enjoy their property in quietness and peace; and on this ac count would, perhaps, have paid no attention to the instigations to rebellion against the Bourbons, had not the wicked insinuations been spread amongst them, that the new government were secretly taking measures to strip the whole of the new proprietors of their properties. This report had a powerful effect, and proved a terrible engine in the hands of those who were busy plotting the overthrow of the Bourbon govern ment. Their plans, however, could not have succeeded, if the whole offices under the government, at least, nearly the whole, civil and military, had not been placed by the King in the hands of his most determined enemies. Louis XVIII was a mild and a merciful sovereign. Misfortunes bad shaken his mind. Religion had softened his temper to forgiveness of injuries, and disarmed his soul from harbouring resentment against any. In his lenity as a man, he forgot the duties of a sovereign. He wanted the firmness and determined resolution necessary to control the turbulent and unprincipled nation he was now appointed to govern. Therefore they treated him with disrespect, and planned his ruin. His ministers, with the exception of Talleyrand, were still more unfit for their situation. They were unacquainted with the nation, and the nation with them. Talleyrand, who is perhaps better acquainted with the situation of France than any other statesman in it, was absent attending the Congress at Vienna, while his colleagues were suffering themselves to be duped, and their government undermined, without their being aware of any evil design. Removed for 25 years from his native land, the King remembered only what it was. Accustomed during that period, but chiefly during the time he resided in England, to associate, with plain dealing, honour, and worth, he was above suspicion. He was not aware of the dreadful change cffected on the minds of his countrymen, by the sanguinary revolution; nor believed that the deepest ingratitude and blackest perfidy could lurk under the most pleasing smiles, the strongest protestations, and the readfost oaths. He believed, and was deceived; and had it not been, that his enemies, in this instance, were also the general enemies of Europe, he would have been undone. In turning our eyes to the rest of the continent of Europe, we behold, at this moment, as it were, one vast camp, not as was wickedly insinuated, for the purpose of gratifying the ambition of any one nation, but arising from the unfortunate situation and deplorable condition to which the ambition of France had reduced them. Her arbitrary and lawless conduct had deprived every individual nation of its wealth; and not only so, but in her inveterate hostility against England, and lust of universal sway, had also by her distracted measures, put it out of the power of industry to replace what was lost. In a few words, she left them nothing but despair and vengeance-nothing, but from direful necessity to become wholly a military people. The consequences of the iniquitous proceedings of France had thus, in a great measure, returned on her own head; and while her military strength was broken, and energy shattered, that of Europe united too in a vast body against their former oppressors, was only beginning to raise its head and collect its strength. Formidable as these masses were, from their numbers, they were still more so from the spirit which animated them. It was called forth by general approbation, in a cause the most just. It proceeded from the fatal experience of individual oppression and national dishonour, which each had suffered, and all had endured. The feelings thus occasioned were deeply rooted in every bosom: for, from the Rhine to the Don-from the Adriatic to the Thames-and from the Pyrenees to the straits of Gibraltar, a general sentiment of indignation was felt against France. It was part of the French system, to raise to wealth and honours, at the expense of honour and worth, the wretches who betrayed their country, and who joined the hordes who oppressed it. These men, while they deeply regretted the fall of their former friends, called loudly out for a return of those times when only crime could become conspicuous, and baseness meet with reward. These were most numerous in Belgium, the German States, Italy, and other countries around the frontiers of France, where her influence had been greatest, but gradually diminished in numbers in the countries more distant from her boundaries. The general voice of Europe, however, was against them; and those seditious and pernicious doctrines, writings, and principles, which had formerly proved so destructive to the moral and political fabric of Europe, were now ge nerally understood, justly appreciated, and treated with indignation or scorn, These had lost their poison, and could deprive the people of Europe of their senses no more, Such was the situation of France and of Europe, when the attention of the world, was called forth by the appearance upon the political theatre, of her former scourge and oppressor, Napoleon Bonaparte left his abode, in the island where mistaken lenity had placed him, and landed in France, with arms in his hand. With the rapidity of lightning, the intelligence flew throughout Europe. Her most distant borders felt the shock; and the world heard of his appearance with astonishment and dismay. Mankind stood appalled at the alarming intelligence, not indeed, proceeding so much from the name and fear of Bonaparte, as at the certain idea, of the fresh woes and miseries, which his arrival would bring upon the human race. They saw, in imagination, the restless spirit and ambition of France, which they had so lately put down, again called forth, furious for battle, and eager for blood. His arrival was beheld, as the approach of the demon of war, confusion and destruction. In truth, he brought them all in his train, This extraordinary man, left Elba with about 900 men of his guards, who had accompanied him in his exile. On the 20th February, under pretence of detecting some smugglers, he laid an embargo on all the vessels then in the island; and on the afternoon of the 26th, at five o'clock, he embarked with 400 men of his guards, on board of a brig of 24 guns. Three other vessels were at the same time seized, and received the remainder of his band amounting to 500 men. With these he set sail from his narrow kingdom; and after various delays from calms and contrary winds, and having passed some French and British ships of war, without being suspected or molested by any of them; he, at three o'clock on the morning of the 1st March, with this squadron entered the bay of Juan, and landed in the Gulph of Napaul, not far from Antibes, in the depart ment of the Var, and near the Italian frontier. Early in the morning, Bonaparte caused an officer, with 25, men to land before the rest, as he said to secure the shore battery, if there was any at that point, but more probably to surprise Antibes, which the officer according to Bonaparte's account, attempted of his own accord, but in which he failed, and was with all his party taken prisoners, by the officer who commanded for the king. * This was all, however, that this officer did. He took no measures to prevent Bonaparte's landing, who effected that business at five o'clock, on the afternoon. No sooner had Napoleon reached the shore, than raising himself, and standing erect, he stamped with his foot on the ground, exclaiming, "I am now above the power of the Congress." How far this arrogance and self-confidence was correct, a short period will shew us. Having thus secured his landing, Bonaparte gave himself no further trouble about the vessels which conveyed him.He had more important objects to attend to. The men bivouacked on the beach till the moon arose, when about eleven o'clock at night, they commenced their movement in advance. Bertrand and Drouet were the principal persons of note with them besides Bonaparte, who "put himself, at the head of this handful of brave men, (his own words,) to the fate of whom, such mighty destinies were attached," + With these he marched forward. He took the road to Cannes, from thence to Grasse, and on the evening of the 2d he reached the village of Cerenou, having performed a march of 20 leagues, in that short period. At Cannes he was received with that satisfaction, which in his words "were the first presage of the success of the enterprise." On the 4th he reached Digne. On the 5th general Cambrone obtained possession of the bridge and fortress of Sisteron, and Bonaparte slept at Gap; every where welcomed by the people of the surrounding country: at least, such were his accounts of their disposition. On the 6th Bonaparte left Gap, after having circulated a vast number of pro • Official account of Bonaparte's operations, Moniteur, Paris, March 22d, 1815. clamations to the inhabitants of Dauphiny, and the French nation, which we shall presently have occasion to notice more at length. From Gap he proceeded to Grenoble, where a considerable force was assembled, and a large depot of military stores established, under the command of general Marchand. Arrived near the place, the troops under Bonaparte met the advance of a force, which had been sent from that fortress to oppose his march. At the appearance of the Emperor, these men, no doubt prepared before hand, hoisted the tri-coloured cockade, and joined his ranks. It was boasted, that in this instance, Bonaparte laid bare his bosom, and marching directly upon these battalions, exclaimed, in allusion to the proclamation of Augereau, "Soldiers, it has been said I am a cowardbut here is my heart open to your arms, feel if it fears." This, however, is no doubt in the usual French style of imposition and bombast, and at all events, it was a very safe experiment, in order to prove his courage, to march with his breast uncovered, against men he was before-hand assured would do him no injury; and who, while they had a white cockade on the outside of their caps, had either a tri-coloured one in the inside of it, or at the bottom of their knapsacks. According to his own narrative, it was towards a battalion of the 5th regiment, that he thus marched; and having caused himself to be recognised, he told them " that the first soldier, who chose to kill the Emperor might do so," to which they replied with shouts of "Vive le Empereur." * His guard and these traitors, immediately embraced, and the Emperor haranguing them, informed them, that he came to deliver them from the tyranny and illegitimate throne of the Bourbons, whose interests and pursuits, were contrary to the interests of the nation, and who wished to restore tythes and feudal rights, and other grievances, from which the blessed revolution had delivered their " Fathers." "Is not this true," said he, " Peasants? Yes, Sire," said they unanimously, "They wished to tie us to the soil-you are come like the angel of the Lord to deliver us!!" + Continuing his advance, with this augmented force Bona ▾ Official accounts of Bonaparte's operations, Moniteur, Paris, March 22d. 1814. ↑ Do. da. |