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Napoleon in Plymouth Sound.

the field of battle to a Russian, a Prussian, or an Austriar. officer, would they themselves have recognised in the King of Prussia, the Emperor of Russia, or the Emperor of Austria, the right of disposing alone of the common enemy? Evidently not; they therefore referred the matter to their allies, who made the following declaration on the subject:

"Article I. Napoleon Bonaparte is regarded by the powers who signed the treaty of the 5th of March last, as their prisoner

"Article II. He is specially confided to the guardianship of the British government.

"Article III. The allied powers will appoint commissioners, who will reside on the spot which may be assigned by the British government for the residence of Napoleon Bonaparte."

England, in thus accomplishing the duty of not disposing of a collective prisoner, undertook, nevertheless, three odious parts, with which its history will remain tainted in future times: that of delivering up to Europe a refugee, not taken on the field of battle, but a voluntary suppliant of its hospitality; that of keeping watch alone over his chains; and finally, that of assigning him his prison. England, the champion of the world, became its gaoler. She took upon herself the severity, the distance, and the maledictions of the captivity. Her glory is tarnished by it. A more generous hospitality might have been less honourable towards the allied powers, might have afforded less security for the present, but would have exhibited more humanity and more majesty in the page of history.

XXXIV.

Napoleon consumed the six days passed in Plymouth Sound in conjectures on his own fate, in gazing on the English coast, and in receiving impressions of his popularity so powerful in the minds of his enemies, shown by the avidity with which they sought a glance at his profile as he paced backwards and forwards on the poop of the Bellerophon. He measured his own greatness by their curiosity, and derived a sad enjoy

His protest on being destined to St. Helena.

ment from this spectacle of himself. His mind resumed its serenity in this state of repose. He had reached the extremity of his ruin, but this ruin was still glorious.

On the 7th of August the Bellerophon brought him back to Torbay, where Admiral Cockburn awaited him on board the Northumberland. Here his sword was taken from him as from a prisoner of war. He became indignant, and blushed more for his enemies than for himself. The admirals blushed them selves, and respected this susceptibility of the warrior. Ber trand, Savary, Lallemand, and Gourgaud, his military com panions and followers, were likewise disarmed. Before quitting the vessel, which had hitherto borne him and his friends, to go on board the Northumberland, Napoleon was obliged to part with some of his followers. Even Savary was taken from him, and he was only left Bertrand, Madame Bertrand, and their children; Las Cases and his son, M. and Madame Montholon, Gourgaud, and his most attached servants. He bade adieu to all the others, and receiving in that moment of emotion the tidings of the capitulation of Paris, shut himself up alone in his cabin, where he was heard to weep. The man, who had not shed a tear over the bodies of 400,000 men, strewing the snows of Russia with a continuous line of dead, over the disastrous battle of Leipsic, over the lost empire at Fontainebleau, or over Waterloo, the tomb of his last army, wept with shame on reading the details of the second occupation of Paris, and on tearing from his heart the small number of friends, companions of his exile, grudged him by the harshness of his enemies. He was already apprised that St. Helena was the place appointed for his future residence.

Having concealed his tears for a moment, though unable to stifle the noise of his sobs, he resumed the majesty of his misfortune, and went on board the Northumberland. There he gave utterance to the following protest, the first reprisal of his ill fortune, against the English government. It was his appeal to history, which is bound to record it.

"I hereby solemnly protest," he said, reading this act addressed to futurity-"I protest in the face of heaven and

Departure of the Northumberland.

mankind, against the violation of my most sacred rights, in forcibly disposing of my person and liberty. I came voluntarily on board the Bellerophon; I am not the prisoner, I am the guest of England.

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'When once on board the Bellerophon I was entitled to the hospitality of the British people. If the government, in giving the captain of the Bellerophon orders to receive me and my followers, only wished to lay a snare, it has forfeited its honour, and disgraced its flag.

66

If this act be consummated it will be in vain for the English henceforth, to talk of their sincerity, their laws, and liberties. British faith will have been lost in the hospitality of the Bellerophon.

66

I appeal to history. It will say, that an enemy, who for twenty years made war against the English people, came spontaneously in the hour of misfortune to seek an asylum under their laws. What more striking proof could he give of his esteem and confidence? But how did England reply to such an act of magnanimity? It pretended to hold out a hospitable hand to this enemy; and on giving himself up with confidence he was immolated!

(Signed)

NAPOLEON.

"Bellerophon, (at sea,) Friday, August 4, 1815"

On the evening of the 8th August the Northumberland got under weigh and made sail for St. Helena. At daybreak the next morning the coast of France was still in sight. Napoleon gazed on it for a long time, and when at length it melted away in the distance, he exclaimed: "Farewell! land of the brave!" He then assumed the idle and careless life of a passenger on board ship during a voyage, which suspends all action, and lulls the thoughts to rest.

We shall now leave him progressing towards his island and towards the memory of his deeds, and resume the recital of events from which his great destiny has drawn us, with the unlimited power of human affairs, which never palpitate more effectually than in the heart of a great man vanquished and outliving his destiny.

BOOK TWENTY-NINTH.

Wellington after the Battle of Waterloo-His despatch to the Duke de Berry-His letter to Dumouriez-He enters France-His proclamation to the French people-He writes to the Duke de Feltre and to M. de Talleyrand-Entrance of Louis XVIII. into France-Conferences of Haguenau-Wellington's reply to the French Plenipotentiaries-Dismissal of M. de Blacas-Louis XVIII. at CateauCambrésis-His proclamation to the French-He arrives at Cambray-Second proclamation to the French-Intrigues of Fouché with the Provisional Government in favour of the Bourbons-Davoust appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Army-Efforts of Messrs. de Vitrolles and Ouvrard amongst the Chiefs of the Army-The Provisional Government orders M. de Vitrolles to be arrested-His Flight-Address of several generals to the Chamber of Representatives-Conference of the Chamber of Peers-Plenipotentiaries sent to Wellington and Blucher to negociate an armistice-Conferences of the Plenipotentiaries with Wellington-Blucher crosses to the left bank of the Seine-Situation of France-Strength of the ArmyExcelmans attacks and routs a corps of Prussian cavalry-Council of Government-Council of War at La Villette-It authorises Davoust to capitulate-Application of Davoust to Blucher-Blucher's replyFouché sends Colonel Macirone to Wellington, and General Tromelin to Blucher-Conferences at St. Cloud-Capitulation of ParisAdoption of the Convention of St. Cloud by the Chamber of Representatives-Agitation of the people-Opposition of the ArmyEntrance of the English and Prussians into Paris-The Chamber of Representatives-Vote of the Constitution-Interview between Wellington and Fouché at Neuilly-Presentation of Fouché to the King, Louis XVIII., by M. de Talleyrand-Conference-Nomination of Fouché to the Ministry of Police-Composition of the Ministry— Interview between Louis XVIII. and M. de Chateaubriand-Conferences of the Provisional Government-Occupation of the Tuileries, and expulsion of the Commission by Blucher-Dispersion of th Chamber of Peers-M. Decazes shuts up the Chamber of Representatives-Impotence of Lafayette-Interview between Carnot and

Fouché.

I.

THE evening before the battle of Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington, anticipating that a more successful result would

Wellington's letters and proclamation.

attend Napoleon's attack upon the forest of Soignies, and already preparing an eventual retreat of his own army, which would have laid open Brussels and Ghent, had written to the Duke de Berry, to induce Louis XVIII. to quit Ghent at the first signal. At that residence of the King all was distrust and un certainty; for they had been so much accustomed to the triumphs of Napoleon that neither the still unknown genius of Wellington, nor the fiery bravery of Blucher could restore confidence to the fugitive court. The King prepared himself with resignation to carry still farther, and perhaps beyond the seas, his tent and his government. The noise of the cannon had resounded the whole day of the 18th June even upon the heights in the vicinity of Ghent. Sinister tidings spread at Brussels by the fugitive English camp followers, which reached with customary exagge rations the ears of the King and the princes, had made of this day, which restored to them both country and throne, a day of anguish, of panic, and despair. Their fate was deciding at a distance sufficiently near for them to experience all its attendant emotions, but too remote to become acquainted with its vicissitudes. Wellington, however, hastened during the night which followed the battle to reassure them. He wrote with his own hand to the Duke de Berry, commander-in-chief of the little army of the King at Alost, announcing the victory. "As I expect to pass the frontier to-morrow," wrote the victorious general, “I beg of your Royal Highness to advance and join us. I write also to the King to request him to put himself in motion by the same route."

On the same night he wrote to General Dumouriez, that old French deserter, who closely watched the war against his country, and to whom Wellington gave an account of his successes, as a scholar to a master in the art of war. 66 You will learn what I have done," he said, " and I hope you will be satisfied. I have never witnessed such a battle, nor gained such a victory, and I hope we have done with Bonaparte! We are going to pursue him while he lives."

The following day he addressed a proclamation to the French people on crossing the frontier, to announce to them that he was entering at the head of a victorious army, not as an

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