memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v14-第1节

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Memoirs　of　Napoleon　Bonaparte；　V14

by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne

His　Private　Secretary




Edited　by　R。　W。　Phipps
Colonel；　Late　Royal　Artillery

1891



CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　VII。　　to　　CHAPTER　　X。　　1815



CHAPTER　VII。

　　　　　＇By　the　Editor　of　the　1836　edition＇

1815。

　　　　　Napoleon　at　ParisPolitical　manoeuvresThe　meeting　of　the　Champ…
　　　　　de…MaiNapoleon；　the　Liberals；　and　the　moderate　Constitutionalists
　　　　　His　love　of　arbitrary　power　as　strong　as　everParis　during　the
　　　　　Cent　JoursPreparations　for　his　last　campaignThe　Emperor　leaves
　　　　　Paris　to　join　the　armyState　of　BrusselsProclamation　of　Napoleon
　　　　　to　the　BelgiansEffective　strength　of　the　French　and　Allied　armies
　　　　　The　Emperor's　proclamation　to　the　French　army。

Napoleon　was　scarcely　reseated　on　his　throne　when　he　found　he　could　not
resume　that　absolute　power　he　had　possessed　before　his　abdication　at
Fontainebleau。　　He　was　obliged　to　submit　to　the　curb　of　a　representative
government；　but　we　may　well　believe　that　he　only　yielded；　with　a　mental
reservation　that　as　soon　as　victory　should　return　to　his　standards　and
his　army　be　reorganised　he　would　send　the　representatives　of　the　people
back　to　their　departments；　and　make　himself　as　absolute　as　he　had　ever
been。　　His　temporary　submission　was　indeed　obligatory。

The　Republicans　and　Constitutionalists　who　had　assisted；　or　not　opposed
his　return；　with　Carnot；　Fouche；　Benjamin　Constant；　and　his　own　brother
Lucien　（a　lover　of　constitutional　liberty）　at　their　head；　would　support
him　only　on　condition　of　his　reigning　as　a　constitutional　sovereign；　he
therefore　proclaimed　a　constitution　under　the　title　of　〃Acte　additionnel
aux　Constitutions　de　l'Empire；〃　which　greatly　resembled　the　charter
granted　by　Louis　XVIII。　the　year　before。　　An　hereditary　Chamber　of　Peers
was　to　be　appointed　by　the　Emperor；　a　Chamber　of　Representatives　chosen
by　the　Electoral　Colleges；　to　be　renewed　every　five　years；　by　which　all
taxes　were　to　be　voted；　ministers　were　to　be　responsible；　judges
irremovable；　the　right　of　petition　was　acknowledged；　and　property　was
declared　inviolable。　　Lastly；　the　French　nation　was　made　to　declare　that
they　would　never　recall　the　Bourbons。

Even　before　reaching　Paris；　and　while　resting　on　his　journey　from　Elba　at
Lyons；　the　second　city　in　France；　and　the　ancient　capital　of　the　Franks；
Napoleon　arranged　his　ministry；　and　issued　sundry　decrees；　which　show　how
little　his　mind　was　prepared　for　proceeding　according　to　the　majority　of
votes　in　representative　assemblies。

Cambaceres　was　named　Minister　of　Justice；　Fouche　Minister　of　Police　（a
boon　to　the　Revolutionists）；　Davoust　appointed　Minister　of　War。　　Decrees
upon　decrees　were　issued　with　a　rapidity　which　showed　how　laboriously
Bonaparte　had　employed　those　studious　hours　at　Elba　which　he　was　supposed
to　have　dedicated　to　the　composition　of　his　Memoirs。　　They　were　couched
in　the　name　of　〃Napoleon；　by　the　grace　of　God；　Emperor　of　France；〃　and
were　dated　on　the　13th　of　March；　although　not　promulgated　until　the　21st
of　that　month。　　The　first　of　these　decrees　abrogated　all　changes　in　the
courts　of　justice　and　tribunals　which　had　taken　place　during　the　absence
of　Napoleon。　　The　second　banished　anew　all　emigrants　who　had　returned　to
France　before　1814　without　proper　authority；　and　displaced　all　officers
belonging　to　the　class　of　emigrants　introduced　into　the　army　by　the　King。
The　third　suppressed　the　Order　of　St。　Louis；　the　white　flag；　cockade；　and
other　Royal　emblems；　and　restored　the　tri…coloured　banner　and　the
Imperial　symbols　of　Bonaparte's　authority。　　The　same　decree　abolished　the
Swiss　Guard　and　the　Household　troops　of　the　King。　　The　fourth　sequestered
the　effects　of　the　Bourbons。　　A　similar　Ordinance　sequestered　the
restored　property　of　emigrant　families。

The　fifth　decree　of　Lyons　suppressed　the　ancient　nobility　and　feudal
titles；　and　formally　confirmed　proprietors　of　national　domains　in　their
possessions。　　（This　decree　was　very　acceptable　to　the　majority　of
Frenchmen）。　　The　sixth　declared　sentence　of　exile　against　all　emigrants
not　erased　by　Napoleon　from　the　list　previously　to　the　accession　of　the
Bourbons；　to　which　was　added　confiscation　of　their　property。　　The　seventh
restored　the　Legion　of　Honour　in　every　respect　as　it　had　existed　under
the　Emperor；　uniting　to　its　funds　the　confiscated　revenues　of　the　Bourbon
order　of　St。　Louis。　　The　eighth　and　last　decree　was　the　most　important　of
all。　　Under　pretence　that　emigrants　who　had　borne　arms　against　France　had
been　introduced　into　the　Chamber　of　Peers；　and　that　the　Chamber　of
Deputies　had　already　sat　for　the　legal　time；　it　dissolved　both　Chambers；
and　convoked　the　Electoral　Colleges　of　the　Empire；　in　order　that　they
might　hold；　in　the　ensuing　month　of　May；　an　extraordinary　assemblythe
Champ…de…Mai。

This　National　Convocation；　for　which　Napoleon　claimed　a　precedent　in　the
history　of　the　ancient　Franks；　was　to　have　two　objects：　first；　to　make
such　alterations　and　reforms　in　the　Constitution　of　the　Empire　as
circumstances　should　render　advisable；　secondly；　to　assist　at　the
coronation　of　the　Empress　Maria　Louisa。　　Her　presence；　and　that　of　her
son；　was　spoken　of　as　something　that　admitted　of　no　doubt；　though
Bonaparte　knew　there　was　little　hope　of　their　return　from　Vienna。　　These
various　enactments　were　well　calculated　to　serve　Napoleon's　cause。　　They
flattered　the　army；　and　at　the　same　time　stimulated　their　resentment
against　the　emigrants；　by　insinuating　that　they　had　been　sacrificed　by
Louis　to　the　interest　of　his　followers。　　They　held　out　to　the　Republicans
a　prospect　of　confiscation；　proscription；　and；　revolution　of　government；
while；　the　Imperialists　were　gratified　with　a　view　of　ample　funds　for
pensions；　offices；　and　honorary　decorations。　　To　proprietors　of　the
national　domains　security　was　promised；　to　the　Parisians　the　grand
spectacle　of　the　Champ…de…Mai；　and　to。　　France　peace　and　tranquillity；
since　the　arrival　of　the　Empress　and　her　son；　confidently　asserted　to　be
at　hand；　was　taken　as　a　pledge　of　the　friendship　of　Austria。

Napoleon　at　the　same　time　endeavoured　to　make　himself　popular　with　the
common　peoplethe；　mob　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Antoine　and　other　obscure
quarters　of　Paris。　　On　the　first　evening　of　his　return；　as　he　walked
round　the　glittering　circle　met　to　welcome　him；　in　the　State　apartments
of　the　Tuileries；　he　kept　repeating；　〃Gentlemen；　it　is　to　the　poor　and
disinterested　mass　of　the　people　that　I　owe　everything；　it　is　they　who
have　brought　me　back　to　the　capital　。　　It　is　the　poor　subaltern　officers
and　common　soldiers　that　have　done　all　this。　　I　owe　everything　to　the
common　people　and　the　ranks　of　the　army。　　Remember　that！　　I　owe
everything　to　the　army　and　the　people！〃　　Some　time　after　he　took
occasional　rides　through　the　Faubourg　St。　Antoine；　but　the　demonstrations
of　the　mob　gave　him　little　pleasure；　and；　it　was　easy　to　detect　a　sneer
in　his　addresses　to　them。　　He　had　some　slight　intercourse　with　the　men　of
the　Revolutionthe　fierce；　bloodthirsty　Jacobinsbut　even　now　he　could
not　conceal　his　abhorrence　of　them；　and；　be　it　said　to　his　honour；　he　had
as　little　to　do　with　them　as　possible。

When　Napoleon；　departed　for　the　summer　campaign　he　took　care　beforehand
to　leave　large　sums　of　money　for　the　'federes'；　in　the　hands　of　the
devoted　Real；　under　whose　management　the　mob　was　placed。　　These　sums　were
to　be　distributed　at　appropriate　seasons；　to　make　the　people　cry　in　the
streets　of　Paris；　〃Napoleon　or　death。〃　　He　also　left　in　the　hands　of
Davoust　a　written　authority　for　the　publication　of　his　bulletins；　many
clauses　of　which　were　written　long　before　the　battles　were　fought　that
they　were　to　describe。　　He　gave　to　the　same　Marshal　a　plan　of　his
campaign；　which　he　had　arranged　for　the　defensive。　　This　was　not　confided
to　him　without　an　injunction　of　the　strictest　secrecy；　but　it　is　said
that　Davoust　communicated　the　plan　to　Fouche。　　Considering　Davoust's
character　this　is　very　unlikely；　but　if　so；　it　is　far　from　improbable
that　Fouche　communicated　the　plan　to　the　Allies　with　whom；　and　more
particularly　with　Prince　Metternich；　he　is　well　known　to　have　been
corresponding　at　the　time。

Shortly　after　the　Emperor's　arrival　in　Paris　Benjamin　Constant；　a
moderate　and　candid　man；　was　deputed　by　the　constitutional　party　to
ascertain　Napoleon's　sentiments　and　intentions。　　Constant　was　a　lover　of
constitutional　liberty；　and　an　old　opponent　of　Napoleon；　whose　headlong
career　of　despotism；　cut　out　by　the　sword；　he　had　vainly　endeavoured　to
check　by　the　eloquence　of　his　pen。

The　interview　took　place　at　the　Tuileries。　　The　Emperor；　as　was　his　wont；
began　the　conversation；　and　kept　it　nearly　all　to　himself　during　the　rest
of　the　audience。　　He　did　not　affect　to　disguise　either　his　past　actions
or　present　dispositions。

〃The　nation；〃　he　said；　〃has　had　a　respite　of　twelve　years　from　every　kind
of　political　agitation；　and　for　one　year　has　enjoyed　a　respite　from　war。
This　double　repose　has　created　a　craving　after　activity。　　It　requires；　or
fancies　it　requires；　a　Tribune　and　popular　assemblies。　　It　did　not　always
require　them。　　The　people　threw　themselves　at　my　fee