lents, his connexions with the foreign ministers,
the attention paid him in 1814 by the Emperor Alexander and the king
of Prussia, gave such weight, such an ascendancy, to his words, that
they ultimately did violence to their own reason, and gave themselves
up, though not without murmuring, to confidence and hope.

The council of war assembled on the night of the 1st of July at the
head-quarters at Lavillette, under the presidentship of the Prince of
Eckmuhl. Care was taken, it appeared, to keep away some suspected
generals; and not to neglect calling those officers, whose principles,
moderation, or weakness, was known. All the marshals present in the
capital were admitted; and they, who had lately refused to fight, did
not refuse to come to capitulate.

The committee, in order to prevent all political discussion, had
stated the questions, to which the members of the council were to
confine their deliberations: but this precaution, as might be
supposed, did not prevent their entering familiarly into the moral and
political considerations, that might influence the defence or
surrender of the place besieged. Marshal Soult pleaded the cause of
Louis XVIII.; and was eagerly seconded by other marshals, and several
generals, who, though they entered into the council under the
national colours, would willingly have gone out of it with the white
cockade.

It is impossible, to recapitulate the opinions, given in turn or
confusedly by the fifty persons, who were called to take a share in
this great and important deliberation. Their speeches, or rather their
conversation, turned alternately on Paris and on the Bourbons.

"We are told," said the partisans of Louis XVIII. and the
capitulation, "that Paris, covered without by an army of eighty
thousand men; and defended within by the federates, the sharpshooters,
the national guard, and an immense population; might resist the
efforts of the allies for twenty days at least. We are told, that its
immense extent will render the arrival of provision easy. We admit the
possibility of all this: but what will be the ultimate effect of this
resistance? To allow the Emperor Alexander, and the Emperor of
Austria, time to arrive.... The allies, we know perfectly well,
promise to leave us the power of choosing our sovereign: but will they
keep their promises? and what conditions will they annex to them?
Already Wellington and Blucher have announced, that they will require
guarantees, and fo