FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   915   916   917   918   919   920   921   922   923   924   925   926   927   928   929   930   931   932   933   934   935   936   937   938   939  
940   941   942   943   944   945   946   947   948   949   950   951   952   953   954   955   956   957   958   959   960   961   962   963   964   >>   >|  
ghts to France alone. Napoleon sent Caulaincourt to the headquarters of the Allies; but that was only for the sake of gaining time, and inducing a belief that he was favourably disposed to peace. The Allies having learned the immense levies of troops which Napoleon was making, and being well acquainted with the state of feeling in France, published the famous manifesto, addressed to the French people, which was profusely circulated, and may be referred to as a warning to subjects who trust to the promises of Governments. The good faith with which the promises in the manifesto were kept may be judged of from the Treaty of Paris. In the meantime the manifesto did not a little contribute to alienate from Napoleon those who were yet faithful to his cause; for, by believing in the declarations of the Allies, they saw in him the sole obstacle to that peace which France so ardently desired. On this point, too, the Allies were not wrong, and I confess that I did not see without great surprise that the Duc de Rovigo, in that part of his Memoirs where he mentions this manifesto, reproaches those who framed it for representing the Emperor as a madman, who replied to overtures of peace only by conscription levies: After all, I do not intend to maintain that the declaration was entirely sincere; with respect to the future it certainly was not. Switzerland was already tampered with, and attempts were made to induce her to permit the Allied troops to enter France by the bridge of Bale. Things were going on no better in the south of France, where the Anglo-Spanish army threatened our frontiers by the Pyrenees, and already occupied Pampeluna; and at the same time the internal affairs of the country were no less critical than its external position. It was in vain to levy troops; everything essential to an army was wanting. To meet the most pressing demands the Emperor drew out 30,000,000 from the immense treasure which he had accumulated in the cellars and galleries of the Pavillion Marsan, at the Tuileries. These 30,000,000 were speedily swallowed up. Nevertheless it was an act of generosity on the part of Napoleon, and I never could understand on what ground the Legislative Body complained of the outlay, because, as the funds did not proceed from the Budget, there needed no financial law to authorise their application. Besides, why did these rigid legislators, who, while fortune smiled on Bonaparte, dared not utter a word on the sub
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   915   916   917   918   919   920   921   922   923   924   925   926   927   928   929   930   931   932   933   934   935   936   937   938   939  
940   941   942   943   944   945   946   947   948   949   950   951   952   953   954   955   956   957   958   959   960   961   962   963   964   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

France

 

manifesto

 

Allies

 

Napoleon

 
troops
 
promises
 

Emperor

 

levies

 

immense

 

Allied


essential

 

pressing

 

Things

 

demands

 

wanting

 

position

 

Pyrenees

 
affairs
 

country

 

frontiers


internal
 
bridge
 

Pampeluna

 

occupied

 

external

 

threatened

 

critical

 
Spanish
 

authorise

 

application


Besides

 
financial
 

needed

 
proceed
 

Budget

 

Bonaparte

 
smiled
 
legislators
 

fortune

 

outlay


Tuileries

 

Marsan

 

speedily

 

swallowed

 

Pavillion

 

galleries

 
treasure
 

accumulated

 
cellars
 

permit