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THE

HISTORY OF THE RESTORATION

OF

MONARCHY IN FRANCE.

BOOK TWENTY-EIGHTH.

The 24th June-Fouché is appointed President of the Provisional Govern ment-Formation of the new Ministry-Fouché's policy-Manuel -Sitting of the Chamber of Representatives-It adopts Manuel's motion-The 25th of June-Departure of the Emperor from ParisHe goes to Malmaison-His farewell address to the Army-Five plenipotentiaries are sent to negociate peace-Interview between Fouché and M. de Vitrolles-Interview between Napoleon and Benjamin Constant-Advice of Napoleon's friends on the choice of his place of exile-He makes choice of America-He is watched by the Provisional Government-Temporary opposition of the Government to the departure of Napoleon-His residence at Malmaison-Solicitations of the Provisional Government to Napoleon-It delivers him a passport-Refusal of Napoleon-Proposition of Excelmans to Napoleon-Arrival of the Allies at Compiègne-Napoleon proposes to put himself at the head of the Army-Refusal of the Provisional Government-Meeting of M. de Flahaut and Davoust-Napoleon and Maret-Critical situation of Napoleon-His departure from Malmaison-His farewell-His journey-His halt at Rambouillet-His hopes-Overtures of Excelmans to Daumesnil-Napoleon proceeds through Chateaudun, Tours, and Poitiers-Mob at St. Maixent -He arrives at Niort-Acclamations of the People-He arrives at Rochefort on the 3rd of July-Napoleon renews his proposal to the Provisional Government-Various counsels for the flight of Napoleon -His hesitation-Reply of the Provisional Government to his proposal-Napoleon embarks on board La Saale frigate on the 8th of July-He departs from Rochefort-His visit to the Isle of AixInterview between M. de Las Cases and Captain Maitland, on board the Bellerophon-The captain of the Medusa proposes to force a

Fouché is appointed President of the Provisional Government. passage against the English cruizer-Refusal of Napoleon-He disembarks at the Isle of Aix-His indecision-He refuses the proposition of Captain Baudin-Some midshipmen offer to conduct him to America-Napoleon accepts the offer, and departs-He is kept back by his suite Second interview of Las Cases, Rovigo, and Lallen.and with Captain Maitland-Deliberation on his departure-Napoleon decides on going away by the Bellerophon-His letter to the Prince Regent of England-His instructions to Gourgaud-Departure of Gourgaud and Las Cases for England-Napoleon quits the Isle of Aix -His farewell to Becker-He embarks on board the Bellerophon— He receives a visit from Admiral Hotham-The Bellerophon arrives at Torbay The Emperor is re-joined there by Gourgaud-Departure from Torbay and arrival at Plymouth-Cabinet Council of the English Ministers on the fate of Napoleon-He is declared a prisoner of war by the Allies-He is brought back to Torbay-He is required to deliver up his sword-His farewell-His grief on hearing of the Capitulation of Paris-He embarks on board the Northumberland— His Protest against England-His departure for St. Helena.

I.

HENCEFORWARD emergencies were to reign alone, and Fouché to govern by emergencies. He was that very night nominated president of the provisional government by the votes of Carnot and of Quinette, and by his own, which he gave in favour of himself, to deprive Caulaincourt or Carnot of the ascendancy conferred by the presidentship; for he doubted their fidelity, or their weakness, in favour of Napoleon. He appointed a brother of Carnot minister of the interior, and M. Bignon, who was rather a man of learning than a statesman, easily played upon and cajoled by flattery, was made minister for foreign affairs. Pelet de la Lozère, an honest man, patriotic and con ciliating, a pledge of moderation for all the parties which it was necessary to lull, obtained the ministry of police; Boulay de la Meurthe, a Bonapartist, whom it was necessary at once to employ and to nullify, by functions of slight political import ance, was appointed minister of justice; Massena, who had evinced his independence in the Chamber of Peers, and whose name was distinguished by unblemished military glory, was appointed commander-in-chief of the National Guard.

The remainder of the night was employed by the provisional

Policy of Fouché.

government and by the ministers in concerting the greatest possible concentration of the fragments of the army around Paris, in order to give time and a military basis to the negociations about to be opened. These negociations, to a mind so acute and so generalizing as that of Fouché, were, in reality, only an appearance which he wished to preserve, and a satisfaction he wished to offer to the susceptibility of the nation. He well knew that negociations can only exist between equal forces. Where were these forces? They had been annihilated at one blow at Waterloo. The confidential agents of Fouché already filled the court of Louis XVIII., and the head-quarters of Wellington. To give the signal to the King that the hour of his restoration was about to strike, to convince Wellington that he alone could open the gates of Paris, without a fresh effusion of blood, to the King and the allies; to persuade M. de Talleyrand, and through him the cabinet of the King, that he alone could pacify France; to lull the Chambers, to fascinate, to deceive, or to subdue the provisional government; to dismiss the Emperor, and finally, to present with his own hand, his regicidal hand, the people to the King, and the King to the people this constituted from the very first day the whole secret and public policy of Fouché. Seldom did minister undertake one more complicated, or fraught with greater perils, or succeed in it with greater boldness united to more consummate ability. Fouché reckoned on the mediocrity of intellect, and the pliability of character of those around him. He reckoned also on the impatience of ambition to reign, which bent to his views the wishes of all at Ghent. He did not presume too much on the nullity of some, the servility of others, and the longing for the throne of an exiled court. Every vice and every ambition contributed to effect his object, because he was experienced in their ascendancy over the minds of men, and had the humiliating courage of calculating upon them.

II.

The

But he experienced one difficulty at the outset. Emperor obstinately holding out at the Elysée, on hearing in

Influence of Manuel.

the morning that Grouchy was advancing with unbroken forces on Paris, and that imposing bodies of troops were rallying under Excelmans and other energetic generals, between Paris and Wellington, was already regretting his too hasty abdication, and fomenting, through his most faithful adherents, a new discussion in the Chamber of Representatives, on the regency question. Should this regency be proclaimed, he would again. assume power, in the name of his son; if it were rejected, he would resume the Empire in consideration of the broken condition on which, as he said, he had based his abdication.

The proposal to proclaim Napoleon II. was therefore to be renewed, with better-concerted efforts, at the first sitting of the Chamber. Regnault de Saint-Jean d'Angely. Boulay de la Meurthe, Defermon, councillor of state, rivals of Fontanes and of Cambacérès, were certain of winning over the irresolution of their colleagues. Fouché, informed of this attempt, which might disconcert his plans, hesitated for a moment whether he should oppose it openly, or baffle it by an apparent indifference. It was necessary to choose between the danger of reinstalling Napoleon himself on the throne, and at the head of the army, should the Chamber refuse to proclaim his son, and the more distant danger of breaking off the negociations with the allied powers, and retarding the entrance of Louis XVIII., should the Chamber vote the preliminary sovereignty of Napoleon II. He held himself ready for one or other of these contingencies, according as the undecided Chamber should appear to lean, under the eloquence of the orators, for or against the dynasty of Napoleon.

Manuel, who possessed the confidence of Fouché, prepared to assist, with his powerful, patriotic, and practised eloquence, the political plans of the man who manoeuvred externally in this conflict of opinions Young, fresh, with a rising and pure fame, great courage, cool resolution, a penetrating glance, patriotism almost republican, which freed him from the suspicion of connivance with the Bourbons, Manuel was more than an orator in the Chamber; he was already the foreshadowing of a statesman. His influence, though in its dawn, was great with his colleagues, and still greater out of doors. Lafayette

Sitting of the Chamber of Representatives.

and Sebastiani cultivated his friendship. An enemy to Napoleon by the instinct of a free and lofty soul, the desire of obtaining either a republic, or a constitutional government from the ruins of military despotism, had connected him with, though not enslaved him to Fouché and the liberals who were weary of the yoke. Such was the situation of the Assembly at midday on the 25th of June.

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M. Dupin, eager to smooth the road for an accommoda tion with the Bourbons, and to negociations with the allies, which his keen perception of the circumstances indicated to him as indispensable to the public safety, having insisted that the new government should take the oath of fidelity to the na tion alone, this motion became the signal of a struggle, the issue of which, whatever it should be, might for a few days restore to Napoleon the sceptre or the sword.

Defermon imperiously demanded who had authority to receive such an oath, and if there was not an Emperor in existence? "Yes," replied the Bonapartists; "we have an Emperor-we will have Napoleon II.! He is our sovereign by the fundamental laws of the country. At this name alone the army and the National Guard will rally round their country! Yes, yes!" repeated the same voices, multiplied by that echo with which patriotism always swells those motions which ap pear to offer a bold defiance to the foreigner. This echo continued and increased in volume, till at length the hall resounded with cries of "Vive l'Empereur!" Beranger trembled lest an acclamation of national courage should be taken for a matured proclamation of a new Empire. He demanded a night for reflection. The Chamber, already cooling down, applauded him. Boulay de la Meurthe was indignant at this return to indifference: "France is lost!" he exclaimed, rebuking the weakness of his colleagues, "if we only seem to doubt the hereditary right to power of the son of the Emperor. We are surrounded by numerous intriguers and many factionists outside this hall," continued Napoleon's orator, alluding to

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