1

DISASTERS OF LIBERTY.

wish (I may say passion) of the people country fellows and people of the town and soldiers, in every part of the country were dining, and joined with us in still I have seen, is peace, which the ignorant wishing to wait for the Moniteur itself, of sanguinary statesmen of congress will not which, however, an extract was given in see or allow, because they are in want of this journal. The fatal intelligence was war themselves. read aloud-Napoleon had gained victories on the 16th and 17th, attacked the English on the 18th, and beat them up to half-past eight in the evening, when a desperate charge being made on some English batteries by four battalions of the middle guard, and these battalions being thrown into confusion by a charge of cavalry, a route took place. The French army thought the old guard had been repulsed, la vieille garde est repoussee was the cry, which was followed up by shouts of sauve qui peut; the whole army began to run: in vain the old guard tried to stop them, and was itself borne down by the mass of the fugitives; even the squadrons of the body guard about the emperor were borne backwards; all rushed to the point of communication, and a complete defeat ensued. Cannons, carriages, all the park of artillery, all the reserve of the whole army, was left and taken on the field of battle. The emperor returned to Paris. His abdication was not mentioned.

We had passed Macon, and had arrived at the little town of St. Albin, the next stage the horses were put to our carriage, when a man on horseback begged to say a word to us, and asked in a whisper whether we had heard the news. What news? Why, bad news, the worst. The Emperor had returned to Parishad abdicated. Two merchants, passing through Tournus on their way to Lyons, had shewn a Paris journal stating the fact. What journal? The Journal Général. It was natural that we should add, "You must not believe that journal, it is a suspected paper." Our informant replied that he thought so too, and that the merchants had been followed by a gendarme and taken to the prefect; who, however, upon examining their paper, had suffered them to depart. The fact was the more unaccountable, as the telegraph at Lyons had that morning announced a second victory gained over the allies, in which their cavalry had been At the close of the recital, the persons nearly annihilated. Our informant as- present said it was not-could not be signed no cause for the event, but said true. One added, "if so, the Bourbous there had been some insigne trahison at will come back-they may-but they the bottom of it; so the merchants had shall reign over stones; the men will die, averred. He did not believe the story, or depart to some happier country." but was evidently much disturbed, and We spoke to the postmaster, and asked accompanied us to the next stage to meet him if the emperor had really been dethe courier from Paris. At Tournus we feated; it will require some time to forwe were stopped in the streets for the get the air and accent with which he reexamination of our passports, and found plied, mais, oui-completement battu. every one in extreme anxiety. The At Chalons sur Saone we read the Jourpost-house was surrounded with crowds, nal de l'Empire of the 22d. All was who, although they knew we came from confirmed relative to the total defeat of the opposite quarter, wished to know our the French army at Mont St. Jean. But opinion on the subject; and who were we travelled all that night and the next not a little pleased at hearing our argu- day, and the following night, before we ments on the improbability of the fact. saw the paper of the 23d, at Sens, which Tournus is one of the towns which dis- indeed contained the abdication of Napotinguished itself last year, in the defence leon, in a declaration to the French peomade against against the allies. At Sen- ple, dated the 22d of the month. I know necy, the next stage, in the road to which not how you feel, but his expression, ma place we met the courier, the truth burst vie politique est terminee, cut me to the upon us. We paused, but did not still alto- heart. I recalled him to my mind at gether resign our incredulity, for we could the opening of his parliament, at the comonly see a paper called Le Journal des mencement of a new career so glorious, Campagnes in a small tavern, where some now so terminated; and in witnessing

which the great author of the Idler describes as attendant upon the contemplation of the last in any effort. The news, however, was known to be rue as far to the southward as Autun. We witnessed no disturbances in any of the towns, but were informed that 1500 troops of the line had passed Sens yesterday morning, shouting Vive l'Empereur, and a bas les Royalistes. At Melun we saw, in the Journal de l'Empire, that Napoleon Bonaparte had retired provisionally to Malmaison. The change of style spoke a volume to us. They had told us at Montereau that he was gone, or going, to England. We had before, as far down as Villeneuve, met with soldiers, individually and in small parties, without arms, and some wounded in the hand or head, returning from the beaten army. Advancing a little further, we learnt who were the nominal masters of France, and that we were now in the empire of the Duke of Otranto, administered in the name of the French people. At Charenton we passed through soldiers who were receiving their rations; and, entering Paris by the gate of Marengo, saw, in the crowds, and charlatans, and theatres, and coffeehouses of the boulevards, no sign of the fall, although some people might from such a sight conjecture the moral degradation of France.

the close of such a life, felt the sensations with tears not to follow, and which alone has been the immediate cause of his fall. It may appear presumptuous to state his real motive for such a fatal proceeding; but the one assigned by his friends is, that he wished to be himself the messenger of the ill news, and to prevent, by his presence, any strong measures which the chambers might feel inclined to take against his crown. However, the effect of this fifth retreat from his armies, although an act in itself of but little importance, is an entire abandonment of him and his cause by all those who could have forgiven him a misfortune, but required that he should be the first to recover from the blow. Even in the army he has lost his best partisans; and, although his name may be made the rallying word of some future discontent, he cannot be pardoned by the brave men who have seen themselves deserted at their first disaster by him. It cannot be concealed that there is in the flight of Napoleon a precipitancy which nothing can excuse; and we must sigh, as Montesquieu did over the suicide of Brutus, to see the cause of liberty so easily abandoned. Had the chambers dethroned him upon receiving the news of his defeat, the despair would have been theirs, and their decree might not have been ratified by the nation in arms; but by his return he has saved them from that disgrace and danger, and has preserved their characters, whatever injury he may have done to his own. was not to be expected that any future sacrifices should be made in the behalf of one whose conduct in this decisive instance has shown him unwilling to appreciate the value of their exertions.

NAPOLEON.

Napoleon is fallen for ever! Incredible as you may think it, he is almost forgotten! No one, except the immediate friends of the government, pretends to know for certain whether he is still at Malmaison, or seems to think it a question of importance to ask. On Saturday last, Count M- saw him there : he was tranquil, but quite lost. His friends now pretend that, since his return from Elba, he has never been the man he used to be. Certain it is, that he was employed for fifteen hours a day, at an average, during his three months' reign; and that he owned to one of his aide-de-camps, an acquaintance of mine, who observed him several times fall asleep in his carriage when on the road to the army, that he was exhausted by continual application. There is only one opinion here as to his quitting the army and his return to Paris; a plan which I know he was implored

MEASURES OF DEFENCE.

It

In an hour, the return of Napoleon had spread over the whole capital. It was known to every member of the two chambers, which assembled, the peers at half past one, and the representatives at a quarter past twelve; and,after hearing the procés verbal of the former sitting, proceeded at once to the consideration of the immediate necessities of the country. After the first tumult of meeting, and of listening to the tales which every one told, had subsided, General Lafayette mounted the tribune, and delivered himself in these words:

"Gentlemen, when, for the first time since many years, I raise a voice which

the ancient friends of liberty will even as in a few moments, perhaps, the chamyet recognise, I feel myself called upon ber might be dissolved. It was ordered, to speak to you of the danger of our moreover, that the declaration of Lafay country, which which you alone at this juncture ette, with the exception of the first article, have the power to save. Sinister rumours should be placarded in the capital, and have gone abroad: unfortunately they sent to the departments; also, that it are all confirmed. Now, then, is the time should be immediately transmitted to the to rally round the old tri-coloured stan- peers and to the emperor. dard, the standard of eighty-nine; the standard of liberty, of equality, of public order; the standard which alone we have to defend against foreign pretensions and internal treason. Permit gentlemen, a veteran in this sacred cause, who has always been a stranger to the spirit of faction, to submit to you some preliminary resolutions, of which you will appreciate, I hope, the necessity.

Article 1. "The chamber of representatives declares, that the independence of the nation is menaced.

2dly. "The chamber declares its sitting permanent. All attempts to dissolve it is a crime of high treason: whoever shall show himself capable of this attempt shall be regarded as a traitor to his country, and be arraigned as such.

M. Regnault de St. Jean d'Angely then entered the house, and read the following bulletin.

"The emperor arrived at 11 o'clock; he has called a council of ministers; he has announced that the army, after a signal victory in the plains of Fleurus, in which the flower of the Prussian forces was destroyed, fought a great battle two days afterwards, four leagues from Brussels. The English army was beaten during the whole day, and obliged to give up the field of battle. We had taken six English colours and the day was decided, when, at night, some malcontents spread an alarm, and occasioned a disorder which the presence of his Majesty could not allay on account of the darkness. The consequence has been a disaster 3dly. "The army of the line and the which nothing could immediately repair. national guards who have fought, and The army is rallying under the walls of still fight, to defend the liberty, the inde- Avesnes and Philippeville. His Majesty pendence, and the territory of France, passed by Laon; and there gave orders have deserved well of their country. that the levy in mass of the national 4thly. "The minister of the interior guards of the department should stop the is invited to call together the general staff, fugitives. He is returned to Paris, to the commanders, and legionary majors confer with his ministers on the means of of the national guard of Paris, to advise re-establishing the material of the army. on the means of arming and completing The intention of his majesty is also to that urban guard, whose patriotism and approved zeal, for six and twenty years, offer a sure guarantee to the liberty, the prosperity, and tranquillity of the capital, and to the inviolability of the representatives of the nation.

5thly. "The minister of war, of fo. reign affairs, of police, and of the interior, are invited to present themselves instantly to the assembly."

concert with the chamber those legislative measures which circumstances require. His Majesty is, at this moment, occupied in framing propositions for the consideration of the chamber."

M, Regnault proposed to read likewise a supplement to the Moniteur of the 21st, containing an account of the fatal battle. of Mont St. Jean in which no attempt was made to conceal that the defeat had

been decisivé.

:

FATAL DIVISIONS.

The propositions of General Lafayette were listened to in profound silence, and received at the end with applause. The The four ministers, and Prince Lucien, three first were immediately adopted; entered the hall. The latter informed the fourth was considered premature; but the chamber that he had been named the latter received the unanimous support extraordinary commissary by the emof the chamber, as a measure which the peror, and required that a secret comurgency of the case demanded. One of mittee of the whole house should be the members went so far as to say, that formed, to give audience to the ministers. these steps must be taken without delay, The galleries were emptied, and a mes

That

sage was then read from the emperor, isters were severally interrogated; the informing the chamber of the loss of the opinion of the chamber was pronounced battle in all its extent; and of the nomi- with a gravity and order that gave a nation of the Duke of Vicenza and weight to their determination, and conOtranto, and Count Carnot, as commis- vinced the prince that in four and twensaries, to treat of peace with the allies. ty hours the authority either of his brothThe profound silence which reigned for er or of the house must be no more. some moments at the close of the mes- The peers met at half past one, when sage was interrupted by a member, Mr. Count Carnot read the abdication, which, M. H. L., who solemnly ascended into being known to many of the members, the tribune, and, to the astonishment of excited no discussion. The count then the whole assembly (each individual of gave the details of the minister of war, which had felt perhaps the necessity of relative to the position of Marshal Grouthe same boldness and decision) addressed chy; when, to the surprise of all preshimself to the minister for foreign affairs. ent, Marshal Ney rose, and said, "What "You talk of peace. What new you have just heard is false, as false can means of communication have you in be, (fausse de toute fausseté). Marshal your power? What new basis do you Grouchy and the Duke of Dalmatia can give to your negotiation? What is it not collect sixty thousand men. that you call the national independence? number can not be brought together on Europe has declared war against Napo- the northern frontier. Marshal Grouleon. Do you henceforward separate the chy, for his part, has been able to rally chief from the nation? As to myself, I only seven or eight thousand men. The distinctly declare that I hear no voice Duke of Dalmatia has not been able to but that of the nation; that I see nothing make any stand at Rocroy. You have but one man between us and peace. In no other means of saving your country the name of the public safety, unveil the but by negotiation." Hearing this pointsecrets of your new policy; show us all ed contradiction from the marshal, the the depth of the abyss, and perchance Count Latour Maubourg exclaimed, “If there may be still left in our courage some the details are not true, I demand that resources, and our country will be saved." the minister at war may be arraigned for The remonstrance of the orator was an attempt to deceive the peers and the applauded from all parts of the hall with representatives of the people." Count an unanimity which left no doubt on the Carnot declared that the letter was writmind of Prince Lucien that the fate of ten by the hand of Marshal Davoust; his brother was decided he resolved, and Count Flahaut attested that he had however, to make one desperate effort, and addressed the representatives of the people in a speech which left untried no art of oratory. He appealed to their honour, to their love of glory, to their generosity, to their oaths; but here he was interrupted by M. de Lafayette, who exclaimed, "We have followed your brother to the sands of Africa-to the deserts of Russia: the bones of Frenchmen, scattered in every region, bear witness to our fidelity." And at this moment Messrs. M. N. and M. D., together with other voices, declared that the alternative was inevitable; the requisite remedy was no less manifest than the calamity. The prince continued to harangue, and there were some moments when he seemed to threaten, and at others to implore-but in vain. The min4H

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shewn it to the emperor, who approved the account. The altercation still continued, and grew so warm between the minister Carnot and Marshal Ney, that the Count of Pontecoulant moved that a stop should be put to the scene, which ended by Ney positively asserting that forty thousand men could not be brought together by Grouchy at any point, or by any means.

The messages from the chamber of representatives announced their several declarations, which were approved by the peers, but not entirely without opposition; for Count La Bédoyère protested vehemently against the new executive government, as an infringement upon the right of Napoleon the Second, for whom alone his father had abdicated. The house adjourned from five to half past MON, MAG. No. 286.

nine, when the president informed the "I will not listen to you," said the Count peers that he had waited on the emperor of Valence; "retract what you have with the acceptance of the abdication, said.""I do not address myself to you, and that his Majesty had answered, that count," replied the other, and continued he had received with pleasure their senti- his declamation with such vehemence ments; but had added, I repeat that against traitors and treason, that Marshal which I have said to the president of the Massena reminded him of his intemperchamber of representatives, I have abdi- ance. He was told, "Young man, you cated only for my son." Immediately forget yourself-you are not at the corps on hearing this, Prince Lucien, in an ani- de garde." Notwithstanding, however, mated speech, in which he asserted that that the president calmed the tumult, the chief of a constitutional monarchy the peers were on the point of declaring never dies, exclaimed, "L'Empereur themselves in opposition to the chamber est mort, vive l'Empereur! l'Empereur of representatives, which might have a abdiqué, vive l'Empereur !" and ended caused the re-assumption of the sceptre with proposing an oath of fidelity to by Napoleon, and a civil war : for Count Napoleon the Second, of which he gave Segur said, "that he had hoped the the first example himself at the moment. question might be deferred until the neThe proposal was applauded by many; gotiation had been opened, but, as the but M. de Pontecoulant objected deci- seal had been torn away, the naked truth sively to the measure, telling the mover must be exposed; there could be no that he was a Roman prince, not a temporising; Napoleon had declared to Frenchman; and that he himself would the president that his abdication was null never vote for a captive monarch, an in- and void if his son was not proclaimed." fant, the choice of whom might shut the The president reminded him that Napodoor against all negotiation. Prince leon had said, only, that the abdication Lucien replied with no less acrimony; was in favour of his son. But M. de and Count Boissy endeavoured to close Segur continued his speech, and ended the discussion by deferring the question, by proposing that the provisional governand by advising first to stop the progress ment should take the title of regency. of the foreign armies, but not to deprive Prince Lucien, Prince Joseph, the Duke themselves of any means of treating by a of Bassano, Count Roederer, supported a premature decision. Count La Bédo- this motion, as well as the oath proposed yère here rose, and furiously exclaimed, by Prince Lucien ; but the Counts Lathat, if the peers and representatives did meth and Cornudet opposed it, which not proclaim Napoleon the Second, the induced Count Segur at once to move abdication was pull, and would be prov- an adjournment, on the ground that the ed so by that sword which Napoleon, provisional government, proposed by the surrounded by his faithful soldiers, would representatives, was in opposition to the then resolve to draw. constitution. This opinion would have "Let him," he added, "be deserted been followed, if Counts Thibaudeau by the vile generals who have already betrayed him. The emperor owes himself to the nation. Abandoned the first time, shall we quit him in his second disaster-we, who have sworn to defend him even in his misfortunes? If, however, it shall be declared that every Frenchman who quits his colours shall be covered with infany, his house rased, his family proscribed, we shall then hear no more of traitors, no more of those manoeuvres that have occasioned our latter catastrophes, of which some of the authors, perhaps, have seats in this assembly." A cry of order interrupted him: but he continued, "Listen to me."

and Pantécoulant had not insisted on the necessity of not leaving Paris and France without a government for the mere dispute of a word, and for the sake of discussing a premature question. Count Flahaut continued to remind them of the rights of Napoleon the Second, when Count Decrés exclaimed with vehemence, "Is this the moment to occupy ourselves about individuals? Let our country be the first consideration-it is in danger; let us not lose a moment in taking the measures which its safety requires. I demand the close of this discussion." This appeal was triumphant. The president put the last question, which was