etin of the battle of Mont St.
Jean, and said: "Our misfortunes are great. I am come to repair them:
to impress on the nation, on the army, a great and noble movement. If
the nation rise, the enemy will be crushed: if disputation be
substituted instead of levies, instead of extraordinary measures, all
is lost. The enemy is in France. To save the country it is necessary,
that I should be invested with great power, _with a temporary
dictatorship_. For the good of the country I might seize on this
power: but it would be advantageous, and more national, that it should
be given me by the chambers." The ministers held down their heads, and
made no answer. The Emperor then called upon them, to give their
opinion on the measures, that circumstances required to be taken for
the public safety.

M. Carnot was of opinion, that it was necessary, to declare the
country in danger, call the federates and national guards to arms,
place Paris in a state of siege, defend it, at the last extremity
retire behind the Loire, form intrenchments there, recall the army of
La Vendee and the corps of observation in the South, and keep the
enemy in check, till a sufficient force had been collected and
organized, to resume acting on the offensive, and drive them out of
France.

The Duke of Vicenza recalled to mind the events of 1814, and
maintained, that the occupation of the capital by the enemy would
decide the fate of the throne a second time. That it was necessary for
the nation to make a grand effort, to preserve its independence: that
the safety of the state did not depend on this or that measure; the
question was in the chambers, and their union with the Emperor.

The Duke of Otranto, and several other ministers, joined in this
opinion; and thought, that by acting towards the chambers with
confidence and good faith, they would be brought to feel, that it was
their duty to join with the Emperor, that by energetic measures they
might together preserve the honour and independence of the nation.

The Duke Decres declared plainly, that they were wrong to flatter
themselves with the hope of gaining the deputies; that they were
ill-disposed, and appeared decided, to proceed to the most violent
extremes.

Count Regnault added, he did not think, that the representatives would
consent to second the views of the Emperor; they seemed persuaded,
that it was no longer in his power, to save the country; and he was
afraid, that a great sacrifice would