duke of + Mecklenburg-Schwerin's departure from Hamburg--English squadron in + the Sound--Bombardment of Copenhagen--Perfidy of England--Remark of + Bonaparte to M. Lemercier--Prussia erased from the map--Napoleon's + return to Paris--Suppression of the Tribunate--Confiscation of + English merchandise--Nine millions gained to France--M. Caulaincourt + Ambassador to Russia--Repugnance of England to the intervention of + Russia--Affairs of Portugal--Junot appointed to command the army-- + The Prince Regent's departure for the Brazils--The Code Napoleon-- + Introduction of the French laws into Germany--Leniency of Hamburg + Juries--The stolen cloak and the Syndic Doormann. + +The Treaty of Tilsit, as soon as it was known at Altona, spread +consternation amongst the emigrants. As to the German Princes, who were +awaiting the issue of events either at Altolna or Hamburg, when they +learned that a definitive treaty of peace had been signed between France +and Russia, and that two days after the Treaty of Tilsit the Prussian +monarchy was placed at the mercy of Napoleon, every courier that arrived +threw them into indescribable agitation. It depended on the Emperor's +will whether they were to be or not to be. The Duke of Mecklenburg- +Schwerin had not succeeded in getting himself re-established in his +states, by an exceptional decision, like the Duke of Weimar; but at +length he obtained the restitution of his territory at the request of the +Emperor Alexander, and on the 28th of July he quitted Hamburg to return +to his Duchy. + +The Danish charge d'affaires communicated to me about the same time an +official report from his Government. This report announced that on +Monday, the 3d of August, a squadron consisting of twelve ships of the +line and twelve frigates, commanded by Admiral Gambier, had passed the +Sound. The rest of the squadron was seen in the Categat. At the same +time the English troops which were in the island of Rugen had reembarked. +We could not then conceive what enterprise this considerable force had +been sent upon. But our uncertainty was soon at an end. M. Didelot, the +French Ambassador at Copenhagen, arrived at Hamburg, at nine o'clock in +the evening of the 12th of August. He had been fortunate enough to pass +through the Great Belt, though in sight of the English, without being +stopped. I forwarded his report to Paris by an extraordinary courier. + +The English had sent 20,000 men and twenty-seven vessels into the Baltic; +Lord Cathcart commanded the troops. The coast of Zealand was blockaded +by ninety vessels. Mr. Jackson, who had been sent by England to +negotiate with Denmark, which she feared would be invaded by the French +troops, supported the propositions he was charged to offer to Denmark by +a reference to this powerful British force. Mr. Jackson's proposals had +for their object nothing less than to induce the King of Denmark to place +in the custody of England the whole of his ships and naval stores. They +were, it is true, to be kept in deposit, but the condition contained the +words, "until the conclusion of a general peace," which rendered the +period of their restoration uncertain. They were to be detained until +such precautions should be no longer necessary. A menace and its +execution followed close upon this demand. After a noble but useless +resistance, and a terrific bombardment, Copenhagen surrendered, and the +Danish fleet was destroyed. It would be difficult to find in history a +more infamous and revolting instance of the abuse of power against +weakness. + +Sometime after this event a pamphlet entitled "Germania" appeared, which +I translated and sent to the Emperor. It was eloquently written, and +expressed the indignation which the conduct of England had excited in the +author as in every one else. + + --["That expedition," said Napoleon at St. Helena, "showed great + energy on the part of your Ministers: but setting aside the + violation of the laws of, nations which you committed--for in fact + it was nothing but a robbery--I think that it was; injurious to your + interests, as it made the Danish nation irreconcilable enemies to + you, and in fact shut you out of the north for three years. When I + heard of it I said, I am glad of it, as it will embroil England + irrecoverably with the Northern Powers. The Danes being able to + join me with sixteen sail of the line was of but little consequence. + I had plenty of ships, and only wanted seamen, whom you did not + take, and whom I obtained afterwards, while by the expedition your + Ministers established their characters as faithless, and as persons + with whom no engagements, no laws were binding." (Voice from St. + Helena.)]-- + +I have stated what were the principal consequences of the Treaty of +Tilsit; it is more than probable that if the bombardment of Copenhagen +had preceded the treaty the Emperor would have used Prussia even worse +than he did. He might have erased her from the list of nations; but he +did not do so, out of regard to the Emperor Alexander. The destruction +of Prussia was no new project with Bonaparte. I remember an observation +of his to M. Lemercier upon that subject when we first went to reside at +Malmaison. M. Lemercier had been reading to the First Consul some poem +in which Frederick the Great was spoken of. "You seem to admire him +greatly," said Bonaparte to M. Lemercier; "what do you find in him so +astonishing? He is not equal to Turenne."--"General," replied M. +Lemercier, "it is not merely the warrior that I esteem in Frederick; it +is impossible to refrain from admiring a man who was a philosopher even +on the throne." To this the First Consul replied, in a half ill-humoured +tone, "Certainly, Lemercier; but Frederick's philosophy shall not prevent +me from erasing his kingdom from the map of Europe." The kingdom of +Frederick the Great was not, however, obliterated from the map, because +the Emperor of Russia would not basely abandon a faithful ally who had +incurred with him the chances of fortune. Prussia then bitterly had to +lament the tergiversations which had prevented her from declaring herself +against France during the campaign of Austerlitz. + +Napoleon returned to Paris about the end of July after an absence of ten +months, the longest he had yet made since he had been at the head of the +French Government, whether as Consul or Emperor. The interview at +Tilsit, the Emperor Alexander's friendship, which was spoken of +everywhere in terms of exaggeration, and the peace established on the +Continent, conferred on Napoleon a moral influence in public opinion +which he had not possessed since his coronation. Constant in his hatred +of deliberative assemblies, which he had often termed collections of +babblers, ideologists, and phrasemongers, Napoleon, on his return to +Paris, suppressed the Tribunate, which had been an annoyance to him ever +since the first day of his elevation. The Emperor, who was 'skillful +above all men in speculating on the favourable disposition of opinion, +availed himself at this conjuncture of the enthusiasm produced by his +interview on the Niemen. He therefore discarded from the fundamental +institutions of the government that which still retained the shadow of a +popular character. But it was necessary that he should possess a Senate +merely to vote men; a mute Legislative Body to vote money; that there +should be no opposition in the one and no criticism in the other; no +control over him of any description; the power of arbitrarily doing +whatever he pleased; an enslaved press;--this was what Napoleon wished, +and this be obtained. But the month of March 1814 resolved the question +of absolute power! + +In the midst of these great affairs, and while Napoleon was dreaming of +universal monarchy, I beheld in a less extensive sphere the inevitable +consequences of the ambition of a single man. Pillage and robbery were +carried on in all parts over which my diplomatic jurisdiction extended. +Rapine seemed to be legally authorised, and was perpetrated with such +fury, and at the same time with such ignorance, that the agents were +frequently unacquainted with the value of the articles which they seized. +Thus, for example, the Emperor ordered the seizure at Hamburg, Bremen, +and Lubeck of all English merchandise, whatever might be its nature or +origin. The Prince of Neufchatel (Berthier) wrote to me from the Emperor +that I must procure 10,000,000 francs from the Hanse Towns. M. Daru, the +Intendant-General, whose business it was to collect this sort of levy, +which Napoleon had learned to make in Egypt, wrote to urge me to obtain a +prompt and favourable decision. The unfortunate towns which I was thus +enjoined to oppress had already suffered sufficiently. I had obtained, +by means of negotiation, more than was demanded for the ransom of the +English merchandise, which had been seized according to order. Before I +received the letters of M. Darn and the Prince of Neufchatel I had +obtained from Hamburg 16,000,000 instead of 10,000,000, besides nearly +3,000,000 from Bremen and Lubeck. Thus I furnished the Government with +9,000,000 more than had been required, and yet I had so managed that +those enormous sacrifices were not overoppressive to those who made them. +I fixed the value of the English merchandise because I knew that the high +price at which it sold on the Continent would not only cover the proposed +ransom but also leave a considerable profit. Such was the singular +effect of the Continental system that when merchandise was confiscated, +and when afterwards the permission to sell it freely was given, the price +fetched at the sale was so large that the loss was covered, and even +great advantage gained. + +Peace being concluded with Russia it was necessary to make choice of an +Ambassador, not only to maintain the new relations of amity between +Napoleon and Alexander, but likewise to urge on the promised intervention +of Russia with England,--to bring about reconciliation and peace between +the Cabinets of Paris and London. The Emperor confided this mission to +Caulaincourt, with respect to whom there existed an unfounded prejudice +relating to some circumstances which preceded the death of the Duc +d'Enghien. This unfortunate and unjust impression had preceded +Caulaincourt to St. Petersburg, and it was feared that he would not +experience the reception due to the French Ambassador and to his own +personal qualities. I knew at the time, from positive information, that +after a short explanation with Alexander that monarch retained no +suspicion unfavourable to our Ambassador, for whom he conceived and +maintained great esteem and friendship. + +Caulaincourt's mission was not, in all respects, easy of fulfilment, for +the invincible repugnance and reiterated refusal of England to enter into +negotiations with France through the medium of Russia was one of the +remarkable circumstances of the period of which I am speaking. I knew +positively that England was determined never to allow Napoleon to possess +himself of the whole of the Continent,--a project which he indicated too +undisguisedly to admit of any doubt respecting it. For two years he had +indeed advanced with rapid strides; but England was not discouraged. She +was too well aware of the irritation of the sovereigns and the discontent +of the people not be certain that when she desired it, her lever of gold +would again raise up and arm the Continent against the encroaching power +of Napoleon. He, on his part, perceiving that all his attempts were +fruitless, and that England would listen to no proposals, devised fresh +plans for raising up new enemies against England. + +It probably is not forgotten that in 1801 France compelled Portugal to +make common cause with her against England. In 1807 the Emperor did +again what the First Consul had done. By an inexplicable fatality Junot +obtained the command of the troops which were marching against Portugal. +I say against Portugal, for that was the fact, though France represented +herself as a protector to deliver Portugal from the influence of England. +Be that as it may, the choice which the Emperor made of a commander +astonished everybody. Was Junot, a compound of vanity and mediocrity, +the fit man to be entrusted with the command of an army in a distant +country, and under circumstances in which great political and military +talents were requisite? For my own part, knowing Junot's incapacity, I +must acknowledge that his appointment astonished me. I remember one day, +when I was speaking on the subject to Bernadotte, he showed me a letter +he had received from Paris, in which it was said that the Emperor had +sent Junot to Portugal only for the sake of depriving him of the +government of Paris. Junot annoyed Napoleon by his bad conduct, his +folly, and his incredible extravagance. He was alike devoid of dignity- +either in feeling or conduct. Thus Portugal was twice the place of exile +selected by Consular and Imperial caprice: first, when the First Consul +wished to get rid of the familiarity of Lannes; and next, when the +Emperor grew weary of the misconduct of a favourite. + +The invasion of Portugal presented no difficulty. It was an armed +promenade and not a war; but how many events were connected with the +occupation of that country! The Prince Regent of Portugal, unwilling to +act dishonourably to England, to which he was allied by treaties; and +unable to oppose the whole power of Napoleon, embarked for Brazil, +declaring that all defence was useless. At the same time he recommended +his subjects to receive the French troops in a friendly manner, and said +that he consigned to Providence the consequences of an invasion which was +without a motive. He was answered in the Emperor's name that, Portugal +being the ally of England, we were only carrying on hostilities against, +the latter country by invading his dominions. + +It was in the month of November that the code of French jurisprudence, +upon which the most learned legislators had indefatigably laboured, was +established as the law of the State, under the title of the Code +Napoleon. Doubtless this legislative monument will redound to Napoleon's +honour in history; but was it to be supposed that the same laws would be +equally applicable throughout so vast an extent as that comprised within +the French Empire? Impossible as this was, as soon as the Code Napoleon +way promulgated I received orders to establish it in the Hanse Towns. + + --[This great code of Civil Law was drawn up under Napoleon's orders + and personal superintendence. Much had been prepared under the + Convention, and the chief merits of it were due to the labours of + such men as Tronchet; Partatis, Bigot de Preameneu, Maleville, + Cambaceres, etc. But it was debated under and by Napoleon, who took + a lively interest in it. It was first called the "Code Civil," but + is 1807 was named "Code Napoleon," or eventually "Les Cinq Codes de + Napoleon." When completed in 1810 it included five Codes--the Code + Civil, decreed March 1803; Code de Procedure Civile, decreed April + 1806; Code de Commerce, decreed September 1807; Code d'Instruction + Criminelle, decreed November 1808; and the Code Penal, decreed + February 1810. It had to be retained by the Bourbons, and its + principles have worked and are slowly working their way into the law + of every nation. Napoleon was justly proud of this work. The + Introduction of the Code into the conquered countries was, as + Bourrienne says, made too quickly. Puymaigre, who was employed in + the administration of Hamburg after Bourrienne left, says, "I shall + always remember the astonishment of the Hamburgers when they were + invaded by this cloud of French officials, who, under every form, + made researches is their houses, and who came to apply the + multiplied demands of the fiscal system. Like Proteus, the + administration could take any shape. To only speak of my + department, which certainly was not the least odious one, for it was + opposed to the habits of the Hamburgers and annoyed all the + industries, no idea can be formed of the despair of the inhabitants, + subjected to perpetual visits, and exposed to be charged with + contraventions of the law, of which they knew nothing. + + "Remembering their former laws, they used to offer to meet a charge + of fraud by the proof of their oath, and could not imagine that such + a guarantee could be repulsed. When they were independent they paid + almost nothing, and such was the national spirit, that in urgent + cases when money was wanted the senate taxed every citizen s certain + proportion of his income, the tenth or twentieth. A donator + presided over the recovery of this tax, which was done in a very + strange manner. A box, covered with a carpet, received the offering + of every citizen, without any person verifying the sum, and only on + the simple moral guarantee of the honesty of the debtor, who himself + judged the sum he ought to pay. When the receipt was finished the + senate always obtained more than it had calculated on." (Puymaigre, + pp, 181.)]-- + +The long and frequent conversations I had on this subject with the +Senators and the most able lawyers of the country soon convinced me of +the immense difficulty I should have to encounter, and the danger of +suddenly altering habits and customs which had been firmly established by +time. + +The jury system gave tolerable satisfaction; but the severe punishments +assigned to certain offences by the Code were disapproved of. Hence +resulted the frequent and serious abuse of men being acquitted whose +guilt was evident to the jury, who pronounced them not guilty rather than +condemn them to a punishment which was thought too severe. Besides, +their leniency had another ground, which was, that the people being +ignorant of the new law were not aware of the penalties attached to +particular offences. I remember that a man who was accused of stealing a +cloak at Hamburg justified himself on the ground that he committed the +offence in a fit of intoxication. M. Von Einingen, one of the jury, +insisted that the prisoner was not guilty, because, as he said, the +Syndic Doormann, when dining with him one day, having drunk more wine +than usual, took away his cloak. This defence per Baccho was completely +successful. An argument founded on the similarity between the conduct of +the Syndic and the accused, could not but triumph, otherwise the little +debauch of the former would have been condemned in the person of the +latter. This trial, which terminated so whimsically, nevertheless proves +that the best and the gravest institutions may become objects of ridicule +when suddenly introduced into a country whose habits are not prepared to +receive them. + +The Romans very wisely reserved in the Capitol a place for the gods of +the nations they conquered. They wished to annex provinces and kingdoms +to their empire. Napoleon, on the contrary, wished to make his empire +encroach upon other states, and to realise the impossible Utopia of ten +different nations, all having different customs and languages, united +into a single State. Could justice, that safeguard of human rights, be +duly administered in the Hanse Towns when those towns were converted into +French departments? In these new departments many judges had been +appointed who did not understand a word of German, and who had no +knowledge of law. The presidents of the tribunals of Lilbeck, Stade, +Bremerlehe, and Minden were so utterly ignorant of the German language +that it was necessary to explain to them all the pleadings in the +council-chamber. Was it not absurd to establish such a judicial system, +and above all, to appoint such men in a country so important to France as +Hamburg and the Hanse Towns? Add to this the impertinence of some +favourites who were sent from Paris to serve official and legal +apprenticeships in the conquered provinces, and it may be easily +conceived what was the attachment of the people to Napoleon the Great. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +1807-1808. + + Disturbed state of Spain--Godoy, Prince of the Peace--Reciprocal + accusations between the King of Spain and his son--False promise of + Napoleon--Dissatisfaction occasioned by the presence of the French + troops--Abdication of Charles IV.--The Prince of the Peace made + prisoner--Murat at Madrid--Important news transmitted by a + commercial letter--Murat's ambition--His protection of Godoy-- + Charles IV, denies his voluntary abdication--The crown of Spain + destined for Joseph--General disapprobation of Napoleon's conduct-- + The Bourbon cause apparently lost--Louis XVIII. after his departure + from France--As Comte de Provence at Coblentz--He seeks refuge in + Turin and Verona--Death of Louis XVII--Louis XVIII. refused an + asylum in Austria, Saxony, and Prussia--His residence at Mittan and + Warsaw--Alexander and Louis XVIII--The King's departure from Milan + and arrival at Yarmouth--Determination of the King of England--M. + Lemercier's prophecy to Bonaparte--Fouche's inquiries respecting + Comte de Rechteren--Note from Josephine--New demands on the Hanse + Towns--Order to raise 3000 sailors in Hamburg. + +The disorders of Spain, which commenced about the close of the year 1807, +in a short time assumed a most complicated aspect. Though far from the +theatre of events I obtained an intimate knowledge of all the important +facts connected with the extraordinary transactions in the Peninsula. +However, as this point of history is one of the most generally, though I +cannot say the best, known, I shall omit in my notes and memoranda many +things which would be but repetitions to the reading portion of the +public. It is a remarkable fact that Bonaparte, who by turns cast his +eyes on all the States of Europe, never directed his attention to Spain +as long as his greatness was confined to mere projects. Whenever he +spoke of his future destiny he alluded to Italy, Germany, the East, and +the destruction of the English power; but never to Spain. Consequently, +when he heard of the first symptoms of disorder in the Peninsula he paid +but little attention to the business, and some time elapsed before he +took any part in events which subsequently had so great an influence on +his fate. + +Godoy reigned in Spain under the name of the imbecile Charles IV. He was +an object of execration to all who were not his creatures; and even those +whose fate depended upon him viewed him with the most profound contempt. +The hatred of a people is almost always the just reward of favourites. +What sentiments, therefore, must have been inspired by a man who, to the +knowledge of all Spain, owed the favour of the king only to the favours +of the queen! + + --[Manuel Godoy, originally a private in the guards, became the + paramour of Charles IV.'s Queen; then a grandee; and then the + supreme ruler of the State.--Editor of 1836 edition.]-- + +Godoy's ascendancy over the royal family was boundless; his power was +absolute: the treasures, of America were at his command, and he made the +most infamous use of them. In short, he had made the Court of Madrid one +of those places to which the indignant muse of Juvenal conducts the +mother of Britanicus. There is no doubt that Godoy was one of the +principal causes of all the misfortunes which have overwhelmed Spain +under so many various forms. + +The hatred of the Spaniards against the Prince of the Peace was general. +This hatred was shared by the Prince the Asturias,--[Afterwards Ferdinand +VII.]-- who openly declared himself the enemy of Godoy. The latter +allied himself with France, from which he hoped to obtain powerful +protection against his enemies. This alliance gave rise to great +dissatisfaction in Spain, and caused France to be regarded with an +unfavourable eye. The Prince of the Asturias was encouraged and +supported by the complaints of the Spaniards, who wished to see the +overthrow of Godoy's power. Charles IV., on his part, regarded all +opposition to the Prince of the Peace as directed against himself, and in +November 1807 he accused his son of wishing to dethrone him. + +The King of Spain did not confine himself to verbal complaints. He, or +rather the Prince of the Peace, acting in his name, arrested the warmest +partisans of the Prince of the Asturias. The latter, understanding the +sentiments of his father, wrote to Napoleon, soliciting his support. +Thus the father and son, at open war, were appealing one against another +for the support of him who wished only to get rid of them both, and to +put one of his brothers in their place, that he might have one junior +more in the college of European kings: but, as I have already mentioned, +this new ambition was not premeditated; and if he gave the throne of +Spain to his brother Joseph it was only on the refusal of his brother +Louis (King of Holland) to accept it. + +The Emperor had promised to support Charles IV against his son; and, not +wishing to take part in these family quarrels, he had not answered the +first letters of the Prince of the Asturias. But finding that the +intrigues of Madrid were taking a serious turn, he commenced +provisionally by sending troops to Spain. This gave offence to the +people, who were averse to the interference of France. In the provinces +through which the French troops passed it was asked what was the object: +of the invasion. Some attributed it to the Prince of the Peace, others +to the Prince of the Asturias; but it excited general indignation, and +troubles broke out at Madrid accompanied by all the violence peculiar to +the Spanish character. + +In these fearful circumstances Godoy proposed that Charles IV. should +remove to Seville, where he would be the better enabled to visit the +factious with punishment. A proposition from Godoy to his master was, in +fact, a command, and Charles IV. accordingly resolved to depart. The +people now looked upon Godoy as a traitor. An insurrection broke out, +the palace was, surrounded, and the, Prince of the Peace was on the point +of being massacred in an upper apartment, where he had taken refuge. + + --[French troops had appeared in again some months before, on their + way to Portugal, the conquest of which country by Junot was to be + aided by Godoy and a Spanish force of 27,000 men, according to a + treaty (more disgraceful to the Court of Spain than to Bonaparte) + which had been ratified at Fontainebleau on the 27th of October + 1807. Charles IV. was little better than an idiot, and Godoy and + the French made him believe that Bonaparte world give part, or the + whole of Portugal, to Spain. At the time of Junot's march on Lisbon + a reserve of 40,000 French troops were assembled at Bayonne-- + a pretty clear indication, though the factious infatuated Court of + Madrid would not see it, that Bonaparte intended to seize the whole + of the Peninsula.--Editor of 1838 edition.]-- + +One of the mob had the presence of mind to invoke in his favour the name +of the Prince of the Asturias: this saved his life. + +Charles IV. did not preserve his crown; he was easily intimidated, and +advantage was taken of a moment of alarm to demand that abdication which +he had not spirit to refuse. He surrendered up his rights to his son, +and thus was overthrown the insolent power of the Prince of the Peace; +the favourite was made prisoner, and the Spaniards, who, like all +ignorant people, are easily excited, manifested their joy on the occasion +with barbarous enthusiasm. Meanwhile the unfortunate King, who had +escaped from imaginary rather than real dangers, and who was at first +content with having exchanged the right of reigning for the right of +living, no sooner found himself in safety than he changed, his mind. +He wrote to the Emperor protesting against his abdication, and appealed. +to him as the arbiter of his future fate. + +During these internal dissensions the French army was continuing its +march towards the Pyrenees. Those barriers were speedily crossed, and +Murat entered Madrid in the beginning of April 1808. Before I received +any despatch from our Government I learned that Murat's presence in +Madrid, far from producing a good effect, had only increased the +disorder. I obtained this information from a merchant of Lubeck who came +to Hamburg on purpose to show me a letter he had received from his +correspondent in Madrid. In this letter Spain was said to be a prey +which Murat wished to appropriate to himself; and all that afterwards +came to my knowledge served only to prove the accuracy of the writer's +information. It was perfectly true that Murat wished to conquer Spain +for himself, and it is not astonishing that the inhabitants of Madrid +should have understood his designs, for he carried his indiscretion so +far as openly to express his wish to become King of Spain. The Emperor +was informed of this, and gave him to understand, in very significant +terms, that the throne of Spain was not destined for him, but that he +should not be forgotten in the disposal of other crowns. + +However, Napoleon's remonstrances were not sufficient to restrain the +imprudence of Murat; and if he did not gain the crown of Spain for +himself he powerfully contributed to make Charles IV. lose it. That +monarch, whom old habits attached to the Prince of the Peace, solicited +the Emperor to liberate his favourite, alleging that he and his family +would be content to live in any place of security provided Godoy were +with them. The unfortunate Charles seemed to be thoroughly disgusted +with greatness. + +Both the King and Queen so earnestly implored Godoy's liberation that +Murat, whose vanity was flattered by these royal solicitations, took the +Prince of the Peace under his protection; but he at the same time +declared that, in spite of the abdication of Charles IV., he would +acknowledge none but that Prince as King of Spain until he should receive +contrary orders from the Emperor. This declaration placed Murat in +formal opposition to the Spanish people, who, through their hatred of +Godoy, embraced the cause of the heir of the throne; in whose favour +Charles IV. had abdicated. + +It has been remarked that Napoleon stood in a perplexing situation in +this conflict between the King and his son. This is not correct. King +Charles, though he afterwards said that his abdication had been forced +from him by violence and threats, had nevertheless tendered it. By this +act Ferdinand was King, but Charles declared it was done against his +will, and he retracted. The Emperor's recognition was wanting, and he, +could give or withhold it as he pleased. + +In this state of things Napoleon arrived at Bayonne. Thither Ferdinand +was also invited to go, under pretence of arranging with the Emperor the +differences between his father and himself. It was some time before he +could form his determination, but at length his ill-advised friends +prevailed on him to set off, and he was caught in the snare. What +happened to him, as well as to his father, who repaired to Bayonne with +his inseparable friend the Prince of the Peace is well known. Napoleon, +who had undertaken to be arbiter between the father and son, thought the +best way of settling the difference was to give the disputed throne to +his brother Joseph, thus verifying the fable of the "Two Lawyers and the +Oyster." The insurrection in Madrid on the 2d of May accelerated the +fate of Ferdinand, who was accused of being the author of it; at least +this suspicion fell on his friends and adherents. + +Charles IV., it was said, would not return to Spain, and solicited an +asylum in France. He signed a renunciation of his rights to the crown of +Spain, which renunciation was also signed by the Infantas. + +Napoleon now issued a decree, appointing "his dearly beloved brother +Joseph Napoleon, King of Naples and Sicily, to the crowns of Spain and +the Indies." By a subsequent decree, 15th of July, he appointed "his +dearly-beloved cousin, Joachim Murat, Grand Duke of Berg, to the throne +of Naples and Sicily, which remained vacant by the accession of Joseph +Napoleon to the kingdoms of Spain and the Indies." Both these documents +are signed Napoleon, and countersigned by the Minister Secretary of +State, Maret. + +The Prince Royal of Sweden, who was at Hamburg at this time, and the +Ministers of all the European power, loudly condemned the conduct of +Napoleon with respect to Spain. I cannot say whether or not M. de +Talleyrand advised the Emperor not to attempt the overthrow of a branch +of the house of Bourbon; his good sense and elevated views might +certainly have suggested that advice. But the general opinion was that, +had he retained the portfolio of foreign affairs, the Spanish revolution +would have terminated with more decorum and good faith than was exhibited +in the tragi-comedy acted at Madrid and Bayonne. + +After the Treaty of Tilsit and the bonds of friendship which seemed +likely to produce a permanent union between the Emperors of France and +Russia, the cause of the Bourbons must have been considered irretrievably +lost. Indeed, their only hope consisted in the imprudence and folly of +him who had usurped their throne, and that hope they cherished. I will +here relate what I had the opportunity of learning respecting the conduct +of Louis XVIII. after his departure from France; this will naturally +bring me to the end of November 1807, at which time I read in the Abeille +du Nord published on the 9th of the same month, that the Comte de Lille +and the Due d'Angouleme had set off for England. + +The Comte de Provence, as Louis' title then went, left Paris on the 21st +of June 1791. He constantly expressed his wish of keeping as near as +possible to the frontiers of France. He at first took up his abode at +Coblentz, and I knew from good authority that all the emigrants did not +regard him with a favourable eye. They could not pardon the wise. +principles he had professed at a period when there was yet time to +prevent, by reasonable concession, the misfortunes which imprudent +irritation brought upon France. When the emigrants, after the campaign +of 1792, passed the Rhine, the Comte de Provence resided in the little +town of Ham on the Lippe, where he remained until he was persuaded that +the people of Toulon had called him to Provence. As he could not, of +course, pass through France, Monsieur repaired to the Court of his +father-in-law, the King of Sardinia, hoping to embark at Genoa, and from +thence to reach the coast of Provence. But the evacuation of Toulon, +where the name of Bonaparte was for the first time sounded by the breath +of fame, having taken place before he was able to leave Turin, Monsieur +remained there four months, at the expiration of which time his father- +in-law intimated to him the impossibility of his remaining longer in the +Sardinian States. He was afterwards permitted to reside at Verona, where +he heard of Louis XVI.'s death. After remaining two years in that city +the Senate of Venice forbade his presence in the Venetian States. Thus +forced to quit Italy the Comte repaired to the army of Conde. + +The cold and timid policy of the Austrian Cabinet afforded no asylum to +the Comte de Provence, and he was obliged to pass through Germany; yet, +as Louis XVIII. repeated over and over again, ever since the Restoration, +"He never intended to shed French blood in Germany for the sake of +serving foreign interests." Monsieur had, indeed, too much penetration +not to see that his cause was a mere pretext for the powers at war with +France. They felt but little for the misfortunes of the Prince, and +merely wished to veil their ambition and their hatred of France under the +false pretence of zeal for the House of Bourbon. + +When the Dauphin died, Louis XVIII. took the title of King of France, and +went to Prussia, where he obtained an asylum. + + --[His brother, Charles X., the youngest of the three grandsons of + Louis XV. (Louis XVI., Louis XVIII. Charles X.), the Comte + d'Artois, afterwards Charles X. emigrated in 1789, and went to + Turin and Mantas for 1789 and 1790. In 1791 and 1792 he lived at + Coblenta, Worms, Brussels, Vienna, and at Turin. From 1792 to 1812 + he lived at Ham on the Lippe at Westphalia at London, and for most + of the time at Holyrood, Edinburgh. During this time he visited + Russia and Germany, and showed himself on the coast of France. In + 1818 he went to Germany, and in 1814 entered France in rear of the + allies. In risking his person in the daring schemes of the + followers who were giving their lives for the cause of his family he + displayed a circumspection which was characterised by them with + natural warmth. + + "Sire, the cowardice of your brother has ruined all;" so Charette is + said to have written to Louis XVIII.]-- + +But the pretender to the crown of France had not yet drained his cup of +misfortune. After the 18th Fructidor the Directory required the King of +Prussia to send away Louis XVIII., and the Cabinet of Berlin, it must be +granted, was not in a situation to oppose the desire of the French +Government, whose wishes were commands. In vain Louis XVIII. sought an +asylum in the King of Saxony's States. There only remained Russia that +durst offer a last refuge to the descendant of Louis XIV. Paul I., who +was always in extremes, and who at that time entertained a violent +feeling of hatred towards France, earnestly offered Louis XVIII., a +residence at Mittau. He treated him with the honours of a sovereign, +and loaded him with marks of attention and respect. Three years had +scarcely passed when Paul was seized with mad enthusiasm for the man who +twelve years later, ravaged his ancient capital, and Louis XVIII. found +himself expelled from that Prince's territory with a harshness equal to +the kindness with which he had at first been received. + +It was during, his three, years' residence at Mittau that Louis XVIII., +who was then known by the title of Comte de Lille, wrote to the First +Consul those letters which have been referred to in these Memoirs. +Prussia, being again solicited, at length consented that Louis XVIII. +should reside at Warsaw; but on the accession of Napoleon to the Empire +the Prince quitted that residence in order to consult respecting his new +situation with the only sovereign who had not deserted him in his +misfortune, viz. the King of Sweden. They met at Colmar, and from that +city was dated the protest which I have already noticed. Louis XVIII. +did not stay long in the States of the King of Sweden. Russia was now on +the point of joining her eagles with those of Austria to oppose the new +eagles of imperial France. Alexander offered to the Comte de Lille the +asylum which Paul had granted to him and afterwards withdrawn. Louis +XVIII. accepted the offer, but after the peace of Tilsit, fearing lest +Alexander might imitate the second act of his father as well as the +first, he plainly saw that he must give up all intention of residing on +the Continent; and it was then that I read in the 'Abeille du Nord' the +article before alluded to. There is, however, one fact upon which I must +insist, because I know it to be true, viz. that it was of his own free +will that Louis XVIII. quitted Mittau; and if he was afraid that +Alexander would imitate his father's conduct that fear was without +foundation. The truth is, that Alexander was ignorant even of the King's +intention to go away until he heard from Baron von Driesen, Governor of +Mittau, that he had actually departed. Having now stated the truth on +this point I have to correct another error, if indeed it be only an +error, into which some writers have fallen. It has been falsely alleged +that the King left Mittau for the purpose of fomenting fresh troubles in +France. The friends of Louis XVIII., who advised him to leave Mittau, +had great hopes from the last war. They cherished still greater hopes +from the new wars which Bonaparte's ambition could not fail to excite, +but they were not so ill-informed respecting the internal condition of +France as to expect that disturbances would arise there, or even to +believe in the possibility of fomenting them. The pear was not yet ripe +for Louis XVIII. + +On the 29th of November the contents of a letter which had arrived from +London by way of Sweden were communicated to me. This letter was dated +the 3d of November, and contained some particulars respecting the Comte +de Lille's arrival in England. That Prince had arrived at Yarmouth on +the 31st of October 1807, and it was stated that the King was obliged to +wait some time in the port until certain difficulties respecting his +landing and the continuance of his journey should be removed. It +moreover appeared from this letter that the King of England thought +proper to refuse the Comte de Lille permission to go to London or its +neighbourhood. The palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh was assigned as his +place of residence; and Mr. Ross, secretary to Mr. Canning, conveyed the +determination of the King of England to Louis XVIII., at Yarmouth. + +The precaution of the English Ministry in not permitting the refugee King +to go near London appeared to me remarkable, considering the relative +position of the Governments of France and England, and I regarded it as a +corroboration of what the Prince Wittgenstein had told me respecting Mr. +Canning's inclination for an amicable arrangement. But the moment was +approaching when the affairs of Spain were to raise an invincible +obstacle to peace, to complicate more than ever the interests of the +powers of Europe, and open to Napoleon that vast career of ambition which +proved his ruin. He did not allow the hopes of the emigrants to remain +chimerical, and the year 1814 witnessed the realization of the prophetic +remark made by M. Lemereier, in a conversation with Bonaparte a few days +before the foundation of the Empire: "If you get into the bed of the +Bourbons, General, you will not lie in it ten year." Napoleon occupied +it for nine years and nine months. + +Fouche, the grand investigator of the secrets of Europe, did not fail, on +the first report of the agitations in Spain, to address to me question on +question respecting the Comte de Rechteren, the Spanish Minister at +Hamburg, who, however, had left that city, with the permission of his +Court, four months after I had entered on my functions. This was going +back very far to seek information respecting the affairs of the day. At +the very moment when I transmitted a reply to Fouche which was not +calculated to please him, because it afforded no ground for suspicion as +to the personal conduct of M. de Rechteren, I received from the amiable +Josephine a new mark of her remembrance. She sent me the following note: + +"M. Milon, who is now in Hamburg, wishes me, my dear Bourrienne, to +request that you will use your interest in his favour. I feel the more +pleasure in making this request as it affords me an opportunity of +renewing the assurance of my regard for you." + +Josephine's letter was dated from Fontainebleau, whither the Emperor used +to make journeys in imitation of the old Court of France. During these +excursions he sometimes partook of the pleasures of the chase, but merely +for the sake of reviving an old custom, for in that exercise he found as +little amusement as Montaigne did in the game of chess, + +At Fontainebleau, as everywhere else, his mind was engaged with the means +of augmenting his greatness, but, unfortunately, the exactions he imposed +on distant countries were calculated to alienate the affections of the +people. Thus, for example, I received an order emanating from him, and +transmitted to me by M. Daru, the Intendant-General of the army, that the +pay of all the French troops stationed in the Hanse Towns should be +defrayed by these towns. I lamented the necessity of making such a +communication to the Senates of Bremen, Lubeck, and Hamburg; but my duty +compelled me to do so, and I had long been accustomed to fulfil duties +even more painful than this. I tried every possible means with the three +States, not collectively but separately, to induce them to comply with +the measure, in the hope that the assent of one would help me to obtain +that of the two others. But, as if they, had been all agreed, I only +received evasive expressions of regret. + +Knowing as I did, and I may say better than any one else, the hopes and +designs of Bonaparte respecting the north of Germany, it was not without +pain, nor even without alarm, that I saw him doing everything calculated +to convert into enemies the inhabitants of a country which would always +have remained quiet had it only been permitted to preserve its +neutrality. Among the orders I received were often many which could only +have been the result of the profoundest ignorance. For example, I was +one day directed to press 3000 seamen in the Hanse Towns. Three thousand +seamen out of a population of 200,000! It was as absurd as to think of +raising 500,000 sailors in France. This project being impossible, it was +of course not executed; but I had some difficulty in persuading the +Emperor that a sixth of the number demanded was the utmost the Hanse +Towns could supply. Five hundred seamen were accordingly furnished, but +to make up that number it was necessary to include many men who were +totally unfit for war service. + + + + +CHAPTER--XIV. + +1808. + + Departure of the Prince of Ponte-Corvo--Prediction and superstition + --Stoppage of letters addressed to the Spanish troops--La Romana and + Romanillos--Illegible notifications--Eagerness of the German Princes + to join the Confederation of the Rhine--Attack upon me on account of + M. Hue--Bernadotte's successor in Hamburg--Exactions and tyrannical + conduct of General Dupas--Disturbance in Hamburg--Plates broken in a + fit of rage--My letter to Bernadotte--His reply--Bernadotte's return + to Hamburg, and departure of Dupas for Lubeck--Noble conduct of the + 'aide de camp' Barrel. + +In the spring of 1808 a circumstance occurred which gave, me much +uneasiness; it was the departure of Bernadotte, Prince of Ponte-Corvo, +who received orders to repair to Copenhagen. He left Hamburg on the 8th +of March, as he was to reach his destination on the 14th of the same +month. The Danish charge d'affaires also received orders to join the +Prince, and discharge the functions of King's commissary. It was during +his government at Hamburg and his stay in Jutland that Bernadotte +unconsciously paved his way to the throne of Sweden. I recollect that he +had also his presages and his predestinations. In short, he believed in +astrology, and I shall never forget the serious tone in which he one day +said to me, "Would you believe, my dear friend, that it was predicted at +Paris that I should be a King, but that I must cross the sea to reach my +throne?" I could not help smiling with him at this weakness of mind, +from which Bonaparte was not far removed. It certainly was not any +supernatural influence which elevated Bernadotte to sovereign rank. +That elevation was solely due to his excellent character. He had no +other talisman than the wisdom of his government, and the promptitude +which he always, showed to oppose unjust measures. This it was that +united all opinions in his favour. + +The bad state of the roads in the north prolonged Bernadotte's journey +one day. He set out on the 8th of March; he was expected to arrive at +Copenhagen on the l4th, but did not reach there till the 15th. He +arrived precisely two hours before the death of Christian, King of +Denmark, an event with which he made me acquainted by letter written two +days after his arrival. + +On the 6th of April following I received a second letter from Bernadotte, +in which he desired me to order the Grand Ducal postmaster to keep back +all letters addressed to the Spanish troops, who had been placed under +his command, and of which the corps of Romana formed part. The +postmaster was ordered to keep the letters until he received orders to +forward them to their destinations. Bernadotte considered this step +indispensable, to prevent the intrigues which he feared might be set on +foot in order to shake the fidelity of the Spaniards he commanded. I saw +from his despatch that he feared the plotting of Romanillos, who, +however, was not a person to cause much apprehension. Romanillos was as +commonplace a man as could well be conceived; and his speeches, as well +as his writings, were too innocent to create any influence on public +opinion. + +In addition to the functions with which the Emperor at first invested me, +I had to discharge the duties of French Consul-General at Hamburg, and in +that character I was obliged to present to the Minister for Foreign +Affairs a very singular request, viz. that the judicial notifications, +which as Consul-General I had to make known to the people of Hamburg, +might be written in a more legible hand. Many of these notifications had +been disregarded on account of the impossibility of reading them: With +respect to one of them it was declared that it was impossible to discover +whether the writing was German, French, or Chinese. + +I shall not record all the acts of spoliation committed by second-rate +ambitious aspirants who hoped to come in for their share in the division +of the Continent: The Emperor's lieutenants regarded Europe as a +twelfthcake, but none of them ventured to dispute the best bit with +Napoleon. Long would be the litany were I to enregister all the fraud +and treachery which they committed, either to augment their fortunes or +to win the favour of the chief who wished to have kings for his subjects. +The fact is, that all the Princes of Germany displayed the greatest +eagerness to range themselves under the protection of Napoleon, by, +joining the Confederation of the Rhine. I received from those Princes +several letters which served to prove at once the influence of Napoleon +in Germany and the facility with which men bend beneath the yoke of a new +power. I must say that among the emigrants who remained faithful to +their cause there were some who evinced more firmness of character than +the foreign Princes. I may mention, for example, M. Hue, the 'valet de +chambre' of Louis XVI. I do not intend to deny the high regard I +entertained for that faithful servant of the martyred King; but the +attentions which I congratulate myself on having shown to an excellent +man should not have subjected me to false imputations. + +I have read the following statement in a publication: + + "M. Hue retired to Hamburg, where he passed nine, months in perfect + obscurity. He afterwards went to Holland, provided with a passport + from Bourrienne, who was Napoleon's Minister, though in disgrace, + and who, foreseeing what was to happen, sought to ingratiate himself + in the favour of the Bourbons." + +The above passage contains a falsehood in almost every line. M. Hue +wished to reside in Hamburg, but he did not wish to conceal himself. +I invited him to visit me, and assured him that he might remain in +Hamburg without apprehension, provided he acted prudently. He wished to +go to Holland, and I took upon myself to give him a passport. I left M. +Hue in the free management of his business, the nature of which I knew +very well, and which was very honourable; he was deputed to pay the +pensions which Louis XVIII. granted to the emigrants. As for myself, I +had tendered my resignation of private secretary to Bonaparte; and even +admitting I was in disgrace in that character, I was not so as Minister +and Consul-General at Hamburg. My situation, which was of little +consequence at the time I was appointed to it, was later on rendered +exceedingly important by circumstances. It was, in fact, a sort of +watch-tower of the Government, whence all the movements of northern +Germany were observed; and during my residence in the Hanse Towns I +continually experienced the truth of what Bonaparte said to me at my +farewell audience--"Yours is a place independent and apart." + +It is absurd to say that the kindness I showed to M. Hue was an attempt +to ingratiate myself with the Bourbons. My attentions to him were +dictated solely by humanity, unaccompanied by any afterthought. Napoleon +had given me his confidence, and by mitigating the verity of his orders +I served him better than they who executed them in a way which could not +fail to render the French Government odious. If I am accused of +extending every possible indulgence to the unfortunate emigrants, I plead +guilty; and, far from wishing to defend myself against the charge, I +consider it honourable to me. But I defy any one of them to say that I +betrayed in their favour the interests with which I was entrusted. They +who urged Bonaparte to usurp the crown of France served, though perhaps +unconsciously, the cause of the Bourbons. I, on the contrary, used all +my endeavours to dissuade him from that measure, which I clearly saw +must, in the end, lead to the restoration, though I do not pretend that I +was sufficiently clear-sighted to guess that Napoleon's fall was so near +at hand. The kindness I showed to M. Hue and his companions in +misfortune was prompted by humanity, and not by mean speculation. +As well might it be said that Bernadotte, who, like myself, neglected +no opportunity of softening the rigour of the orders he was deputed to +execute, was by this means working his way to the throne of Sweden. + +Bernadotte had proceeded to Denmark to take the command of the Spanish +and French troops who had been removed from the Hanse Towns to occupy +that kingdom, which was then threatened by the English. His departure +was a great loss to me, for we had always agreed respecting the measures +to be adopted, and I felt his absence the more sensibly when I was +enabled to make a comparison between him and his successor. It is +painful to me to detail the misconduct of those who injured the French +name in Germany, but in fulfilment of the task I have undertaken, I am +bound to tell the truth. + +In April 1808 General Dupas came to take the command of Hamburg, but only +under the orders of Bernadotte, who retained the supreme command of the +French troops in the Hanse Towns. By the appointment of General Dupas +the Emperor cruelly thwarted the wishes and hopes of the inhabitants of +Lower Saxony. That General said of the people of Hamburg, "As long as I +see those . . . driving in their carriages I can get money from them." +It is, however, only just to add, that his dreadful exactions were not +made on his own account, but for the benefit of another man to whom he +owed his all, and to whom he had in some measure devoted his existence. + +I will state some particulars respecting the way in which the generals +who commanded the French troops at Hamburg were maintained. The Senate +of Hamburg granted to the Marshals thirty friederichs a day for the +expenses of their table exclusive of the hotel in which they were lodged +by the city. The generals of division had only twenty friederichs. +General Dupas wished to be provided for on the same footing as the +Marshals. The Senate having, with reason, rejected this demand, Dupas +required that he should be daily served with a breakfast and a dinner of +thirty covers. This was an inconceivable burden, and Dupas cost the city +more than any of his predecessors. + +I saw an account of his expenses, which during the twenty-one weeks he +remained at Hamburg amounted to 122,000 marks, or about 183,000 francs. +None but the most exquisite wines were drunk at the table of Dupas. Even +his servants were treated with champagne, and the choicest fruits were +brought from the fine hothouses of Berlin. The inhabitants were +irritated at this extravagance, and Dupas accordingly experienced the +resistance of the Senate. + +Among other vexations there was one to which the people could not readily +submit. In Hamburg, which had formerly been a fortified town, the custom +was preserved of closing the gates at nightfall. On Sundays they were +closed three-quarters of an hour later, to avoid interrupting the +amusements of the people. + +While General Dupas was Governor of Hamburg an event occurred which +occasioned considerable irritation in the public mind, and might have +been attended by fatal consequences. From some whim or other the General +ordered the gates to be closed at seven in the evening, and consequently +while it was broad daylight, for it was in the middle of spring; no +exception was made in favour of Sunday, and on that day a great number of +the inhabitants who had been walking in the outskirts of the city +presented themselves at the gate of Altona for admittance. To their +surprise they found the gate closed, though it was a greater thoroughfare +than any other gate in Hamburg. The number of persons, requiring +admittance increased, and a considerable crowd soon collected. After +useless entreaties had been addressed to the chief officer of the post +the people were determined to send to the Commandant for the keys. The +Commandant arrived, accompanied by the General. When they appeared it +was supposed they had come for the purpose of opening the gates, and they +were accordingly saluted with a general hurrah! which throughout almost +all the north is the usual cry for expressing popular satisfaction. +General Dupas not understanding the meaning of this hurrah! supposed it +to be a signal for sedition, and instead of ordering the gates to be +opened he commanded the military to fire upon the peaceful citizens,. +who only wanted to return to their homes. Several persons were killed, +and others more or less seriously wounded. Fortunately, after this first +discharge the fury of Dupas was appeased; but still he persisted in +keeping the gates closed at night. Next day an order was posted about +the city prohibiting the cry of hurrah! under pain of a severe +punishment. It was also forbidden that more than three persona should +collect together in the streets. Thus it was that certain persons +imposed the French yoke upon towns and provinces which were previously +happy. + +Dupas was as much execrated in the Hanse Towns as Clarke had been in +Berlin when he was governor of that capital during the campaign of 1807. +Clarke had burdened the people of Berlin with every kind of oppression +and exaction. He, as well as many others, manifested a ready obedience +in executing the Imperial orders, however tyrannical they might be; and +Heaven knows what epithets invariably accompanied the name of Clarke when +pronounced by the lips of a Prussian. + +Dupas seemed to have taken Clarke as his model. An artillery officer, +who was in Hamburg at the time of the disturbance I have just mentioned, +told me that it was he who was directed to place two pieces of light- +artillery before the gate of Altona. Having executed this order, he went +to General Dupas, whom he found in a furious fit of passion, breaking and +destroying everything within his reach. In the presence of the officer +he broke more than two dozen plates which were on the table before him: +these plates, of course, had cost him very little! + +On the day after the disturbance which had so fatal a termination I wrote +to inform the Prince of Porte-Corvo of what had taken place; and in my +letter I solicited the suppression of an extraordinary tribunal which had +been created by General Dupas. He returned me an immediate answer, +complying with my request. His letter was as follows: + + I have received your letter, my dear Minister: it forcibly conveys + the expression of your right feeling, which revolts against + oppression, severity, and the abase of power. I entirely concur in + your view of the subject, and I am distressed whenever I see such + acts of injustice committed. On an examination of the events which + took place on the 19th it is impossible to deny that the officer who + ordered the gates to be closed so soon was in the wrong; and next, + it may be asked, why were not the gates opened instead of the, + military being ordered to fire on the people? But, on the other + hand, did not the people evince decided obstinacy and + insubordination? were they not to blame in throwing stones at the + guard, forcing the palisades, and even refusing to listen to the + voice of the magistrates? It is melancholy that they should have + fallen into these excesses, from which, doubtless, they would have + refrained had they listened to the civil chiefs, who ought to be + their first directors. Finally, my dear Minister, the Senator who + distributed money at the gate of Altona to appease the multitude + would have done better had he advised them to wait patiently until + the gates were opened; and he might, I think, have gone to the + Commandant or the General to solicit that concession. + + Whenever an irritated mob resorts to violence there is no safety for + any one. The protecting power mast then exert its utmost authority + to stop mischief. The Senate of ancient Rome, so jealous of its + prerogatives, assigned to a Dictator, in times of trouble, the power + of life and death, and that magistrate knew no other code than his + own will and the axe of his lictors. The ordinary laws did not + resume their course until the people returned to submission. + + The event which took place in Hamburg produced a feeling of + agitation of which evil-disposed persons might take advantage to + stir up open insurrection. That feeling could only be repressed by + a severe tribunal, which, however, is no longer necessary. General + Dupas has, accordingly, received orders to dissolve it, and justice + will resume her usual course. + J. BERNADOTTE + DENSEL, 4th May, 1808. + + +When Bernadotte returned to Hamburg he sent. Dupas to Lubeck. That +city, which was poorer than Hamburg, suffered cruelly from the visitation +of such a guest. + +Dupas levied all his exactions in kind, and indignantly spurned every +offer of accepting money, the very idea of which, he said, shocked his +delicacy of feeling. But his demands became so extravagant that the city +of Lubeck was utterly unable to satisfy them. Besides his table, which +was provided in the same style of profusion as at Hamburg, he required to +be furnished with plate, linen, wood, and candles; in short, with the +most trivial articles of household consumption. + +The Senate deputed to the incorruptible General Dupas M. Nolting, a +venerable old man, who mildly represented to him the abuses which were +everywhere committed in his name, and entreated that he would vouchsafe +to accept twenty Louis a day to defray the expenses of his table alone. +At this proposition General Dupes flew into a rage. To offer him money +was an insult not to be endured! He furiously drove the terrified +Senator out of the house, and at once ordered his 'aide de camp' Barrel +to imprison him. M. de Barrel, startled at this extraordinary order, +ventured to remonstrate with the General, but in vain; and, though +against his heart, he was obliged to obey. The aide de camp accordingly +waited upon the Senator Notting, and overcome by that feeling of respect +which gray hairs involuntarily inspire in youth, instead of arresting +him, he besought the old man not to leave his house until he should +prevail on the General to retract his orders. It was not till the +following day that M. de Barrel succeeded in getting these orders +revoked--that is to say, he obtained M. Notting's release from +confinement; for Dupas would not be satisfied until he heard that the +Senator had suffered at least the commencement of the punishment to which +his capricious fury had doomed him. + +In spite of his parade of disinterestedness General Dupas yielded so far +as to accept the twenty Louis a day for the expense of his table which +M. Notting had offered him on the part of the Senate of Lubeck; but it +was not without murmurings, complaints, and menaces that he made this +generous concession; and he exclaimed more than once, "These fellows have +portioned out my allowance for me." Lubeck was not released from the +presence of General Dupes until the month of March 1809, when he was +summoned to command a division in the Emperor's new campaign against +Austria. Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless the fact, that, +oppressive as had been his presence at Lubeck, the Hanse Towns soon had +reason to regret him. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +1808. + + Promulgation of the Code of Commerce--Conquests by Status-consulte-- + Three events in one day--Recollections--Application of a line of + Voltaire--Creation of the Imperial nobility--Restoration of the + university--Aggrandisement of the kingdom of Italy at the expense of + Rome--Cardinal Caprara'a departure from Paris--The interview at + Erfurt. + +The year 1808 was fertile in remarkable events. Occupied as I was with +my own duties, I yet employed my leisure hours in observing the course of +those great acts by which Bonaparte seemed determined to mark every day +of his life. At the commencement of 1808 I received one of the first +copies of the Code of Commerce, promulgated on the 1st of January by the +Emperor's order. This code appeared to me an act of mockery; at least it +was extraordinary to publish a code respecting a subject which it was the +effect of all the Imperial decrees to destroy. What trade could possibly +exist under the Continental system, and the ruinous severity of the +customs? The line was already extended widely enough when, by a +'Senatus-consulte', it was still further widened. The Emperor, to whom +all the Continent submitted, had recourse to no other formality for the +purpose of annexing to the Empire the towns of Kehl, Cassel near Mayence, +Wesel, and Flushing, with the territories depending on them. + + --[A resolution of the senate, or a "Senatus-consulte" was the means + invented by Napoleon for altering the imperial Constitutions, and + even the extent of the Empire. By one of these, dated 21st January + 1808, the towns of Kehl, Cassel, and Wesel, with Flushing, all + already seized, were definitely united to France. The loss of + Wesel, which belonged to Murat's Grand Duchy of Berg, was a very + sore point with Murat.]-- + +These conquests, gained by decrees and senatorial decisions, had at least +the advantage of being effected without bloodshed. All these things were +carefully communicated to me by the Ministers with whom I corresponded, +for my situation at Hamburg had acquired such importance that it was +necessary I should know everything. + +At this period I observed among the news which I received from different +places a singular coincidence of dates, worthy of being noted by the +authors of ephemrides. On the same day-namely, the 1st of February +Paris, Lisbon, and Rome were the scenes of events of different kinds, +but, as they all happened on one day, affording a striking example of the +rapidity of movement which marked the reign of Bonaparte. At Paris the +niece of Josephine, Mademoiselle de Tascher, whom Napoleon had lately +exalted to the rank of Princess, was married to the reigning Prince of +Ahremberg, while at the same time Junot declared to Portugal that the +house of Braganza had ceased to reign, and French troops were, under the +command of General Miollis, occupying Rome. This occupation was the +commencement of prolonged struggles, during which Pins VII. expiated the +condescension he had shown in going to Paris to crown Napoleon. + +Looking over my notes, I see it was the day after these three events +occurred that Bonaparte gave to his brother-in-law, Prince Borghese, the +Governorship-General of the departments beyond the Alps which he had just +founded; and of which he made the eighth Grand Dignitary of the Empire. +General Menou, whom I had not seen since Egypt, was obliged by this +appointment to leave Turin, where he had always remained. Bonaparte, not +wishing to permit him to come to Paris, sent Menou to preside over the +Junta of Tuscany, of which he soon afterwards made another General- +Governorship, which he entrusted to the care of his sister Elisa. + + --[Prince Camille Philippe Louis Borghese (1755-1832), an Italian, + had married, 6th November 1808, Pauline Bonaparte, the sister of + Napoleon, and the widow of General Leclerc. He had been made Prince + and Duke of Guastalla when that duchy was given to his wife, 30th + Marsh 1806. He separated from his wife after a few years. Indeed + Pauline was impossible as a wife if half of the stories about her + are true. It was she who, finding that a lady was surprised at her + having sat naked while a statue of her was being modelled for + Canova, believed she had satisfactorily explained matters by saying, + "but there was a fire in the room."]-- + +My correspondence relative to what passed in the south of France and of +Europe presented to me, if I may so express myself, merely an anecdotal +interest. Not so the news which came from the north. At Hamburg I was +like the sentinel of an advanced post, always on the alert. I frequently +informed the Government of what would take place before the event +actually happened. I was one of the first to hear of the plans of Russia +relative to Sweden. The courier whom I sent to Paris arrived there at +the very moment when Russia made the declaration of war. About the end +of February the Russian troops entered Swedish Finland, and occupied also +the capital of that province, which had at all times been coveted by the +Russian Government. It has been said that at the interview at Erfurt +Bonaparte consented to the usurpation of that province by Alexander in +return for the complaisance of the latter in acknowledging Joseph as King +of Spain and the Indies. + +The removal of Joseph from the throne of Naples to the throne of Madrid +belongs, indeed, to that period respecting which I am now throwing +together a few recollections. Murat had succeeded Joseph at Naples, and +this accession of the brother-in-law of Napoleon to one of the thrones of +the House of Bourbon gave Bonaparte another junior in the college of +kings, of which he would have infallibly become the senior if he had gone +on as he began. + +I will relate a little circumstance which now occurs to me respecting the +kings manufactured by Napoleon. I recollect that during the King of +Etruria's stay in Paris--the First Consul went with that Prince to the +Comedie Francaise, where Voltaire's 'OEdipus' was performed. This piece, +I may observe, Bonaparte liked better than anything Voltaire ever wrote. +I was in the theatre, but not in the First Consul's box, and I observed, +as all present must have done, the eagerness with which the audience +applied to Napoleon and the King of Etruria the line in which Philoctetes +says-- + + "J'ai fait des souverains et n'ai pas voulu l'etre." + + ["I have made sovereigns, but have not wished to be one myself."] + +The application was so marked that it could not fail to become the +subject of conversation between the First Consul and me. "You remarked +it, Bourrienne?" . . . "Yes, General." . . "The fools! . . . +They shall see! They shall see! "We did indeed see. Not content with +making kings, Bonaparte, when his brow was encircled by a double crown, +after creating princes at length realised the object he had long +contemplated, namely, to found a new nobility endowed with hereditary +rights. It was at the commencement of March 1808 that he accomplished +this project; and I saw in the 'Moniteur' a long list of princes, dukes, +counts, barons, and knights of the Empire; there were wanting only +viscounts and marquises. + +At the same time that Bonaparte was founding a new nobility he determined +to raise up the old edifice of the university, but on a new foundation. +The education of youth had always been one of his ruling ideas, and I had +an opportunity of observing how he was changed by the exercise of +sovereign power when I received at Hamburg the statutes of the new elder +daughter of the Emperor of the French, and compared them with the ideas +which Bonaparte, when General and First Consul, had often expressed to me +respecting the education which ought to be given youth. Though the sworn +enemy of everything like liberty, Bonaparte had at first conceived a vast +system of education, comprising above all the study of history, and those +positive sciences, such as geology and astronomy, which give the utmost +degree of development to the human mind. The Sovereign, however, shrunk +from the first ideas of the man of genius, and his university, confided +to the elegant suppleness of M. de Fontaines, was merely a school capable +of producing educated subjects but not enlightened men. + +Before taking complete possession of Rome, and making it the second city +of the Empire, the vaunted moderation of Bonaparte was confined to +dismembering from it the legations of Ancona, Urbino, Macerata, and +Camerino, which were divided into three departments; and added to the +Kingdom of Italy. The patience of the Holy See could no longer hold out +against this act of violence, and Cardinal Caprara, who had remained in +Paris since the coronation, at last left that capital. Shortly +afterwards the Grand Duchies of Parma and Piacenza were united to the +French Empire, and annexed to the government of the departments beyond +the Alps. These transactions were coincident with the events in Spain +and Bayonne before mentioned. + +After the snare laid at Bayonne the Emperor entered Paris on the 14th of +August, the eve of his birthday. Scarcely had he arrived in the capital +when he experienced fresh anxiety in consequence of the conduct of +Russia, which, as I have stated, had declared open war with Sweden, and +did not conceal the intention of seizing Finland. But Bonaparte, +desirous of actively carrying on the war in Spain, felt the necessity of +removing his troops from Prussia to the Pyrenees. He then hastened the +interview at Erfurt, where the two Emperors of France and Russia had +agreed to meet. He hoped that this interview would insure the +tranquillity of the Continent, while he should complete the subjection of +Spain to the sceptre of Joseph. That Prince had been proclaimed on the +8th of June; and on the 21st of the same month he made his entry into +Madrid, but having received, ten days after, information of the disaster +at Baylen, he was obliged to leave the Spanish capital. + + --[The important battle of Daylen, where the French, under General + Dupont, were beaten by the Spaniards, was fought on the 19th of July + 1808.]-- + +Bonaparte's wishes must at this time have been limited to the +tranquillity of the Continent, for the struggle between him and England +was more desperate than ever. England had just sent troops to Portugal +under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. There was no longer any hope +of a reconciliation with Great Britain: The interview at Erfurt having +been determined on, the Emperor, who had returned from Bayonne to Paris, +again left the capital about the end of September, and arrived at Metz +without stopping, except for the purpose of reviewing the regiments which +were echeloned on his route, and which were on their march from the Grand +Army to Spain. + +I had heard some time previously of the interview which was about to take +place, and which was so memorable in the life of Napoleon. It excited so +much interest in Germany that the roads were covered with the equipages +of the Princes who were going to Erfurt to witness the meeting. The +French Emperor arrived there before Alexander, and went forward three +leagues to meet him. Napoleon was on horseback, Alexander in a carriage. +They embraced, it is said, in a manner expressive of the most cordial +friendship. This interview was witnessed by most of the sovereign +Princes of Germany. However, neither the King of Prussia nor the Emperor +of Austria was present. The latter sovereign sent a letter to Napoleon, +of which I obtained a copy. It was as follows: + + SIRE, MY BROTHER,--My Ambassador in Paris informs me that your + Majesty is about to proceed to Erfurt to meet the Emperor Alexander. + I eagerly seize the opportunity of your approach to my frontier to + renew those testimonials of friendship and esteem which I have + pledged to you; and I send my Lieutenant-General, Baron Vincent, to + convey to you the assurance of my unalterable sentiments. If the + false accounts that have been circulated respecting the internal + institutions which I have established in my monarchy should for a + moment have excited your Majesty's doubts as to my intentions, I + fatter myself that the explanations given on that subject by Count + Metternich to your Minister will have entirely removed them. Baron + Vincent is enabled to confirm to your Majesty all that has been said + by Count Metternich on the subject, and to add any further + explanations, you may wish for. I beg that your Majesty will grant + him the same gracious reception he experienced at Paris and at + Warsaw. The renewed marks of favour you may bestow on him will be + an unequivocal pledge of the reciprocity of your sentiments, and + will seal that confidence which will render our satisfaction mutual. + + Deign to accept the assurance of the unalterable affection and + respect with which I am, Sire, my Brother, Your imperial and royal + Majesty's faithful brother and friend, + (Signed) FRANCIS. + PRESBURG, 8th September 1808. + +This letter appears to be a model of ambiguity, by which it is impossible +Napoleon could have been imposed upon. However, as yet he had no +suspicion of the hostility of Austria, which speedily became manifest; +his grand object then was the Spanish business, and, as I have before +observed, one of the secrets of Napoleon's genius was, that he did not +apply himself to more than one thing at a time. + +At Erfurt Bonaparte attained the principal object he had promised himself +by the meeting. Alexander recognized Joseph in his new character of King +of Spain and the Indies. It has been said that as the price of this +recognition Napoleon consented that Alexander should have Swedish +Finland; but for the truth of this I cannot vouch. However, I remember +that when, after the interview at Erfurt, Alexander had given-orders to +his ambassador to Charles IV. to continue his functions under King +Joseph, the Swedish charge d'affaires at Hamburg told me that +confidential letters received by him from Erfurt led him to fear that the +Emperor Alexander had communicated to Napoleon his designs on Finland, +and that Napoleon had given his consent to the occupation. Be this as it +may, as soon as the interview was over Napoleon returned to Paris, where +he presided with much splendour at the opening of the Legislative Body, +and set out in the month of November for Spain. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +1808. + + The Spanish troops in Hamburg--Romana's siesta--His departure for + Funen--Celebration of Napoleon's birthday--Romana's defection-- + English agents and the Dutch troops--Facility of communication + between England and the Continent--Delay of couriers from Russia-- + Alarm and complaints--The people of Hamburg--Montesquieu and the + Minister of the Grand Duke of Tuscany--Invitations at six months-- + Napoleon's journey to Italy--Adoption of Eugene--Lucien's daughter + and the Prince of the Asturias--M. Auguste de Stael's interview with + Napoleon. + +Previous to the interview at Erfurt an event took place which created a +strong interest in Hamburg and throughout Europe, an event which was +planned and executed with inconceivable secrecy. I allude to the +defection of the Marquis de la Romans, which I have not hitherto noticed, +in order that I might not separate the different facts which came to my +knowledge respecting that defection and the circumstances which +accompanied it. + +The Marquis de la Romans had come to the Hanse Towns at the head of an +army corps of 18,000 men, which the Emperor in the preceding campaign +claimed in virtue of treaties previously concluded with the Spanish +Government. The Spanish troops at first met with a good reception in the +Hanse Towns. The difference of language, indeed, occasionally caused +discord, but when better acquainted the inhabitants and their visitors +became good friends. The Marquis de la Romans was a little swarthy man, +of unprepossessing and rather common appearance; but he had a +considerable share of talent and information. He had travelled in almost +every part of Europe, and as he had been a close observer of all he saw +his conversation was exceedingly agreeable and instructive. + +During his stay at Hamburg General Romans spent almost every evening at +my house, and invariably fell asleep over a game at whist. Madame de +Bourrienne was usually his partner, and I recollect he perpetually +offered apologies for his involuntary breach of good manners. This, +however, did not hinder him from being guilty of the same offence the +next evening. I will presently explain the cause of this regular siesta. + +On the King of Spain's birthday the Marquis de la Romans gave a +magnificent entertainment. The decorations of the ballroom consisted of +military emblems. The Marquis did the honours with infinite grace, and +paid particular attention to the French generals. He always spoke of the +Emperor in very respectful terms, without any appearance of affectation, +so that it was impossible to suspect him of harbouring disaffection. He +played his part to the last with the utmost address. At Hamburg we had +already received intelligence of the fatal result of the battle of the +Sierra Morena, and of the capitulation of Dupont, which disgraced him at +the very moment when the whole army marked him out as the man most likely +next to receive the baton of Marshal of France. + +Meanwhile the Marquis de la Romans departed for the Danish island of +Funen, in compliance with the order which Marshal Bernadotte had +transmitted to him. There, as at Hamburg, the Spaniards were well liked, +for their general obliged them to observe the strictest discipline. +Great preparations were made in Hamburg on the approach of Saint +Napoleon's day, which was then celebrated with much solemnity in every +town in which France had representatives. The Prince de Ponte-Corvo was +at Travemunde, a small seaport near Lubeck, but that did not prevent him +from giving directions for the festival of the 15th of August. The +Marquis de la Romana, the better to deceive the Marshal, despatched a +courier, requesting permission to visit Hamburg on the day of the fete in +order to join his prayers to those of the French, and to receive, on the +day of the fete, from the hands of the Prince, the grand order of the +Legion of Honour, which he had solicited, and which Napoleon had granted +him. Three days after Bernadotte received intelligence of the defection +of de la Romana. The Marquis had contrived to assemble a great number of +English vessels on the coast, and to escape with all his troops except a +depot of 600 men left at Altona. We afterwards heard that he experienced +no interruption on his passage, and that he landed with his troops at +Corunna. I now knew to what to attribute the drowsiness which always +overcame the Marquis de la Romana when he sat down to take a hand at +whist. The fact was, he sat up all night making preparations for the +escape which he had long meditated, while to lull suspicion he showed +himself everywhere during the day, as usual. + +On the defection of the Spanish troops I received letters from Government +requiring me to augment my vigilance, and to seek out those persons who +might be supposed to have been in the confidence of the Marquis de la +Romans. I was informed that English agents, dispersed through the Hanse +Towns, were endeavouring to foment discord and dissatisfaction among the +King of Holland's troops. These manoeuvres were connected with the +treason of the Spaniards and the arrival of Danican in Denmark. +Insubordination had already broken out, but it was promptly repressed. +Two Dutch soldiers were shot for striking their officers, but +notwithstanding this severity desertion among the troops increased to an +alarming degree. Indefatigable agents in the pay of the English +Government laboured incessantly to seduce the soldiers of King Louis (of +Holland) from their duty. Some of these agents being denounced to me +were taken almost in the act, and positive proof being adduced of their +guilt they were condemned to death. + +These indispensable examples of severity did not check the manoeuvres of +England, though they served to cool the zeal of her agents. I used every +endeavour to second the Prince of Ponte-Corvo in tracing out the persons +employed by England. It was chiefly from the small island of Heligoland +that they found their way to the Continent. This communication was +facilitated by the numerous vessels scattered about the small islands +which lie along that coast. Five or six pieces of gold defrayed the +expense of the passage to or from Heligoland. Thus the Spanish news, +which was printed and often fabricated at London, was profusely +circulated in the north of Germany. Packets of papers addressed to +merchants and well-known persons in the German towns were put into the +post-offices of Embden, Kuipphausen, Varel, Oldenburg, Delmenhorst, and +Bremen. Generally speaking, this part of the coast was not sufficiently +well watched to prevent espionage and smuggling; with regard to +smuggling, indeed, no power could have entirely prevented it. The +Continental system had made it a necessity, so that a great part of the +population depended on it for subsistence. + +In the beginning of December 1808 we remarked that the Russian courier +who passed through Konigsberg and Berlin, was regularly detained four, +five, and even six hours on his way to Hamburg. The trading portion of +the population, always suspicious, became alarmed at this chance in the +courier's hours, into which they inquired and soon discovered the cause. +It was ascertained that two agents had been stationed by the postmaster +of the Grand Duchy of Berg at Hamburg, in a village called Eschburg +belonging to the province of Lauenburg. There the courier from Berlin +was stopped, and his packets and letters opened. As soon as these facts +were known in Hamburg there was a general consternation among the trading +class-that is to say, the influential population of the city. Important +and well-grounded complaints were made. Some letters had been +suppressed, enclosures had been taken from one letter and put into +another, and several bills of exchange had gone astray. The intelligence +soon reached the ears of the Prince of Ponte-Corvo, and was confirmed by +the official report of the commissioner for the Imperial and Royal Post- +office, who complained of the delay of the courier, of the confusion of +the packets, and of want of confidence in the Imperial Post-office. It +was impolitic to place such agents in a village where there was not even +a post-office, and where the letters were opened in an inn without any +supervision. This examination of the letters, sometimes, perhaps, +necessary, but often dangerous, and always extremely delicate, created +additional alarm, on account of the persons to whom the business was +entrusted. If the Emperor wished to be made acquainted with the +correspondence of certain persons in the north it would have been natural +to entrust the business to his agents and his commissioner at Hamburg, +and not to two unknown individuals--another inconvenience attending black +cabinets. At my suggestion the Prince of Ponte-Corvo gave orders for +putting a stop to the clandestine business at Eschburg. The two agents +were taken to Hamburg and their conduct inquired into. They were +severely punished. They deserved this, however, less than those who had +entrusted them with such an honourable mission; but leaders never make +much scruple about abandoning their accomplices in the lower ranks. + +But for the pain of witnessing vexations of this sort, which I had not +always power to prevent, especially after Bernadotte's removal, my +residence at Hamburg would have been delightful. Those who have visited +that town know the advantages it possesses from its charming situation on +the Elbe, and above all, the delightful country which surrounds it like a +garden, and extends to the distance of more than a league along the banks +of the Eyder. The manners and customs of the inhabitants bear the stamp +of peculiarity; they are fond of pursuing their occupations in the open +air. The old men are often seen sitting round tables placed before their +doors sipping tea, while the children play before them, and the young +people are at their work. These groups have a very picturesque effect, +and convey a gratifying idea of the happiness of the people. On seeing +the worthy citizens of Hamburg assembled round their doors I could not +help thinking of a beautiful remark of Montesquieu. When he went to +Florence with a letter of recommendation to the Prime Minister of the +Grand Duke of Tuscany he found him sitting at the threshold of his door, +inhaling the fresh air and conversing with some friends. "I see," said +Montesquieu, "that I am arrived among a happy people, since their Prime +Minister can enjoy his leisure moments thus." + +A sort of patriarchal simplicity characterises the manners of the +inhabitants of Hamburg. They do not visit each other much, and only by +invitation; but on such occasions they display great luxury beneath their +simple exterior. They are methodical and punctual to an extraordinary +degree. Of this I recollect a curious instance. I was very intimate +with Baron Woght, a man of talent and information, and exceedingly +amiable manners. One day he called to make us a farewell visit as he +intended to set out on the following day for Paris. On Madame de +Bourrienne expressing a hope that he would not protract his absence +beyond six months, the period he had fixed upon, he replied, "Be assured, +madame, nothing shall prevent me getting home on the day I have +appointed, for I have invited a party of friends to dine with me on the +day after my return." The Baron returned at the appointed time, and none +of his guests required to be reminded of his invitation at six months' +date. + +Napoleon so well knew the effect which his presence produced that after a +conquest he loved to show himself to the people whose territories he +added to the Empire. Duroc, who always accompanied him when he was not +engaged on missions, gave me a curious account of Napoleon's journey in +1807 to Venice and the other Italian provinces, which, conformably with +the treaty of Presburg, were annexed to the Kingdom of Italy. + +In this journey to the Kingdom of Italy Napoleon had several important +objects in view. He was planning great alliances; and he loaded Eugene +with favours for the purpose of sounding him and preparing him for his +mother's divorce. At the same time he intended to have an interview with +his brother Lucien, because, wishing to dispose of the hand of his +brother's daughter, he thought of making her marry the Prince of the +Asturias (Ferdinand), who before the Spanish war, when the first +dissensions between father and son had become manifest, had solicited an +alliance with the Emperor in the hope of getting his support. This was +shortly after the eldest son of Louis had died in Holland of croup. It +has been wrongly believed that Napoleon had an affection for this child +beyond that of an uncle for a nephew. I have already said the truth +about this. + +However this may be, it is certain that Napoleon now seriously +contemplated a divorce from Josephine. If there had been no other proof +of this I, who from long habit knew how to read Napoleon's thoughts by +his acts, found a sufficient one in the decree issued at Milan by which +Napoleon adopted Eugene as his son and successor to the crown of Italy, +in default of male and legitimate children directly descended from him. +Lucien went to Mantua on his brother's invitation, and this was the last +interview they had before the Cent Tours. Lucien consented to give his +daughter to the Prince of the Asturias, but this marriage did not take +place. I learned from Duroc to what a height the enmity of Lucien +towards the Beauharnais family, an enmity which I have often had occasion +to speak of, had been renewed on this occasion. Lucien could not pardon +Josephine for the rebuff of the counsels which he had given her, and +which she had rejected with such proper indignation. Lucien had besides +another special reason for giving his daughter to the Prince of the +Asturias. He particularly wished to prevent that Prince marrying +Mademoiselle de Tascher, the niece of Josephine, a marriage for which M. +de Beauharnais, then Ambassador of France at Madrid, was working with all +his might. Lucien also, with his Republican stolidity, submitted without +too much scruple to the idea of having a Bourbon King as son-in-law. It +was also during this journey of Napoleon that he annexed Tuscany to the +Empire. + +Bonaparte returned to Paris on the 1st of January 1808. On his way he +stopped for a short time at Chambery, where a young man had been waiting +for him several days. This was Madame de Stael's son, who was then not +more than seventeen years of age. M. Auguste de Stael lodged at the +house of the postmaster of Chambery, and as the Emperor was expected in +the course of the night, he gave orders that he should be called up on +the arrival of the first courier. The couriers, who had been delayed on +the road, did not arrive until six in the morning, and were almost +immediately followed by the Emperor himself, so that M, de Stael was +awakened by the cries of Vive l'Empereur! He had just time to dress +himself hastily, and fly to meet Napoleon, to whom he delivered a letter, +which he had prepared beforehand for the purpose of soliciting an +audience. Lauriston, the aide de camp on duty, took the letter, it being +his business to receive all the letters and petitions which were +presented to Napoleon on his way. Before breakfast the Emperor opened +the letters which Lauriston had laid on the table; he merely looked at +the signatures, and then laid them aside. On opening M. de Stael's +letter he said, "Ah! ah! what have we here? a letter from M. de Stael! +. . . He wishes to see me: . . . What can he want? . . . Can +there be anything in common between me and the refugees of Geneva?"-- +"Sire," observed Lauriston, "he is a very young man; and, as well as I +could judge from the little I saw of him, there is something very +prepossessing in his appearance."--"A very young man, say you? . . . +Oh, then I will see him . . . . Rustan, tell him to come in." +M. de Stael presented himself to Napoleon with modesty, but without any +unbecoming timidity. When he had respectfully saluted the Emperor a +conversation ensued between them, which Duroc described to me in nearly +the following manner. + +As M. de Stael advanced towards the Emperor the latter said, "Whence do +you come?"--"From Geneva, Sire."--"Where is your mother?"--"She is either +in Vienna or will soon be there."--"At Vienna! . . . Well, that is +where she ought to be; and I suppose she is happy . . . . She will +now have a good opportunity of learning German."--"Sire, how can you +imagine my mother is happy when she is absent from her country and her +friends? If I were permitted to lay before your Majesty my mother's +confidential letter you would see how unhappy she is in her exile."-- +"Ah, bah! your mother unhappy, indeed! . . . However, I do not mean +to say she is altogether a bad woman . . . . She has talent--perhaps +too much; and hers is an unbridled talent. She was educated amidst the +chaos of the subverted monarchy and the Revolution; and out of these +events she makes an amalgamation of her own! All this might become very +dangerous. Her enthusiasm is likely to make proselytes. I must keep +watch upon her. She does not like me; and for the interests of those +whom she would endanger I must prohibit her coming to Paris." + +Young De Stael stated that his object in seeking the interview with the +Emperor was to petition for his mother's return to Paris. Napoleon +having listened without impatience to the reasons he urged in support of +his request, said, "But supposing I were to permit your mother to return +to Pairs, six months would not elapse before I should be obliged to send +her to the Bicetre or to the Temple. This I should be sorry to do, +because the affair would make a noise, and injure me in public opinion. +Tell your mother that my determination is formed, that my decision is +irrevocable. She shall never set foot in Paris as long as I live."-- +"Sire, I cannot believe that you would arbitrarily imprison my mother if +she gave you no reason for such severity."--"She would give me a dozen! +. . . I know her well."--"Sire, permit me to say that I am certain my +mother would live in Paris in a way that would afford no ground of +reproach; she would live retired, and would see only a very few friends. +In spite of your Majesty's refusal I venture to entreat that you will +give her a trial, were it only for six weeks or a month. Permit her, +Sire, to pass that time in Paris, and I conjure you to come to no final +decision beforehand."--"Do you think I am to be deceived by these fair +promises? . . . I tell you it cannot be. She would serve as a +rallying point for the Faubourg St. Germain. She see nobody, indeed! +Could she make that sacrifice? She would visit and receive company. She +would be guilty of a thousand follies. She would be saying things which +she may consider as very good jokes, but which I should take seriously. +My government is no joke: I wish this to be well known by everybody."-- +"Sire, will your Majesty permit me to repeat that my mother has no wish +whatever to mingle in society? She would confine herself to the circle +of a few friends, a list of whom she would give to your Majesty. You, +Sire, who love France so well, may form some idea of the misery my mother +suffers in her banishment. I conjure your Majesty to yield to my +entreaties, and let us be included in the number of your faithful +subjects."--"You!"--"Yes, Sire; or if your Majesty persist in your +refusal, permit a son to inquire what can have raised your displeasure +against his mother. Some say that it was my grandfather's last work; but +I can assure your Majesty that my mother had nothing to do with that."-- +"Yes, certainly," added Napoleon, with more ill-humour than he had +hitherto manifested. "Yes, certainly, that work is very objectionable. +Your grandfather was an ideologist, a fool, an old lunatic. At sixty +years of age to think of forming plans to overthrow my constitution! +States would be well governed, truly, under such theorists, who judge of +men from books and the world from the map."--"Sire, since my +grandfather's plans are, in your Majesty's eyes, nothing but vain +theories, I cannot conceive why they should so highly excite your +displeasure. There is no political economist who has not traced out +plans of constitutions."--"Oh! as to political economists, they are mere- +visionaries, who are dreaming of plans of finance while they are unfit to +fulfil the duties of a schoolmaster in the most insignificant village in +the Empire. Your grandfather's work is that of an obstinate old man who +died abusing all governments."--"Sire, may I presume to suppose, from the +way in which you speak of it, that your Majesty judges from the report of +malignant persons, and that you have not yourself read it." + +"That is a mistake. I have read it myself from beginning to end."-- +"Then your Majesty must have seen how my grandfather renders justice to +your genius."--"Fine justice, truly! . . . He calls me the +indispensable man, but, judging from his arguments, the best thing that +could be done would be to cut my throat! Yes, I was indeed indispensable +to repair the follies of your grandfather, and the mischief he did to +France. It was he who overturned the monarchy and led Louis XVI. to the +scaffold."--"Sire, you seem to forget that my grandfather's property was +confiscated because he defended the King."--" Defended the King! A fine +defence, truly! You might as well say that if I give a man poison and +present him with an antidote when he is in the agonies of death I wish to +save him! Yet that is the way your grandfather defended Louis XVI..... +As to the confiscation you speak of, what does that prove? Nothing. +Why, the property of Robespierre was confiscated! And let me tell you +that Robespierre himself, Marat, and Danton did much less mischief to +France than M. Necker. It was he who brought about the Revolution. You, +Monsieur de Stael, did not see this; but I did. I witnessed all that +passed in those days of terror and public calamity. But as long as I +live those days shall never return. Your speculators trace their Utopian +schemes upon paper; fools read and believe them. All are babbling about +general happiness, and presently the people have not bread to eat; then +comes a revolution. Such is usually the fruit of all these fine +theories! Your grandfather was the cause of the saturnalia which +desolated France. He is responsible for all the blood shed in the +Revolution!" + +Duroc informed me that the Emperor uttered these last words in a tone of +fury which made all present tremble for young De Stael. Fortunately the +young man did not lose his self-possession in the conflict, while the +agitated expression of his countenance evidently showed what was passing +in his mind. He was sufficiently master of himself to reply to the +Emperor in a calm though rather faltering voice: "Sire, permit me to hope +that posterity will judge of my grandfather more favourably than your +Majesty does. During his administration he was ranked by the side of +Sully and Colbert; and let me repeat again that I trust posterity will +render him justice."--"Posterity will, probably, say little about him."-- +"I venture to hope the contrary, Sire." + +Then, added Duroc, the Emperor turning to us said with a smile, "After +all, gentlemen, it is not for me to say too much against the Revolution +since I have gained a throne by it." Then again turning to M. de Stael +he said, "The reign of anarchy is at au end. I must have subordination. +Respect the sovereign authority, since it comes from God. You are young, +and well educated, therefore; follow a better course, and avoid those bad +principles which endanger the welfare of society."--"Sire, since your +Majesty does me the honour to think me well educated, you ought not to +condemn the principles of my grandfather and my mother, for it is in +those principles that I have been brought up."--" Well, I advise you to +keep right in politics, for I will not pardon any offences of the Necker +kind. Every one should keep right in politics." + +This conversation, Duroc informed me, had continued the whole time of +breakfast, and the Emperor rose just as he pronounced these last words: +"Every one should keep right in politics." At that moment young De Stael +again renewed his solicitations for his mother's recall from exile. +Bonaparte then stepped up to him and pinched his ear with that air of +familiarity which was customary to him when he was in good humour or +wished to appear so. + +"You are young," said he; "if you had my age and experience you would +judge of things more correctly. I am far from being displeased with your +frankness. I like to see a son plead his mother's cause. Your mother +has given you a difficult commission, and you have executed it cleverly. +I am glad I have had this opportunity of conversing with you. I love to +talk with young people when they are unassuming and not too fond of +arguing. But in spite of that I will not hold out false hopes to you. +Murat has already spoken to me on the subject, and I have told him, as I +now tell you, that my will is irrevocable. If your mother were in prison +I should not hesitate to liberate her, but nothing shall induce me to +recall her from exile."--" But, Sire, is she not as unhappy in being +banished from her country and her friends as if she were in prison?"-- +"Oh! these are your mother's romantic ideas. She is exceedingly unhappy, +and much to be pitied, no doubt! . . . With the exception of Paris +she has all Europe for her prison."--"But, Sire, her friends are in +Paris."--" With her talents she may make friends anywhere. After all, +I cannot understand why she should be so anxious to come to Paris. Why +should she wish to place herself immediately within the reach of my +tyranny? Can she not go to Rome, to Berlin, to Vienna, to Milan, or to +London? Yes, let her go to London; that is the place for her. There she +may libel me as much as she pleases. In short, she has my full liberty +to be anywhere but in Paris. You see, Monsieur de Stael, that is the +place of my residence, and there I will have only those who are attached +to me. I know from experience that if I were to allow your mother to +come to Paris she would spoil everybody about me. She would finish the +spoiling of Garat. It was she who ruined the Tribunate. I know she +would promise wonders; but she cannot refrain from meddling with +politics."--" I can assure your Majesty that my mother does not now +concern herself about politics. She devotes herself exclusively to the +society of her friends and to literature."--"Ah, there it is! . . . +Literature! Do you think I am to be imposed upon by that word? While +discoursing on literature, morals, the fine arts, and such matters, it is +easy to dabble in politics. Let women mind their knitting. If your +mother were in Paris I should hear all sorts of reports about her. +Things might, indeed, be falsely attributed to her; but, be that as it +may, I will have nothing of the kind going on in the capital in which I +reside. All things considered, advise your mother to go to London. That +is the best place for her. As for your grandfather, I have not spoken +too severely of him. M. Necker knew nothing of the art of government. +I have learned something of the matter during the last twenty years. +"All the world, Sire, renders justice to your Majesty's genius, and there +is no one but acknowledges that the finances of France are now more +prosperous than ever they were before your reign. But permit me to +observe that your Majesty must, doubtless, have seen some merit in the +financial regulations of my grandfather, since you have adopted some of +them in the admirable system you have established."--"That proves +nothing; for two or three good ideas do not constitute a good system. +Be that as it may, I say again, I will never allow your mother to return +to Paris."--" But, Sire, if sacred interests should absolutely require +her presence there for a few days would not--"--"How! Sacred interests! +What do you mean?"--"Yes, Sire, if you do not allow her to return I shall +be obliged to go there, unaided by her advice, in order to recover from +your Majesty's Government the payment of a sacred debt."--"Ah! bah! +Sacred! Are not all the debts of the State sacred?"--"Doubtless, Sire; +but ours is attended with circumstances which give it a peculiar +character."--"A peculiar character! Nonsense! Does not every State +creditor say the same of his debt? Besides, I know nothing of your +claim. It does not concern me, and I will not meddle with it. If you +have the law on your side so much the better; but if you want favour I +tell you I will not interfere. If I did, I should be rather against you +than otherwise."--"Sire, my brother and myself had intended to settle in +France, but how can we live in a country where our mother cannot visit +us?"--"I do not care for that. I do not advise you to come here. Go +to England. The English like wrangling politicians. Go there, for in +France, I tell you candidly, that I should be rather against you than for +you." + +"After this conversation," added Duroc, "the Emperor got into the +carriage with me without stopping to look to the other petitions which +had been presented to him. He preserved unbroken silence until he got +nearly opposite the cascade, on the left of the road, a few leagues from +Chambery. He appeared to be absorbed in reflection. At length he said, +'I fear I have been somewhat too harsh with this young man . . . . +But no matter, it will prevent others from troubling me. These people +calumniate everything I do. They do not understand me, Duroc; their +place is not in France. How can Necker's family be for the Bourbons, +whose first duty, if ever they returned to France, would be to hang them +all.'" + +This conversation, related to me by Duroc, interested me so much that I +noted it down on paper immediately after my interview. + + + + +CHAR XVII. + +1808. + + The Republic of Batavia--The crown of Holland offered to Louis-- + Offer and refusal of the crown of Spain--Napoleon's attempt to get + possession of Brabant--Napoleon before and after Erfart-- + A remarkable letter to Louis--Louis summoned to Paris--His honesty + and courage--His bold language--Louis' return to Holland, and his + letter to Napoleon--Harsh letter from Napoleon to Louis--Affray at + Amsterdam--Napoleon's displeasure and last letter to his brother-- + Louis' abdication in favour of his son--Union of Holland to the + French Empire--Protest of Louis against that measure--Letter from M. + Otto to Louis. + +When Bonaparte was the chief of the French Republic he had no objection +to the existence of a Batavian Republic in the north of France, and he +equally tolerated the Cisalpine Republic in the south. But after the +coronation all the Republics, which were grouped like satellites round +the grand Republic, were converted into kingdoms subject to the Empire, +if not avowedly, at least in fact. In this respect there was no +difference between the Batavian and Cisalpine Republics. The latter +having been metamorphosed into the Kingdom of Italy, it was necessary to +find some pretext for transforming the former into the Kingdom of +Holland. The government of the Republic of Batavia had been for some +time past merely the shadow of a government, but still it preserved, even +in its submission to France, those internal forms of freedom which +console a nation for the loss of independence. The Emperor kept up such +an extensive agency in Holland that he easily got up a deputation +soliciting him to choose a king for the Batavian Republic. This +submissive deputation came to Paris in 1806 to solicit the Emperor, as a +favour, to place Prince Louis on the throne of Holland. The address of +the deputation, the answer of Napoleon, and the speech of Louis on being +raised to the sovereign dignity, have all been published. + +Louis became King of Holland much against his inclination, for he opposed +the proposition as much as he dared, alleging as an objection the state +of his health, to which certainly the climate of Holland was not +favourable; but Bonaparte sternly replied to his remonstrance, "It is +better to die a king than live a prince." He was then obliged to accept +the crown. He went to Holland accompanied by Hortense, who, however, did +mot stay long there. The new King wanted to make himself beloved by his +subjects, and as they were an entirely commercial people the best way to +win their affections was not to adopt Napoleon's rigid laws against +commercial intercourse with England. Hence the first coolness between +the two brothers, which ended in the abdication of Louis. + +I know not whether Napoleon recollected the motive assigned by Louis for +at first refusing the crown of Holland, namely, the climate of the +country, or whether he calculated upon greater submission in another of +his brothers; but this is certain, that Joseph was not called from the +throne of Naples to the throne of Spain until after the refusal of Louis. +I have in my possession a copy of a letter written to him by Napoleon on +the subject. It is without date of time or place, but its contents prove +it to have been written in March or April 1808. It is as follows:-- + + BROTHER:--The King of Spain, Charles IV., has just abdicated. The + Spanish people loudly appeal to me. Certain of obtaining no solid + peace with England unless I cause a great movement on the Continent, + I have determined to place a French King on the throne of Spain. + The climate of Holland does not agree with you; besides, Holland + cannot rise from her rains. In the whirlwind of events, whether we + have peace or not, there is no possibility of her maintaining + herself. In this state of things I have thought of the throne of + Spain for you. Give me your opinions categorically on this measure. + If I were to name you King of Spain would you accept the offer? May + I count on you? Answer me these two questions. Say, "I have + received your letter of such a day, I answer Yes," and then I shall + count on your doing what I wish; or say "No" if you decline my + proposal. Let no one enter into your confidence, and mention to no + one the object of this letter. The thing must be done before we + confess having thought about it. + + (signed) NAPOLEON. + +Before finally seizing Holland Napoleon formed the project of separating +Brabant and Zealand from it in exchange for other provinces, the +possession of which was doubtful, but Louis successfully resisted this +first act of usurpation. Bonaparte was, too intent on the great business +in Spain to risk any commotion in the north, where the declaration of +Russia against Sweden already sufficiently occupied him. He therefore +did not insist upon, and even affected indifference to, the proposed +augmentation of the territory of the Empire. This at least may be +collected from another letter, dated St. Cloud, 17th August, written upon +hearing from M. Alexandre de la Rochefoucauld, his Ambassador in Holland, +and from his brother himself, the opposition of Louis to his project. + +The letter was as follows:-- + + BROTHER--I have received your letter relating to that of the Sieur + de la Rochefoucauld. He was only authorised to make the proposals + indirectly. Since the exchange does not please you, let us think no + more about it. It was useless to make a parade of principles, + though I never said that you ought not to consult the nation. The + well-informed part of the Dutch people had already acknowledged + their indifference to the loss of Brabant, which is connected with + France rather than with Holland, and interspersed with expensive + fortresses; it might have been advantageously exchanged for the + northern provinces. But, once for all, since you do not like this + arrangement, let no more be said about it. It was useless even to + mention it to me, for the Sieur de la Rochefoucauld was instructed + merely to hint the matter. + +Though ill-humour here evidently peeps out beneath affected +condescension, yet the tone of this letter is singularly moderate,--I may +even say kind, in comparison with other letters which Napoleon addressed +to Louis. This letter, it is true, was written previously to the +interview at Erfurt, when Napoleon, to avoid alarming Russia, made his +ambition appear to slumber. But when he got his brother Joseph +recognised, and when he had himself struck an important blow in the +Peninsula, he began to change his tone to Louis. On the 20th of December +he wrote a very remarkable letter, which exhibits the unreserved +expression of that tyranny which he wished to exercise over all his +family in order to make them the instruments of his despotism. He +reproached Louis for not following his system of policy, telling him that +he had forgotten he was a Frenchman, and that he wished to become a +Dutchman. Among other things he said: + + Your Majesty has done more: you took advantage of the moment when I + was involved in the affairs of the Continent to renew the relations + between Holland and England--to violate the laws of the blockade, + which are the only means of effectually destroying the latter power. + I expressed my dissatisfaction by forbidding you to come to France, + and I have made you feel that even without the assistance of my + armies, by merely closing the Rhine, the Weser, the Scheldt, and the + Meuse against Holland, I should have placed her in a situation more + critical than if I had declared war against her. Your Majesty + implored my generosity, appealed to my feelings as brother, and + promised to alter your conduct. I thought this warning would be + sufficient. I raised my custom-house prohibitions, but your Majesty + has returned to your old system. + + Your Majesty received all the American ships that presented + themselves in the ports of Holland after having been expelled from + those of France. I have been obliged a second time to prohibit + trade with Holland. In this state of things we may consider + ourselves really at war. In my speech to the Legislative Body I + manifested my displeasure; for I will not conceal from you that my + intention is to unite Holland with France. This will be the most + severe blow I can aim against England, and will deliver me from the + perpetual insults which the plotters of your Cabinet are constantly + directing against me. The mouths of the Rhine and of the Meuse + ought, indeed, to belong to me. The principle that the 'Thalweg' + (towing-path) of the Rhine is the boundary of France is a + fundamental principle. Your Majesty writes to me on the 17th that + you are sure of being able to prevent all trade between Holland and + England. I am of opinion that your Majesty promises more than + you can fulfil. I shall, however, remove my custom-house + prohibitions whenever the existing treaties may be executed. The + following are my conditions:--First, The interdiction of all trade + and communication with England. Second, The supply of a fleet of + fourteen sail-of the line, seven frigates and seven brigs or + corvettes, armed and manned. Third, An army of 25,000 men. Fourth, + The suppression of the rank of marshals. Fifth, The abolition of + all the privileges of nobility which are contrary to the + constitution which I have given and guaranteed. Your Majesty may + negotiate on these bases with the Due de Cadore, through the medium + of your Minister; but be assured that on the entrance of the first + packetboat into Holland I will restore my prohibitions, and that the + first Dutch officer who may presume to insult my flag shall be + seized, and hanged at the mainyard. Your Majesty will find in me a + brother if you prove yourself a Frenchman; but if yon forget the + sentiments which attach you to our common country you cannot think + it extraordinary that I should lose sight of those which nature + created between us. In short, the union of Holland and France will + be of all things, most useful to France, to Holland, and the whole + Continent, because it will be most injurious to England. This union + must be effected willingly or by force. Holland has given me + sufficient reason to declare war against her. However, I shall not + scruple to consent to an arrangement which will secure to me the + limit of the Rhine, and by which Holland will pledge herself to + fulfil the conditions stipulated above. + + --[Much of the manner in which Napoleon treated occupied + countries such as Holland is explained by the spirit of his + answer when Beugnot complained to him of the harm done to the + Grand Duchy of Berg by the monopoly of tobacco. "It is + extraordinary that you should not have discovered the motive + that makes me persist in the establishment of the monopoly of + tobacco in the Grand Duchy. The question is not about your + Grand Duchy but about France. I am very well aware that it is + not to your benefit, and that you very possibly lose by it, but + what does that signify if it be for the good of France? I tell + you, then, that in every country where there is a monopoly of + tobacco, but which is contiguous to one where the sale is free, + a regular smuggling infiltration must be reckoned on, supplying + the consumption for twenty or twenty-five miles into the + country subject to the duty. That is what I intend to preserve + France from. You must protect yourselves as well as yon can + from this infiltration. It is enough for me to drive it back + more than twenty or twenty-five miles from my frontier." + (Beugnot, vol. ii. p. 26).]-- + +Here the correspondence between the two brothers was suspended for a +time; but Louis still continued exposed to new vexations on the part of +Napoleon. About the end of 1809 the Emperor summoned all the sovereigns +who might be called his vassals to Paris. Among the number was Louis, +who, however, did not show himself very willing to quit his States. He +called a council of his Ministers, who were of opinion that for the +interest of Holland he ought to make this new sacrifice. He did so with +resignation. Indeed, every day passed on the throne was a sacrifice made +by Louis. + +He lived very quietly in Paris, and was closely watched by the police, +for it was supposed that as he had come against his will he would not +protract his stay so long as Napoleon wished. The system of espionage +under which he found himself placed, added to the other circumstances of +his situation, inspired him with a degree of energy of which he was not +believed to be capable; and amidst the general silence of the servants of +the Empire, and even of the Kings and Princes assembled in the capital, +he ventured to say, "I have been deceived by promises which were never +intended to be kept. Holland is tired of being the sport of France." The +Emperor, who was unused to such language as this, was highly incensed at +it. Louis had now no alternative but to yield to the incessant exactions +of Napoleon or to see Holland united to France. He chose the latter, +though not before he had exerted all his feeble power in behalf of the +subjects whom Napoleon had consigned to him; but he would not be the +accomplice of the man who had resolved to make those subjects the victims +of his hatred against England. Who, indeed, could be so blind as not to +see that the ruin of the Continent would be the triumph of British +commerce? + +Louis was, however, permitted to return to his States to contemplate the +stagnating effect of the Continental blockade on every branch of trade +and industry formerly so active in Holland. Distressed at witnessing +evils to which he could apply no remedy, he endeavoured by some prudent +remonstrances to avert the utter, ruin with which Holland was threatened. +On the 23d of March 1810 he wrote the following letter to Napoleon:-- + + If you wish to consolidate the present state of France, to obtain + maritime peace, or to attack England with advantage, those objects + are not to be obtained by measures like the blockading system, the + destruction of a kingdom raised by yourself, or the enfeebling of + your allies, and setting at defiance their most sacred rights and + the first principles of the law of nations. Yon should, on the + contrary, win their affections for France, and consolidate and + reinforce your allies, making them like your brothers, in whom you + may place confidence. The destruction of Holland, far from being + the means of assailing England, will serve only to increase her + strength, by all the industry and wealth which will fly to her for + refuge. There are, in reality, only three ways of assailing + England, namely, by detaching Ireland, getting possession of the + East Indies, or by invasion. These two latter modes, which would be + the most effectual, cannot be executed without naval force. But I + am astonished that the first should have been so easily + relinquished. That is a more secure mode of obtaining peace on good + conditions than the system of injuring ourselves for the sake of + committing a greater injury upon the enemy. + + (Signed) LOUIS. + +Written remonstrances were no more to Napoleon's taste than verbal ones +at a time when, as I was informed by my friends whom fortune chained to +his destiny, no one presumed to address a word to him except in answer to +his questions. Cambaceres, who alone had retained that privilege in +public as his old colleague in the Consulate, lost it after Napoleon's +marriage with the daughter of Imperial Austria. His brother's letter +highly roused his displeasure. Two months after he received it, being on +a journey in the north, he replied from Ostend by a letter which cannot +be read without a feeling of pain, since it serves to show how weak are +the most sacred ties of blood in comparison with the interests of an +insatiable policy. This letter was as follows: + + BROTHER--In the situation in which we are placed it is best to speak + candidly. I know your secret sentiments, and all that you can say + to the contrary can avail nothing. Holland is certainly in a + melancholy situation. I believe you are anxious to extricate her + from her difficulties: it is you; and you alone, who can do this. + + When you conduct yourself in such a way as to induce the people of + Holland to believe that you act under my influence, that all your + measures and all your sentiments are conformable with mine, then you + will be loved, you will be esteemed, and you will acquire the power + requisite for re-establishing Holland: when to be my friend, and the + friend of France, shall become a title of favour at your court, + Holland will be in her natural situation. Since your return from + Paris you have done nothing to effect this object. What will be the + result of your conduct? Your subjects, bandied about between France + and England, will throw themselves into the arms of France, and will + demand to be united to her. You know my character, which is to + pursue my object unimpeded by any consideration. What, therefore, + do you expect me to do? I can dispense with Holland, but Holland + cannot dispense with my protection. If, under the dominion of one + of my brothers, but looking to me alone for her welfare, she does + not find in her sovereign my image, all confidence in your + government is at an end; your sceptre is broken. Love France, love + my glory--that is the only way to serve Holland: if you had acted as + you ought to have done that country, having becoming a part of my + Empire, would have been the more dear to me since I had given her a + sovereign whom I almost regarded as my son. In placing you on the + throne of Holland I thought I had placed a French citizen there. + You have followed a course diametrically opposite to what I + expected. I have been forced to prohibit you from coming to France, + and to take possession of a part of your territory. In proving + yourself a bad Frenchman you are less to the Dutch than a Prince of + Orange, to whose family they owe their rank as a nation, and a long + succession of prosperity and glory. By your banishment from France + the Dutch are convinced that they have lost what they would not have + lost under a Schimmelpenninek or a Prince of Orange. Prove yourself + a Frenchman, and the brother of the Emperor, and be assured that + thereby you will serve the interests of Holland. But you seem to be + incorrigible, for you would drive away the few Frenchmen who remain + with you. You must be dealt with, not by affectionate advice, but + by threats and compulsion. What mean the prayers and mysterious + fasts you have ordered? Louis, you will not reign long. Your + actions disclose better than your confidential letters the + sentiments of your mind. Return to the right course. Be a + Frenchman in heart, or your people will banish you, and you will + leave Holland an object of ridicule. + + --[It was, on the contrary, became Louis made himself a + Dutchman that his people did not banish him, and that be + carried away with him the regret of all that portion of his + subjects who could appreciate his excellent qualities and + possessed good sense enough to perceive that he was not to + blame for the evils that weighed upon Holland.--Bourrienne. + The conduct of Bonaparte to Murat was almost a counterpart to + this. When Murat attempted to consult the interests of Naples + he was called a traitor to France.--Editor of 1836 edition.]-- + + States must be governed by reason and policy, and not by the + weakness produced by acrid and vitiated humours. + + (Signed) NAPOLEON. + +A few days after this letter was despatched to Louis, Napoleon heard of a +paltry affray which had taken place at Amsterdam, and to which Comte de +la Rochefoucauld gave a temporary diplomatic importance, being aware that +he could not better please his master than by affording him an excuse for +being angry. It appeared that the honour of the Count's coachman had +been put in jeopardy by the insult of a citizen of Amsterdam, and a +quarrel had ensued, which, but for the interference of the guard of the +palace, might have terminated seriously since it assumed the character of +a party affair between the French and the Dutch. M. de la Rochefoucauld +immediately despatched to the Emperor, who was then at Lille, a full +report of his coachman's quarrel, in which he expressed himself with as +much earnestness as the illustrious author of the "Maxims" evinced when +he waged war against kings. The consequence was that Napoleon instantly +fulminated the following letter against his brother Louis: + + BROTHER--At the very moment when you were making the fairest + protestations I learn that the servants of my Ambassador have been + ill-treated at Amsterdam. I insist that those who were guilty of + this outrage be delivered up to me, in order that their punishment + may serve as an example to others. The Sieur Serrurier has informed + me how you conducted yourself at the diplomatic audiences. I have, + consequently, determined that the Dutch Ambassador shall not remain + in Paris; and Admiral Yerhuell has received orders to depart within + twenty-four hours. I want no more phrases and protestations. It is + time I should know whether you intend to ruin Holland by your + follies. I do not choose that you should again send a Minister to + Austria, or that you should dismiss the French who are in your + service. I have recalled my Ambassador as I intend only to have a + charge d'affaires in Holland. The Sieur Serrurier, who remains + there in that capacity, will communicate my intentions. My + Ambassador shall no longer be exposed to your insults. Write to me + no more of those set phrases which you have been repeating for the + last three years, and the falsehood of which is proved every day. + + This is the last letter I will ever write to you as long as I live. + + (Signed) NAPOLEON. + +Thus reduced to the cruel alternative of crushing Holland with his own +hands, or leaving that task to the Emperor, Louis did not hesitate to lay +down his sceptre. Having formed this resolution, he addressed a message +to the Legislative Body of the Kingdom of Holland explaining the motives +of his abdication. The French troops entered Holland under the command +of the Duke of Reggio, and that marshal, who was more a king than the +King himself, threatened to occupy Amsterdam. Louis then descended from +his throne, and four years after Napoleon was hurled from his. + +In his act of abdication Louis declared that he had been driven to that +step by the unhappy state of his Kingdom, which he attributed to his +brother's unfavourable feelings towards him. He added that he had made +every effort and sacrifice to put an end to that painful state of things, +and that, finally, he regarded himself as the cause of the continual +misunderstanding between the French Empire and Holland. It is curious +that Louis thought he could abdicate the crown of Holland in favour of +his son, as Napoleon only four years after wished to abdicate his crown +in favour of the King of Rome. + +Louis bade farewell to the people of Holland in a proclamation, after the +publication of which he repaired to the waters at Toeplitz. There he was +living in tranquil retirement when he learned that his brother had united +Holland to the Empire. He then published a protest, of which I obtained +a copy, though its circulation was strictly prohibited by the police. In +this protest Louis said: + + + The constitution of the state guaranteed by the Emperor, my brother, + gave me the right of abdicating in favour of my children. That + abdication was made in the form and terms prescribed by the + constitution. The Emperor had no right to declare war against + Holland, and he has not done so. + + There is no act, no dissent, no demand of the Dutch nation that can + authorise the pretended union. + + My abdication does not leave the throne vacant. I have abdicated + only in favour of my children. + + As that abdication left Holland for twelve years under a regency, + that is to say, under the direct influence of the Emperor, according + to the terms of the constitution, there was no need of that union + for executing every measure he might have in view against trade and + against England, since his will was supreme in Holland. + + But I ascended the throne without any other conditions except those + imposed upon me by my conscience, my duty, and the interest and + welfare of my subjects. I therefore declare before God and the + independent sovereigns to whom I address myself-- + + First, That the treaty of the 16th of March 1810, which occasioned + the separation of the province of Zealand and Brabant from Holland, + was accepted by compulsion, and ratified conditionally by me in + Paris, where I was detained against my will; and that, moreover, the + treaty was never executed by the Emperor my brother. Instead of + 6000 French troops which I was to maintain, according to the terms + of the treaty, that number has been more than doubled; instead of + occupying only the mouths of the rivers and the coasts, the French + custom-horses have encroached into the interior of the country; + instead of the interference of France being confined to the measures + connected with the blockade of England, Dutch magazines have been + seized and Dutch subjects arbitrarily imprisoned; finally, none of + the verbal promises have been kept which were made in the Emperor's + name by the Due de Cadore to grant indemnities for the countries + ceded by the said treaty and to mitigate its execution, if the King + would refer entirely to the Emperor, etc. I declare, in my name, in + the name of the nation and my son, the treaty of the 16th of March + 1810 to be null and void. + + Second, I declare that my abdication was forced by the Emperor, my + brother, that it was made only as the last extremity, and on this + one condition--that I should maintain the rights of Holland and my + children. My abdication could only be made in their favour. + + Third, In my name, in the name of the King my son, who is as yet a + minor, and in the name of the Dutch nation, I declare the pretended + union of Holland to France, mentioned in the decree of the Emperor, + my brother, dated the 9th of July last, to be null, void, illegal, + unjust, and arbitrary in the eyes of God and man, and that the + nation and the minor King will assert their just rights when + circumstances permit them. + (Signed)LOUIS. + August 1, 1810. + + +Thus there seemed to be an end of all intercourse between these two +brothers, who were so opposite in character and disposition. But +Napoleon, who was enraged that Louis should have presumed to protest, and +that in energetic terms, against the union of his Kingdom with the +Empire, ordered him to return to France, whither he was summoned in his +character of Constable and French Prince. Louis, however, did not think +proper to obey this summons, and Napoleon, mindful of his promise of +never writing to him again, ordered the following letter to be addressed +to him by M. Otto, who had been Ambassador from France to Vienna since +the then recent marriage of the Emperor with Maria Louisa-- + + SIRE:--The Emperor directs me to write to your Majesty as follows:-- + "It is the duty of every French Prince, and every member of the + Imperial family, to reside in France, whence they cannot absent + themselves without the permission of the Emperor. Before the union + of Holland to the Empire the Emperor permitted the King to reside at + Toeplitz, is Bohemia. His health appeared to require the use of the + waters, but now the Emperor requires that Prince Louis shall return, + at the latest by the 1st of December next, under pain of being + considered as disobeying the constitution of the Empire and the head + of his family, and being treated accordingly." + + I fulfil, Sire, word for word the mission with which I have been + entrusted, and I send the chief secretary of the embassy to be + assured that this letter is rightly delivered. I beg your Majesty + to accept the homage of my respect, etc. + + (Signed)OTTO. + + --[The eldest son of Louis, one of the fruits of his unhappy + marriage with Hortense Beauharnais, the daughter of Josephine, + the wife of his brother Napoleon, was little more than six + years of age when his father abdicated the crown of Holland in + his favour. In 1830-31 this imprudent young man joined the + ill-combined mad insurrection in the States of the Pope. He + was present in one or two petty skirmishes, and was, we + believe, wounded; but it was a malaria fever caught in the + unhealthy Campagna of Rome that carried him to the grave in the + twenty-seventh year of his age.--Editor of 1836 edition.-- + The first child of Louis and of Hortense had died in 1807. + The second son, Napoleon Louis (1804-1831) in whose favour he + abdicated had been created Grand Due de Berg et de Cleves by + Napoleon in 1809. He married to 1826 Charlotte, the daughter + of Joseph Bonaparte, and died in 1831, while engaged in a + revolutionary movement in Italy. On his death his younger + brother Charles Louis Napoleon, the future Napoleon III., first + came forward as an aspirant.]-- + +What a letter was this to be addressed by a subject to a prince and a +sovereign. When I afterwards saw M. Otto in Paris, and conversed with +him on the subject, he assured me how much he had been distressed at the +necessity of writing such a letter to the brother of the Emperor. He had +employed the expressions dictated by Napoleon in that irritation which he +could never command when his will was opposed. + + --[With regard to Louis and his conduct in Holland Napoleon thus + spoke at St. Helena: + + "Louis is not devoid of intelligence, and has a good heart, but even + with these qualifications a man may commit many errors, and do a + great deal of mischief. Louis is naturally inclined to be + capricious and fantastical, and the works of Jean Jacques Rousseau + have contributed to increase this disposition. Seeking to obtain a + reputation for sensibility and beneficence, incapable by himself of + enlarged views, and, at most, competent to local details, Louis + acted like a prefect rather than a King. + + "No sooner had he arrived in Holland than, fancying that nothing + could be finer than to have it said that be was thenceforth a true + Dutchman, he attached himself entirely to the party favourable to + the English, promoted smuggling, and than connived with our enemies. + It became necessary from that moment watch over him, and even + threaten to wage war against him. Louis then seeking a refuge + against the weakness of his disposition in the most stubborn + obstinacy, and mistaking a public scandal for an act of glory, fled + from his throne, declaiming against me and against my insatiable + ambition, my intolerable tyranny, etc. What then remained for me to + do? Was I to abandon Holland to our enemies? Ought I to have given + it another King? But is that case could I have expected more from + him than from my own brother? Did not all the Kings that I created + act nearly in the same manner? I therefore united Holland to the + Empire, and this act produced a most unfavourable impression in + Europe, and contributed not a little to lay the foundation of our + misfortunes" (Memorial de Sainte Helene)]-- + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +1809. + + Demands for contingents from some of the small States of Germany-- + M. Metternich--Position of Russia with respect to France--Union of + Austria and Russia--Return of the English to Spain--Soult King of + Portugal, and Murat successor to the Emperor--First levy of the + landwehr in Austria--Agents of the Hamburg 'Correspondent'-- + Declaration of Prince Charles--Napoleon's march to Germany--His + proclamation--Bernadotte's departure for the army--Napoleon's + dislike of Bernadotte--Prince Charles' plan of campaign--The English + at Cuxhaven--Fruitlessness of the plots of England--Napoleon + wounded--Napoleon's prediction realised--Major Schill--Hamburg + threatened and saved--Schill in Lubeck--His death, and destruction + of his band--Schill imitated by the Duke of Brunswick-OEls-- + Departure of the English from Cuxhaven. + +Bonaparte, the foundations of whose Empire were his sword and his. +victories, and who was anxiously looking forward to the time when the +sovereigns of Continental Europe should be his juniors, applied for +contingents of troops from the States to which I was accredited. The +Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was to furnish a regiment of 1800 men, and +the other little States, such as Oldenburg and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, were +to furnish regiments of less amount. All Europe was required to rise in +arms to second the gigantic projects of the new sovereign. This demand +for contingents, and the positive way in which the Emperor insisted upon +them, gave rise to an immense correspondence, which, however, was +unattended by any result. The notes and orders remained in the +portfolios, and the contingents stayed at home. + +M. Metternich, whose talent has since been so conspicuously displayed, +had been for upwards of a year Ambassador from Austria to Paris. Even +then he excelled in the art of guiding men's minds, and of turning to the +advantage of his policy his external graces and the favour he acquired in +the drawing-room. His father, a clever man, brought up in the old +diplomatic school of Thugut and Kaunitz, had early accustomed him to the +task of making other Governments believe, by means of agents, what might +lead them into error and tend to the advantage of his own Government. +His manoeuvres tended to make Austria assume a discontented and haughty +tone; and wishing, as she said, to secure her independence, she publicly +declared her intention of protecting herself against any enterprise +similar to those of which she had so often been the victim. This +language, encouraged by the complete evacuation of Germany, and the war +in Spain, the unfortunate issue of which was generally foreseen, was +used--in time of peace between the two empires, and when France was not +threatening war to Austria. + + --[Metternich arrived in Paris as Ambassador on 4th August 1806, + after Austria had been vanquished at Austerlitz. It does not seem + probable, either from his views or his correspondence, that he + advised the rash attempt of Austria to attack Napoleon by herself; + compare Metternich tome 1. p. 69, on the mistake of Prussia in 1805 + and 1806; see also tome ii. p. 221, "To provoke a war with France + would be madness" (1st July 1808). On the other hand, the tone of + his correspondence in 1808 seams calculated to make Austria believe + that war was inevitable, and that her forces, "so inferior to those + of France before the insurrection in Spain, will at least be equal + to them immediately after that event" (tome ii. p. 808). What is + curious is that Metternich's conduct towards Napoleon while + Ambassador had led even such men as Duke Dalberg to believe that he + was really so well disposed towards Napoleon as to serve his cause + more than that of Austria. + +M. Metternich, who had instructions from his Court, gave no satisfactory +explanation of those circumstances to Napoleon, who immediately raised a +conscription, and brought soldiers from Spain into Germany. + +It was necessary, also, to come to an understanding with Russia, who, +being engaged with her war in Finland and Turkey, appeared desirous +neither to enter into alliance with Austria nor to afford her support. +What, in fact, was the Emperor Alexander's situation with respect to +France? He had signed a treaty of peace at Tilsit which he felt had been +forced upon him, and he knew that time alone would render it possible for +him to take part in a contest which it was evident would again be renewed +either with Prussia or Austria. + +Every person of common sense must have perceived that Austria, in taking +up arms, reckoned, if not on the assistance, at least on the neutrality +of Russia. Russia was then engaged with two enemies, the Swedes and the +Turks, over whom she hoped to triumph. She therefore rejoiced to see +France again engage in a struggle with Austria, and there was no doubt +that she would take advantage of any chances favourable to the latter +power to join her in opposing the encroachments of France. I never could +conceive how, under those circumstances, Napoleon could be so blind as to +expect assistance from Russia in his quarrel with Austria. He must, +indeed, have been greatly deceived as to the footing on which the two +Courts stood with reference to each other--their friendly footing and +their mutual agreement to oppose the overgrowing ambition of their common +enemy. + +The English, who had been compelled to quit Spain, now returned there. +They landed in Portugal, which might be almost regarded as their own +colony, and marched against Marshal Soult, who left Spain to meet them. +Any other man than Soult would perhaps have been embarrassed by the +obstacles which he had to surmount. A great deal has been said about his +wish to make himself King of Portugal. Bernadotte told me, when he +passed through Hamburg, that the matter had been the subject of much +conversation at headquarters after the battle of Wagram. Bernadotte +placed no faith in the report, and I am pretty sure that Napoleon also +disbelieved it. However, this matter is still involved in the obscurity +from which it will only be drawn when some person acquainted with the +intrigue shall give a full explanation of it. + +Since I have, with reference to Soult, touched upon the subject of his +supposed ambition, I will mention here what I know of Murat's expectation +of succeeding the Emperor. When Romanzow returned from his useless +mission of mediation to London the Emperor proceeded to Bayonne. +Bernadotte, who had an agent in Paris whom he paid highly, told me one +day that he had received a despatch informing him that Murat entertained +the idea of one day succeeding the Emperor. Sycophants, expecting to +derive advantage from it, encouraged Murat in this chimerical hope. +I know not whether Napoleon was acquainted with this circumstance, nor +what he said of it, but Bernadotte spoke of it to me as a certain fact. +It would, however, have been very wrong to attach great importance to an +expression which, perhaps, escaped Murat in a moment of ardour, for his +natural temperament sometimes betrayed him into acts of imprudence, the +result of which, with a man like Napoleon, was always to be dreaded. + +It was in the midst of the operations of the Spanish war, which Napoleon +directed in person, that he learned Austria had for the first time raised +the landwehr. I obtained some very curious documents respecting the +armaments of Austria from the Editor of the Hamburg 'Correspondent'. +This paper, the circulation of which amounted to not less than 60,000, +paid considerable sums to persons in different parts of Europe who were +able and willing to furnish the current news. The Correspondent paid +6000 francs a year to a clerk in the war department at Vienna, and it was +this clerk who supplied the intelligence that Austria was preparing for +war, and that orders had been issued in all directions to collect and put +in motion all the resources of that powerful monarchy. I communicated +these particulars to the French Government, and suggested the necessity +of increased vigilance and measures of defence. Preceding aggressions, +especially that of 1805, were not to be forgotten. Similar information +probably reached the French Government from many quarters. Be that as it +may, the Emperor consigned the military operations in Spain to his +generals, and departed for Paris, where he arrived at the end of January +1809. He had been in Spain only since the beginning of November 1808,' +and his presence there had again rendered our banners victorious. But +though the insurgent troops were beaten the inhabitants showed themselves +more and more unfavourable to Joseph's cause; and it did not appear very +probable that he could ever seat himself tranquilly on the throne of +Madrid. + + --[The successes obtained by Napoleon during his stay of about three + months in Spain were certainly very great, and mainly resulted from + his own masterly genius and lightning-like rapidity. The Spanish + armies, as yet unsupported by British troops, were defeated at + Gomenal, Espinosa, Reynosa, Tudela, and at the pass of the Somo + sierra Mountains, and at an early hour of the morning of the 4th + December Madrid surrendered. On the 20th of December Bonaparte + marched with far superior forces against the unfortunate Sir John + Moore, who had been sent to advance into Spain both by the wrong + route and at a wrong time. On the 29th, from the heights of + Benevento, his eyes were delighted by seeing the English in full + retreat. But a blow struck him from another quarter, and leaving + Soult to follow up Moore he took the road to Paris.]-- + +The Emperor Francis, notwithstanding his counsellors, hesitated about +taking the first step; but at length, yielding to the solicitations of +England and the secret intrigues of Russia, and, above all, seduced by +the subsidies of Great Britain, Austria declared hostilities, not at +first against France, but against her allies of the Confederation of the +Rhine. On the 9th of April Prince Charles, who was appointed commander- +in-chief of the Austrian troops, addressed a note to the commander-in- +chief of the French army in Bavaria, apprising him of the declaration of +war. + +A courier carried the news of this declaration to Strasburg with the +utmost expedition, from whence it was transmitted by telegraph to Paris. +The Emperor, surprised but not disconcerted by this intelligence, +received it at St. Cloud on the 11th of April, and two hours after he was +on the road to Germany. The complexity of affairs in which he was then +involved seemed to give a new impulse to his activity. When he reached +the army neither his troops nor his Guard had been able to come up, and +under those circumstances he placed himself at the head of the Bavarian +troops, and, as it were, adopted the soldiers of Maximilian. Six days +after his departure from Paris the army of Prince Charles, which had +passed the Inn, was threatened. The Emperor's headquarters were at +Donauwerth, and from thence he addressed to his soldiers one of those +energetic and concise proclamations which made them perform so many +prodigies, and which was soon circulated in every language by the public +journals. This complication of events could not but be fatal to Europe +and France, whatever might be its result, but it presented an opportunity +favourable to the development of the Emperor's genius. Like his +favourite poet Ossian, who loved best to touch his lyre midst the +howlings of the tempest, Napoleon required political tempests for the +display of his abilities. + +During the campaign of 1809, and particularly at its commencement, +Napoleon's course was even more rapid than it had been in the campaign +of 1805. Every courier who arrived at Hamburg brought us news, or rather +prodigies. As soon as the Emperor was informed of the attack made by the +Austrians upon Bavaria orders were despatched to all the generals having +troops under their command to proceed with all speed to the theatre of +the war. The Prince of Ponte-Corvo was summoned to join the Grand Army +with the Saxon troops under his command and for the time he resigned the +government of the Hanse Towns. Colonel Damas succeeded him at Hamburg +during that period, but merely as commandant of the fortress; and he +never gave rise to any murmur or complaint. Bernadotte was not satisfied +with his situation, and indeed the Emperor, who was never much disposed +to bring him forward, because he could not forgive him for his opposition +on the 18th Brumaire, always appointed him to posts in which but little +glory was to be acquired, and placed as few troops as possible under his +command. + +It required all the promptitude of the Emperor's march upon Vienna to +defeat the plots which were brewing against his government, for in the +event of his arms being unsuccessful, the blow was ready to be struck. +The English force in the north of Germany amounted to about 10,000 men: +The Archduke Charles had formed the project of concentrating in the +middle of Germany a large body of troops, consisting of the corps of +General Am Eude, of General Radizwowitz, and of the English, with whom +were to be joined the people who were expected to revolt. The English +would have wished the Austrian troops to advance a little farther. The +English agent made some representations on this subject to Stadion, the +Austrian Minister; but the Archduke preferred making a diversion to +committing the safety of the monarchy by departing from his present +inactivity and risking the passage of the Danube, in the face of an enemy +who never suffered himself to be surprised, and who had calculated every +possible event: In concerting his plan the Archduke expected that the +Czar would either detach a strong force to assist his allies, or that he +would abandon them to their own defence. In the first case the Archduke +would have had a great superiority, and in the second, all was prepared +in Hesse and in Hanover to rise on the approach of the Austrian and +English armies. + +At the commencement of July the English advanced upon Cuxhaven with a +dozen small ships of war. They landed 400 or 600 sailors and about 50 +marines, and planted a standard on one of the outworks. The day after +this landing at Cuxhaven the English, who were in Denmark evacuated +Copenhagen, after destroying a battery which they had erected there. +All the schemes of England were fruitless on the Continent, for with the +Emperor's new system of war, which consisted in making a push on the +capitals, he soon obtained negotiations for peace. He was master of +Vienna before England had even organised the expedition to which I have +just alluded. He left Paris on the 11th of April, was at Donauwerth on +the 17th, and on the 23d he was master of Ratisbon. In the engagement +which preceded his entrance into that town Napoleon received a slight +wound in the heel. He nevertheless remained on the field of battle. It +was also between Donauwerth and Ratisbon that Davoust, by a bold +manoeuvre, gained and merited the title of Prince of Eckmuhl. + + --[The great battle of Eckmuhl, where 100,000 Austrians were driven + from all their positions, was fought on the 22d of April.-Editor of + 1836 edition.]-- + +At this period fortune was not only bent on favouring Napoleon's arms, +but she seemed to take pleasure in realising even his boasting +predictions; for the French troops entered Vienna within a month after a +proclamation issued by Napoleon at Ratisbon, in which he said he would be +master of the Austrian capital in that time. + +But while he was thus marching from triumph to triumph the people of +Hamburg and the neighbouring countries had a neighbour who did not leave +them altogether without inquietude. The famous Prussian partisan, Major +Schill, after pursuing his system of plunder in Westphalia, came and +threw himself into Mecklenburg, whence, I understood, it was his +intention to surprise Hamburg. At the head of 600 well-mounted hussars +and between 1500 and 2000 infantry badly armed, he took possession of the +little fort of Domitz, in Mecklenburg, on the 15th of May, from whence he +despatched parties who levied contributions on both banks of the Elbe. +Schill inspired terror wherever he went. On the 19th of May a detachment +of 30 men belonging to Schill's corps entered Wismar. It was commanded +by Count Moleke, who had formerly been in the Prussian service, and who +had retired to his estate in Mecklenburg, where the Duke had kindly given +him an appointment. Forgetting his duty to his benefactor, he sent to +summon the Duke to surrender Stralsund. + +Alarmed at the progress of the partisan Schill, the Duke of Mecklenburg +and his Court quitted Ludwigsburg, their regular residence, and retired +to Doberan, on the seacoast. On quitting Mecklenburg Schill advanced to +Bergdorf, four leagues from Hamburg. The alarm then increased in that +city. A few of the inhabitants talked of making a compromise with Schill +and sending him money to get him away. But the firmness of the majority +imposed silence on this timid council. I consulted with the commandant +of the town, and we determined to adopt measures of precaution. The +custom-house chest, in which there was more than a million of gold, was +sent to Holstein under a strong escort. At the same time I sent to +Schill a clever spy, who gave him a most alarming account of the means of +defence which Hamburg possessed. Schill accordingly gave up his designs +on that city, and leaving it on his left, entered Lubeck, which was +undefended. + +Meanwhile Lieutenant-General Gratien, who had left Berlin by order of the +Prince de Neufchatel, with 2500 Dutch and 3000 Swedish troops, actively +pursued Schill, and tranquillity was soon restored throughout all the +neighbouring country, which had been greatly agitated by his bold +enterprise. Schill, after wandering for some days on the shores of the +Baltic, was overtaken by General Gratien at Stralsund, whence he was +about to embark for Sweden. He made a desperate defence, and was killed +after a conflict of two hours. His band was destroyed. Three hundred of +his hussars and 200 infantry, who had effected their escape, asked leave +to return to Prussia, and they were conducted to the Prussian general +commanding a neighbouring town. A war of plunder like that carried on by +Schill could not be honourably acknowledged by a power having, any claim +to respect. Yet the English Government sent Schill a colonel's +commission, and the full uniform of his new rank, with the assurance that +all his troops should thenceforth be paid by England. + +Schill soon had an imitator of exalted rank. In August 1809 the Duke of +Brunswick-OEls sought the dangerous honour of succeeding that famous +partisan. At the head of at most 2000 men he for some days disturbed the +left bank of the Elbe, and on the 5th entered Bremen. On his approach +the French Vice-Consul retired to Osterhulz. One of the Duke's officers +presented himself at the hones of the Vice-Consul and demanded 200 Louis. +The agent of the Vice-Consul, alarmed at the threat of the place being +given up to pillage, capitulated with the officer, and with considerable +difficulty got rid of him at the sacrifice of 80 Louis, for which a +receipt was presented to him in the name of the Duke. The Duke, who now +went by the name of "the new Schill," did not remain long in Bremen. + +Wishing to repair with all possible speed to Holland he left Bremen on +the evening of the 6th, and proceeded to Dehnenhorst, where his advanced +guard had already arrived. The Westphalian troops, commanded by Reubell, +entered Bremen on the 7th, and not finding the Duke of Brunswick, +immediately marched in pursuit of him. The Danish troops, who occupied +Cuxhaven, received orders to proceed to Bremerlehe, to favour the +operations of the Westphalians and the Dutch. Meanwhile the English +approached Cuxhaven, where they landed 3000 or 4000 men. The persons in +charge of the custom-house establishment, and the few sailors who were in +Cuxhaven, fell back upon Hamburg. The Duke of Brunswick, still pursued +crossed Germany from the frontiers of Bohemia to Elsfleth, a little port +on the left bank of the Weser, where he arrived on the 7th, being one day +in advance of his pursuers. He immediately took possession of all the +transports at Elsfleth, and embarked for Heligoland. + +The landing which the English effected at Cuxhaven while the Danes, who +garrisoned that port, were occupied in pursuing the Duke of Brunswick, +was attended by no result. After the escape of the Duke the Danes +returned to their post which the English immediately evacuated. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +I have made sovereigns, but have not wished to be one myself +Go to England. 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