ed _la politique de
Longwood_, spoke not unkindly of Sir Hudson Lowe, allowing he had
a difficult task to execute, since an angel from Heaven, as
Governor, could not have pleased them. When I more than hinted
that nothing could justify detraction and departure from truth in
carrying out a policy, he merely shrugged his shoulders and
reiterated: '_C'etait notre politique; et que voulez-vous?_' That
he and the others respected Sir Hudson Lowe, I had not the shadow
of a doubt: nay, in a conversation with Montholon at St. Helena,
when speaking of the Governor, he observed that Sir Hudson was an
officer who would always have distinguished employment, as all
Governments were glad of the services of a man of his calibre.

"Happening to mention that, owing to his inability to find an
officer who could understand and speak French, the Governor was
disposed to employ me as orderly officer at Longwood, Montholon
said it was well for me that I was not appointed to the post, as
they did not want a person in that capacity who could understand
them; in fact, he said, we should have found means to get rid of
you, and perhaps ruined you."[569]

Las Cases also, _in a passage that he found it desirable to suppress
when he published his "Journal"_ wrote as follows (November 30th,
1815):

"We are possessed of moral arms only: and in order to make the
most advantageous use of these it was necessary to reduce into _a
system_ our demeanour, our words, our sentiments, _even our
privations_, in order that we might thereby excite a lively
interest in a large portion of the population of Europe, and that
the Opposition in England might not fail to attack the Ministry on
the violence of their conduct towards us."[570]

We are now able to understand the real nature of the struggle that
went on between Longwood and Plantation House. Napoleon and his
followers sought by every means to bring odium upon Lowe, and to
furnish the Opposition at Westminster with toothsome details that
might lead to the disgrace of the Governor, the overthrow of the
Ministry, and the triumphant release of the ex-Emperor. On the other
hand, the knowledge of the presence of traitors on the island, and of
possible rescuers hovering about on the horizon, kept Lowe ever at
work "unravelling the intricate plotting constantly going on at
Longwood," until his face wore the preo