, whether it would not be proper for it and the chambers,
to retire behind the Loire with the army. This measure, worthy of the
firmness of M. Carnot, who proposed it, was strongly combated by the
Duke of Otranto. He declared, that this step would ruin France; "that
the greater part of the generals would not assent to it, and that he
himself would be the first, to refuse to quit Paris. That it was at
Paris the whole must be decided: and that it was the duty of the
committee to remain there, to protect the high interests confided to
it, and contend for them to the last extremity."

The committee gave up the idea; not out of deference to the
observations of M. Fouche, for he had lost all his empire over it; but
because it was convinced on reflection, that things had gone too far,
for any benefit to be expected from this desperate step. It would
probably have rekindled the foreign war, and a civil war; and, though
the soldiers might be depended on, their leaders could no longer be
so, with the same security. Some, as General Senechal, had been
stopped at the advanced posts, when going over to the Bourbons. Others
had openly declared themselves in favour of Louis. The greater number
appeared inflexible: but this difference of opinion had brought on
distrust and dissensions; and in political wars all is lost, when
there is a divergency of wills and opinions. Besides it would have
been necessary, since the committee persisted in rejecting Napoleon,
to place at the head of the army some other chief, whose name, sacred
to glory, might serve as a stay and rallying point: and on whom could
the choice of the committee fall[88]?

[Footnote 88: Events have justified the prudence of the
marshals; but I am not judging of events, I am relating
them.]

Marshal Ney had been the first, to give the alarm, and despair of the
safety of the country[89].

[Footnote 89: On the 23d of June, M. Carnot, after
having delivered to the chamber of peers Napoleon's act
of abdication, entered into some details of the state of
the army. Marshal Ney rose, and said ... "What you have
just heard is false, entirely false; Marshal Grouchy and
the Duke of Dalmatia cannot assemble sixty thousand
men.... Marshal Grouchy has been unable to rally more
than seven or eight thousand; Marshal Soult could not