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　　　　　Victory　has　brought　the　allied　armies　to　the　Rhine。　　The　first　use
　　　　　their　imperial　and　royal　Majesties　have　made　of　victory　has　been　to
　　　　　offer　peace　to　his　Majesty　the　Emperor　of　the　French。　　A　position
　　　　　reenforced　by　the　accession　of　all　the　sovereigns　and　princes　of
　　　　　Germany　has　had　no　influence　on　the　conditions　of　this　peace；　for
　　　　　these　conditions　are　founded　on　the　independence　of　the　other　states
　　　　　of　Europe。　　The　objects　of　these　powers　are　just　in　their　aims；
　　　　　generous　and　liberal　in　their　application；　reassuring　to　all；　and
　　　　　honorable　to　each。

　　　　　The　allied　sovereigns　desire　that　France　should　be　great；　strong；
　　　　　and　happy；　since　its　greatness　and　power　is　one　of　the　foundations
　　　　　of　the　social　edifice。　　They　desire　that　France　should　be　happy；
　　　　　that　French　commerce　should　revive；　that　the　arts；　those　blessings
　　　　　of　peace；　should　flourish；　because　a　great　people　are　tranquil　only
　　　　　when　satisfied。　　The　powers　confirm　the　French　Empire　in　the
　　　　　possession　of　an　extent　of　territory　which　France　has　never　attained
　　　　　under　her　kings；　since　a　generous　nation　should　not　be　punished
　　　　　because　it　has　experienced　reverses　in　a　bloody　and　well…contested
　　　　　struggle　in　which　it　has　fought　with　its　accustomed　bravery。

　　　　　But　the　powers　themselves　also　wish　to　be　happy　and　peaceful。　　They
　　　　　desire　a　condition　of　peace　which；　by　a　wise　partition　of　force；　by
　　　　　a　just　equilibrium；　may　hereafter　preserve　their　people　from　the
　　　　　innumerable　calamities　which　have　for　twenty　years　overwhelmed
　　　　　Europe。

　　　　　The　allied　powers　will　not　lay　down　their　arms　until　they　have
　　　　　obtained　this　grand　and　beneficent　result；　the　worthy　object　of　all
　　　　　their　efforts。　　They　will　not　lay　down　their　arms　until　the
　　　　　political　condition　of　Europe　is　again　secure；　until　immutable
　　　　　principles　have　regained　their　ascendency　over　new　pretensions；　and
　　　　　the　sanctity　of　treaties　has　finally　assured　a　genuine　peace　to
　　　　　Europe。〃


It　needs　only　common　sense　to　ascertain　whether　the　allied　powers　were
sincere　in　this　declaration；　the　object　of　which　evidently　was　to
alienate　from　the　Emperor　the　affections　of　his　people　by　holding　up　his
Majesty　before　them　as　an　obstacle　to　peace；　and　separating　his　cause
from　that　of　France；　and　on　this　point　I　am　glad　to　support　my　own
opinion　by　that　of　M。　de　Bourrienne；　whom　surely　no　one　will　accuse　of
partiality　for　his　Majesty。

Several　passages　of　his　Memoirs；　above　all　those　in　which　he　blames　the
Emperor；　have　pained　me；　I　must　confess；　but　on　this　occasion　he　does　not
hesitate　to　admit　the　insincerity　of　the　allies；　which　opinion　is　of　much
weight　according　to　my　poor　judgment。

M。　de　Bourrienne　was　then　at　Paris　under　the　special　surveillance　of　the
Duke　of　Rovigo。　　I　frequently　heard　this　minister　mention　him　to　the
Emperor；　and　always　favorably；　but　the　enemies　of　the　former　secretary　of
the　First　Consul　must　have　been　very　powerful；　or　his　Majesty's
prejudices　very　strong；　for　M。　de　Bourrienne　never　returned　to　favor。
The　Emperor；　who；　as　I　have　said；　sometimes　condescended　to　converse
familiarly　with　me；　never　spoke　to　me　of　M。　de　Bourrienne；　whom　I　had　not
seen　since　the　Emperor　had　ceased　to　receive　him。　　I　saw　him　again　for
the　first　time　among　the　officers　of　the　National　Guard；　the　day　these
gentlemen　were　received　at　the　palace；　as　we　shall　see　later；　and　I　have
never　seen　him　since；　but　as　we　were　all　much　attached　to　him　on　account
of　his　kind　consideration　for　us；　he　was　often　the　subject　of
conversation；　and；　I　may　add；　of　our　regrets。　　Moreover；　I　was　long
ignorant　that　at　the　period　of　which　I　am　now　speaking；　his　Majesty　had
offered　him　the　mission　to　Switzerland；　as　I　learned　this　circumstance
only　from　reading　his　Memoirs。　　I　would　not　conceal；　however；　that　I　was
painfully　affected　by　reading　this；　so　greatly　would　I　have　desired　that
Bourrienne　should　overcome　his　resentment　against　his　Majesty；　who　in　the
depths　of　his　heart　really　loved　him。

Whatever　was　done；　it　is　evident　now　to　all　that　the　object　of　the
declaration　of　Frankfort　was　to　cause　alienation　between　the　Emperor　and
the　French　people；　and　subsequent　events　have　shown　that　this　was　fully
understood　by　the　Emperor；　but　unfortunately　it　was　soon　seen　that　the
enemy　had　partly　obtained　their　object。　　Not　only　in　private　society
persons　could　be　heard　expressing　themselves　freely　in　condemnation　of
the　Emperor；　but　dissensions　openly　arose　even　in　the　body　of　the　Corps
Legislatif。

After　the　opening　session；　the　Emperor　having　rendered　a　decree　that　a
commission　should　be　named　composed　of　five　senators　and　five　members　of
the　Corps　Legislatif；　these　two　bodies　consequently　assembled。　　This
commission；　as　has　been　seen　from　his　Majesty's　address；　had　for　its
object　the　consideration　of　articles　submitted　relative　to　pending
negotiations　between　France　and　the　allied　powers。　　Count　Regnault　de
Saint　Jean　d'Angely　bore　the　decree　to　the　Corps　Legislatif；　and
supported　it　with　his　usual　persuasive　eloquence；　recalling　the　victories
of　France　and　the　glory　of　the　Emperor；　but　the　ballot　elected　as　members
of　the　commission　five　deputies　who　had　the　reputation　of　being　more
devoted　to　the　principles　of　liberty　than　to　the　Emperor。　　These　were　M。
Raynouard；　Laine；　Gallois；　Flaugergues；　and　Maine　de　Biran。　　The　Emperor
from　the　first　moment　appeared　much　dissatisfied　with　this　selection；　not
imagining；　however；　that　this　commission　would　soon　show　itself　so
entirely　hostile。　　I　remember　well　that　I　heard　his　Majesty　say　in　my
presence　to　the　Prince　of　Neuchatel；　with　some　exasperation　though
without　anger；　〃They　have　appointed　five　lawyers。〃

Nevertheless；　the　Emperor　did　not　allow　the　least　symptoms　of　his
dissatisfaction　to　be　seen；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　officially　received　the
list　of　commissioners；　addressed　to　the　President　of　the　Corps　Legislatif
the　following　letter　bearing　the　date　of　the　23d　of　December：

　　　　　〃MONSIEUR；　Duke　of　Massa；　President　of　the　Legislative　Corps：
　　　　　We　address　you　the　inclosed　letter　to　make　known　to　you　our
　　　　　intention　that　you　report　to…morrow；　the　24th　instant；　at　the
　　　　　residence　of　our　cousin　the　prince　archchancellor　of　the　Empire；　in
　　　　　company　with　the　commission　appointed　yesterday　by　the　Legislative
　　　　　Corps　in　compliance　with　our　decree　of　the　20th　instant；　and　which
　　　　　is　composed　of　the　following　gentlemen：　Raynouard；　Lain；　Galiois；
　　　　　Flaugergues；　and　Maine　de　Biran；　for　the　purpose　of　considering　the
　　　　　articles　relative　to　the　negotiations；　and　also　the　declaration　of
　　　　　the　confederated　powers；　which　will　be　communicated　by　Count
　　　　　Regnault　minister　of　state；　and　Count　d'Hauterive　councilor　of　state
　　　　　attached　to　the　department　of　foreign　relations；　who　will　be　the
　　　　　bearer　of　the　aforesaid　articles　and　declaration。

　　　　　Our　intention　also　is　that　our　cousin　aforesaid　should　preside　over
　　　　　this　commission。　　With　this　〃　etc。

The　members　of　the　senate　appointed　on　this　commission　were　M。　de
Fontanel；　M。　the　Prince　of　Benevent；　M。　de　Saint　Marsan；　M。　de　Barbe…
Marbois；　and　M；　de　Beurnonville。

With　the　exception　of　one　of　these　gentlemen；　whose　disgrace　and
consequent　opposition　were　publicly　known；　the　others　were　thought　to　be
sincerely　attached　to　the　Emperor；　and　whatever　may　have　been　their
opinions　and　their　subsequent　conduct　they　had　done　nothing　then　to
deserve　the　same　distrust　from　the　Emperor　as　the　members　of　the
committee　from　the　Corps　Legislatif。　　No　active　opposition；　no　signs　of
discontent；　had　been　shown　by　the　conservative　senate。

At　this　time　the　Duke　of　Rovigo　came　frequently；　or　I　might　rather　say
every　day；　to　the　Emperor。　　His　Majesty　was　much　attached　to　him；　and
that　alone　suffices　to　prove　that　he　was　not　afraid　to　hear　the　truth；
for　since　he　had　been　minister；　the　Duke　of　Rovigo　had　never　concealed
it；　which　fact　I　can　affirm；　having　been　frequently　an　eyewitness。　　In
Paris　there　was　nevertheless　only　unanimous　opposition　to　this　minister。
I　can；　however；　cite　one　anecdote　that　the　Duke　of　Rovigo　has　not
included　in　his　Memoirs；　and　of　which　I　guarantee　the　authenticity；　and
it　will　be　seen　from　this　incident　whether　or　not　the　minister　of　police
sought　to　increase　the　number　of　persons　who　compromised　themselves　each
day　by　their　gratings　against　the　Emperor。

Among　the　employees　of　the　treasury　was　a　former　receiver　of　the　finances
who　led　a　retired　and　contented　life　in　this　modest　employment。　　He　was　a
very　enthusiastic　man　of　much　intelligence。　　His　devotion　to　the　Emperor
amounted　to　a　passion；　and　he　never　mentioned　him　without　a　sort　of
idolatry。　　This　employee　was　accustomed　to　pass　his　evenings　with　a
circle　of　friends　who　met　in　the　Rue　de　Vivienne。　　The　regular　attendants
of　this　place；　whom　the　police　very　naturally　had　their　eyes　upon；　did
not　all　hold　the　same　opinion　as　the　person　of　whom　I　have　just　spoken；
and　began　openly　to　condemn　the　acts　of　government；　the　opposing　party
allowing　their　discontent　to　be　plainly　manifest；　and　the　faithful　adorer
of　his　Majesty　became　prop