o obtain an authorisation for removing the
ashes of the Emperor Napoleon to Paris. These petitions were
favourably received by the Chambers, who transmitted them to the
President of the Council, and to the other Ministers, his
colleagues. The Ministers having deliberated on this point, and
the King having given his consent to the measures necessary to
meet the object of the petitioners, M. Thiers yesterday
announced to me officially the desire of the French Government
that Her Majesty's Government would grant the necessary
authority to enable them to remove the remains of the Emperor
Napoleon from St. Helena to Paris. M. Thiers also calls my
attention to the fact that the consent of the British Government
to the projected measure would be one of the most efficacious
means of cementing the union of the two countries, and of
producing a friendly feeling between France and
England.--(Signed) GRANVILLE."

So that this King of the French and M. Thiers realise, after a
quarter of a century, that the hero who was driven to abdicate,
and then banished from France, _did_ defend his country and make
it illustrious, and that the removal of his ashes to France was
the "_most_ efficacious means" of cementing the union of the
country that forsook him in his misfortune with the country that
sent him to perish on a rock. His ashes, indeed, were to produce
a friendly feeling between these two countries. What a
burlesque!

Napoleon's motto was "Everything for the French people." He
seems to have predicted that after his death they would require
his "ashes" to tranquillise an enraged people. Of the other
contracting party he says in the fifth paragraph of his
will:--"I die prematurely, assassinated by the English oligarchy
and its deputy; the English nation will not be slow in avenging
me."

Well, it is requested that his ashes shall be given up to France so
that peace may prevail. And now follows the great act of
condescension:--

"MY LORD,--Her Majesty's Government having taken into
consideration the request made by the French Government for an
authorisation to remove the remains of the Emperor Napoleon from
St. Helena to France, you are instructed to inform M. Thiers
that Her Majesty's Government will with pleasure accede to the
request. Her Majesty's Government entertains hopes that