emies? When victory was for the first time faithless to us, did they
not swear, in the presence of God and man, that they would respect
our independence and our laws? Let us not fall a second time into the
snare, that they have set for our confidence, for our credulity. Their
aim, in their endeavour to separate the nation from the Emperor, is,
to disunite us, in order to vanquish us, and replunge us more easily
into that degradation and slavery, from which his return delivered us.
I conjure you, citizens, by the sacred name of our country, rally all
of you round the chief, whom the nation has so solemnly replaced at
its head. Consider, that our safety depends on our union; and that you
cannot separate yourselves from the Emperor, and abandon him to his
enemies, without ruining the state, without being faithless to your
oaths, without tarnishing for ever the national honour."

This speech, uttered amid the coil of parties, was drowned,
interrupted, by the tumultuous noise of the assembly: few of the
deputies listened to it, or heard it: their minds, however, astonished
by the blow aimed at Napoleon, appeared disquieted and irresolute. The
Duke of Vicenza, and the Prince of Eckmuhl, had given satisfactory
explanations, one of the means of coming to an understanding with the
allies, the other of the imaginary approach of troops intended to act
against the national representation. The friends of the Emperor had
succeeded in bringing over to his cause a majority of the assembly,
and every thing seemed to presage a favourable issue, when one of the
Emperor's enemies, M. de la Fayette, obtained a hearing. "You accuse
us," said he, addressing Prince Lucien, "of failing in our duties
towards our honour, and towards Napoleon. Have you forgotten all that
we have done for him? have you forgotten, that we followed him in the
sands of Africa, in the deserts of Russia, and that the bones of our
sons and brothers every where attest our fidelity? For him we have
done enough: it is our duty now, to save our country." A number of
voices rose together in confusion, to accuse or defend Napoleon. M.
Manuel, M. Dupin, displayed the dangers, with which France was
threatened. They hinted at the means of preserving it, but durst not
pronounce the word abdication: so difficult it is to overcome the
respect, that a great man inspires.

In fine, after a long debate, it was agreed, conformably to the
conclusions of the message, that a committee of