and, after having armed the national guard and associations, there would remain in the magazines six hundred thousand muskets. MILITARY EXPENDITURE.-The administrative details on this subject were little susceptible of abridgement. The minister, however, asserted that the necessary funds would be easily provided, and no new taxes be required. The MARINE presented considerable resources, notwithstanding the evils produced by treachery, which had not, however, cast any stain upon its honour. It is not easy to conjecture the reason that induced Buonaparte to be so unwilling to announce the certainty of hostilities, and the absolute necessity that existed of his putting himself at the head of his armies. His delay in setting out from Paris for this purpose, has been supposed to originate from his apprehension that the republican party would take advantage of his absence, and either depose him altogether, or greatly curtail his authority. And it must be confessed that his, situation was one of extreme difficulty and hazard. Against France there were collected more numerous armies than had ever marched against a single opponent: and these armies consisted, for the most part, of the men, and were headed by the generals, who had already once conquered France, and driven him from his throne. Had France, therefore, been even unanimous and zealous in his support, there would still have been ample grounds for apprehension. We have already stated, however, that, in some of the departments, the adherents of the Bourbons were numerous and active; in other districts the people were lukewarm; and scarcely in any part was there a positive and active disposition in favour of himself. What, then, would be his fate, if his first efforts were unsuccessful? Would not he be driven from his throne? And, if he were successful, had he not reason to apprehend that his authority would still be cramped by the constitutionalists? Was it not evident that they regarded him with a jealous eye; and only endured him because he was a skilful general, not because he was the monarch of their choice? It was, however, necessary that he should quit Paris, and put himself at the head of his armies. He had, indeed, declared that he would not strike the first blow: that, if war were to break out, the blame of beginning it should rest entirely with the allies: that France must be invaded before he would unsheath the sword. These declarations were made in the hope of rousing the French people; but this hope proving vain, he did not judge it prudent to lose any advantage he might gain, merely that he might be able to appeal to Europe as the person attacked. Of the allies, only the Prussians and the English were as yet on the frontiers of France. If, therefore, he could gain a decisive victory over them, it would in all probability dispirit the rest, and dissolve the confederacy: especially might these consequences be expected, if he could defeat the British army. England was the soul of the confederacy: her spirit animated, her money supported it: if, therefore, her army were defeated, she would not be willing, and perhaps might not be able, to keep together the allies. Besides, under the Duke of Wellington, she had assembled a very large force, consisting of her best troops: if, therefore, this general, on whom she prided herself, and this army, yielded to the genius of Napoleon and the superiority of French soldiers, the people of England would probably insist on peace, even though the English ministry were still desirous of war. There were still other motives for beginning the attack before the rest of the allies were come up. France evidently had less of that fondness for military glory than she displayed during his former reign. Now by what means would she so probably be re-animated by those feelings as by a signal victory gained by him? The contest, no doubt, would be obstinate. Between the Prussians and the French there existed a most deadly hatred; a hatred of a personal, as well as of a national, character. Blucher, who commanded the Prussians, it was well known, was pre-eminent in this hatred: ever since the battle of Jena, he had sworn to free his country. During the campaigns of 1813 and 1814, he had accomplished this object, and had retaliated on France some of the evils which she had inflicted on Prussia. But Buonaparte, the scourge of Prussia, was now returned, rendering, at least for the time, all Blucher's exertions and success of little avail. It may well be supposed, therefore, that Blucher entered into the new contest, resolved that the fate of Buonaparte should now be sealed for ever, and that France should be amply punished for her perfidy. In these feelings he was followed by almost every man under his command; for scarcely a single Prussian soldier existed but what had private wrongs inflicted by the French to revenge. Whose cottage had not been destroyed?— whose land had not been laid waste?-whose mother, or wife, or sister, had not been insulted? On the other hand, the French hated those whom they had thus injured: and to this source of hatred were added others. In the first place, they remembered the invasion of France by the Duke of Brunswick in the beginning of the revolution; they recollected his manifesto; the evils with which it threatened France! In the second place, they called to mind that France had been overrun by the Prussians in 1814; and this national affront they now thought they had an opportunity to wipe out. "The chief bases of that monarchy, the protectress of liberty, equality, and the happiness of the people, have been recognised by your majesty, who, rising above all scruples, as anticipating all wishes, have de The feelings of the French and English towards each throne at the solemn sitting, when your majesty, laying other were different; they were not so savage: but down the extraordinary power which you exercised, they prompted them in nearly an equally strong manner proclaimed the commencement of a constitutional moto wish for combat. The French had been repeatedly narchy. defeated by the English in Spain: the English had first proved to Europe that the Corsican's invincible troops could be repeatedly beaten, and effectually resisted ;—their disasters in Spain might be regarded as the grand source of all their other calamities. Frenchclared that the care of collecting our scattered constivanity, indeed, easily found a cause for their defeats in the Peninsula: there they fought under great disadvantages; the people harassed their operations; they were obliged to fight not only against the English, Spanish, and Portuguese armies, but also against the whole population. Besides, the operations of Buonaparte in other quarters prevented him from supplying the war in Spain as he ought, and as it required: and, above all, he was not there in person. The English, also, were eager for the battle in the Netherlands. Under the Duke of Wellington, they had beaten the French armies led on by their most celebrated marshals: but now they would be afforded an opportunity of beating Buonaparte himself. After what they had done, and with their confidence in the duke, they could not doubt what would be the issue; but still they were anxious for the combat. Such were the motives and objects which induced Buonaparte to resolve on immediately quitting Paris; and such were the feelings of the hostile armies towards each other. Buonaparte also considered the scene of approaching action as in a high degree favourable to him. The Belgians still retained their attachment to the French, which certainly had not been weakened by their union with Holland: if, therefore, he should be decidedly victorious in the first battle, he had reason to hope that the people of the Netherlands would rise in his favour; and that their example, preceded by a great victory, would rouse in France itself a more enthusiastic feeling than had as yet displayed itself. tutions, and of arranging them, was one of the most important occupations reserved for the legislature. Faithful to its mission, the chamber of deputies will perform the task thus devolved upon it: it requests that, to satisfy the public wish, as well as the wishes of your majesty, national deliberation should rectify, as speedily as possible, any thing defective or imperfect that the urgency of our situation may have produced, or left to exist, in our constitutions considered as a whole. “But, at the same time, sire, the chamber of representatives will not show itself less anxious to proclaim its sentiments and its principles as to the terrible contest which threatens to cover Europe with blood. In the train of disastrous events, France invaded, appeared for a moment listened to, as to the establishment of a constitution, only to see herself almost immediately subjected to a royal charter emanating from absolute power, to an ordinance of reform always revocable in its nature, and which, not having the expressed assent of the people, could never be considered as obligatory on the nation. "Resuming now the exercise of her rights, rallying around the hero whom her confidence anew invests with the government of the state, France is astonished and afflicted at seeing some sovereigns in arms call her to account for an internal change, which is the result of the national will, and which attacks neither the relations existing with other governments, nor their security. France cannot admit the distinctions with the aid of which the coalesced powers endeavoured to cloak their aggression. To attack the monarch of its choice, is to attack the independence of the nation. It is armed The day before Napoleon left Paris, deputations from the chamber of peers and the chamber of representatives waited upon him. The address of the former, and Buonaparte's reply to it, presented nothing remark-as one man to defend that independence, and to repel, able: but the address of the chamber of representa- without exception, every family and every prince whom tives, and the reply to that, deserve insertion, as afford- men shall dare to wish to impose upon it. No ambiing additional proofs of the boldness of the representa- tious project enters the thoughts of the French people; tives; of the ideas of liberty which they entertained; of the will even of a victorious prince will be insufficient the hopes respecting the issue of the contest which they to draw on the nation beyond the limits of its own deindulged; and of the feelings and principles which Buo-fence: but to guard its territory, to maintain its liberty, naparte thought proper to express on this occasion. "Sire, -The chamber of representatives received with profound emotion the words which proceeded from the its honour, its dignity, it is ready for any sacrifice. "Why are we not still permitted to hope, sire, that these warlike preparations, formed perhaps by the irritation of pride, and by allusions which every day must 24 NAPOLEON'S DEPARTURE FROM PARIS. 37 "Independently of the legislative measures required by the circumstances of the interior, you will probably deem it useful to employ yourselves on organic laws destined to put the constitution in motion. They may be the object of your public labours without any inconvenience. weaken, may still disperse before the want of a peace laughing-stock of posterity, by occupying itself with necessary to all the nations of Europe, and which shall abstract discussions at the moment when the battering restore to your majesty a spouse, to the French the heir ram was shaking the gates of the city. of a throne? But blood has already flowed; the signal of combat, prepared against the independence and liberty of France, has been given in the name of a people who carry to the highest pitch the enthusiasm of liberty and independence. Doubtless, among the communications which your majesty promises us, the chambers will find proofs of the efforts you have made to maintain the peace of the world. If all these efforts must remain useless, may the calamities of war fall upon those who shall have provoked them. "The sentiments expressed in your address sufficiently demonstrate to me the attachment of the chamber to my person, and all the patriotism with which i is animated. In all affairs my march shall be straight forward and firm. Assist me to save the country. First representative of the people, I have contracted the engagement, which I renew, of employing in more tranquil times all the prerogatives of the crown, and the little experience I have acquired, in seconding you in the amelioration of our constitutions." "The chamber of representatives only waits for the documents announced to it, in order to contribute with all its power to the measures which the success of so legitimate a war will require. It delays pronouncing its resolves only till it knows the wants and resources of the state; and while your majesty, opposing to the most unjust aggression the valour of the national armies and the force of your genius, will seek in victory only one mean of attaining a durable peace, the chamber of representatives will deem that it marches towards the same object, by incessantly labouring on the com-tary talent for which he was distinguished. At the pact, of which the improvement must cement the union of the people and the throne, and strengthen, in the eyes of Europe, by the amelioration of our institutions, the guarantee of our engagements." To this address, Napoleon replied, "Mr. President, and gentlemen deputies of the chamber of representatives, "I recognise with satisfaction my own sentiments in those which you express to me. In these weighty circumstances my thoughts are absorbed by the imminent war, to the success of which are attached the independence and the honour of France. "I will depart this night to place myself at the head of my armies; the movements of the different hostile corps render my presence there indispensable. During my absence, I shall see with pleasure a commission appointed by each chamber engaged in deliberating on our constitutions, "The constitution is our rallying-point; it must be our pole-star in these stormy moments. All public discussion, tending to diminish, directly or indirectly, the confidence which should be placed in its enactments, will be a misfortune to the state; we should then find ourselves at sea, without a compass and without a rudder. The crisis in which we are placed is great. Let us not imitate the conduct of the lower empire, which, pressed on all sides by barbarians, made itself the The same night Buonaparte set out from Paris, and the operations of the French army, as soon as he joined it, were extremely prompt, and marked by that mili same time, three large armies, one from Laon, at the head of which was the Corsican himself; that of the Ardennes, commanded by General Vandamme; and that of the Moselle, under the command of General Girard, breaking up from their respective cantonments by a simultaneous and admirably executed movement, united on the frontiers of Belgium. The 14th was the anniversary of Napoleon's victories at Marengo and Friedland; and it was supposed that he would have fixed on this day to have commenced hostilities; but, though he was extremely attached to fortunate days, yet, in this instance, he showed that prudence weighed more with him than this attachment; for, on the 14th of June, he could not have begun hostilities with any chance of success. He therefore contented himself with issuing the following address to his troops : GENERAL ORDER. "Avesnes, June 14, 1815. "Soldiers !—This day is the anniversary of Marengo and of Friedland, which twice decided the destiny of Europe. Then, as after Austerlitz, as after Wagram, we were too generous! We believed in the protestations and in the oaths of princes whom we left on the throne! Now, however, coalesced among themselves, they would destroy the independence and the most sacred rights of France. They have commenced the most unjust of aggressions. Let us march, then, to meet them. Are they and we no longer the same | same time, the light cavalry of the French following men? "Soldiers! at Jena, against these same Prussians, now so arrogant, you were one against three, and at Montmirail one against six! "Let those among you who have been prisoners of the English, detail to you the hulks, and the frightful miseries which they suffered! "The Saxons, the Belgians, the Hanoverians, the soldiers of the confederation of the Rhine, lament that they are compelled to lend their arms to the cause of princes, the enemies of justice and the rights of all nations; they know that this coalition is insatiable. After having devoured twelve millions of Poles, twelve millions of Italians, one million of Saxons, six millions of Belgians, it must devour the states of the second rank of Germany. "The madmen! a moment of prosperity blinds them. The oppression and humiliation of the French people are beyond their power. If they enter France, they will there find their tomb. the second corps as far as Marchienne-au-pont, turned to the right, after crossing the Sambre, and pushed along the left bank as far as Charleroi. In consequence of this rapid and unexpected movement, Charleroi was taken before the Prussians had time to destroy the bridge. The third division occupied the road to Namur, and the rest of the army were stationed between Charleroi and Gosselies. The Prussian garrison of Charleroi retired on Fleures, where Blucher was concentrating his army. On the morning of the 16th, the French troops, which had hitherto remained on the right of the Sambre, crossed that river. As soon as this was effected, Buonaparte determined to attack the Prussians and British at the same time. The left wing of his army, consisting of the first and second corps, and of four divisions of cavalry, was now under the command of Marshal Ney. Buonaparte directed him to march upon Brussels by the way of Gosselies and Frasnes, while the centre and the right wing, with the imperial guards, under the immediate command of Napoleon, marched to the right towards Fleures against Blucher. "Soldiers! we have forced marches to make, battles to fight, dangers to encounter; but, with steadiness, victory will be ours ;-the rights, the honour, the happiness of the country will be re-conquered! "To every Frenchman who has a heart, the moment Duke of Wellington and most of his officers were at a is arrived to conquer or perish. The intelligence of Buonaparte's movements reached Brussels on the evening of the 15th, at which time the ball given by the Duchess of Richmond. Orders were immediately issued that the garrison of Brussels should move out to meet the enemy; and, at the same time, The Duke of Wellington, notwithstanding he had the cavalry, artillery, and guards, who were stationed used his best endeavours to learn the arrival of Buona-at Enghien, were directed to move in the same direcparte at his army as soon as it took place, was certainly tion. Among the first to muster in Brussels, were the not early informed of that event, and yet it was of the forty-second and ninety-second Highland regiments, utmost consequence that he should be so; for, in con- which had become great favourites in that city. They sequence of the want of provisions, and especially of were so domesticated in the houses where they were forage, he had found it necessary to disperse his army quartered, that it was no uncommon thing to see a very much. The British cavalry were as far off as the Highland soldier taking care of the children, or keepbanks of the Dender; the Prussians occupied the line ing the shop of his host. They thus gained on the afof the Sambre, and, consequently, were nearest the fections of the honest Flemings, who had been so little enemy. As it was impossible to know at what point accustomed to experience such mildness and good beBuonaparte would commence the attack, it was neces-bavicur in soldiers, that they could not believe they sary, also, on this account, to spread the British and Prussian forces over a wide space: they were, however, so posted, as to afford the means of quick combination and mutual support. The Duke of Wellington's head-quarters were at Brussels, and certainly the appearance of the French upon the Sambre was an unexpected piece of intelligence there. The advance of Buonaparte was as bold as it was sudden. The second corps attacked the outposts of the Prussians, drove them in, pursued them, crossed the Sambre, and advanced for the purpose of intercepting the Prussian garrison at Charleroi. At the would be a match for the ferocious troops of Buonaparte; and they grieved to think that men to whom they had become so attached, should be exposed to the almost certain destruction to which they were marching. The Highlanders, however, soon proved that, if they were gentle as lambs in their quarters, they were fierce and unconquerable as lions in the field. They assembled with the utmost alacrity to the well-known martial air Come to me, and I will give you flesh,”—an invitation to the wolf and to the raven, for which they were going to prepare an ample feast. The alarm excited in Brussels, on this occasion, has Deen thus described by an interesting writer, who was summer-morning broke through the edge of the sky; an eye-witness of the scenes which he relates: but the candles still continued to shine through the "It was past and night, and profound repose seemed windows, showing that no person had been at rest to reign over Brussels, when suddenly the drums beat during the night; and their pale hue, as the morning to arms, and the loud call of the trumpet was heard advanced, gave a melancholy character to the look of from every part of the city. It is impossible to describe the streets, corresponding with the general feeling of the effect of these sounds, heard in the silence of the the spectators, who crowded to see gallant men go night. We were not long left in doubt of the truth. forth to death. The light was scarcely sufficient to disA second courier had arrived from Blucher; the attack cover features, before the march commenced;—feathers, had become serious; the enemy were in considerable | flags, and bayonet-points, were all that could be seen. force; they had taken Charleroi, and had gained some They went on and off, and gathered and formed, in a advantage over the Prussians, and our troops were or- hazy obscurity. Mounted officers emerged rapidly from dered to march immediately to support them: instantly the deep shadows that lay in the distances: loud cries every place resounded with martial preparations. There were heard, causing a confusion, that soon, however, was not a house in which military were not quartered, settled itself into military regularity. Women who had and, consequently, the whole town was one universal bidden farewell at home, could not be satisfied, but scene of bustle: the soldiers were seen assembling from came forth, and stood, in slight neglected clothing, at all parts in the Place Royale, with their knapsacks upon the corners by which they knew their friends would their backs; some taking leave of their wives and pass,-almost ashamed of their own feelings, but unchildren; others sitting down unconcernedly upon the able to resist the wish to gain one more look, and repavement, waiting for their comrades; others sleeping ceive another pressure of the hand. Our officers speak upon packs of straw, surrounded by all the din of war; with enthusiasm of the signs of affection shown to while bât-horses and baggage-waggons were loading, them at this affecting moment by the Brussels hosts and artillery and commissariat trains harnessing, officers hostesses. A friend of mine was embraced by his riding in all directions, carts clattering, chargers neigh-landlord at the instant of parting, and made to promise, ing, bugles sounding, drums beating, and colours flying. "A ludicrous contrast to this martial scene, was presented by a long procession of carts coming quietly in, as usual, from the country to market, filled with old Flernish women, who looked irresistibly comic, seated among their piles of cabbages, baskets of green peas, early potatoes, and strawberries, totally ignorant of the cause of all these warlike preparations, and gazing at the scene around them with gaping wonder, as they jogged merrily along, one after another, through the Place Royale, amidst the crowds of soldiers, and the confusion of baggage-waggons." Another writer makes the following remarks on the state of the city, at the first alarm: "Every house was the scene of adieus, not the less tender and sorrowful on account of the shortness of the intimacy that had preceded them. The young men that had not been very provident, were in a flutter, trying all sorts of expedients to procure a few necessaries for the march. Relations and intimate friends, belonging to different regiments, hurried together for an instant, to shake hands, and charge each other with short confidential commissions, to be discharged by the survivor. "As the troops were collecting and falling into their ranks, the spectacle was most peculiar and impressive. The darkness gave way a little, as the first light of a that, if any accident should send him back to Brussels, "The rapid march was long and painful. The officers, though they knew that the enemy had attacked the Prussians, did not think that they were on their road to immediate battle. But such was the fact. The divisions of our army were at this time all making their way to the point of concentration fixed upon by their commander: the whole dreadful machine was now in motion,-no one part comprehending its relation to the others, but the eye of the mover superintending and understanding all.” The Duke of Wellington, accompanied by his staff, and some squadrons of light cavalry, proceeded, on full gallop, to a farm called Quatre Bras, on the road to Gosselies. This position was of the utmost import |