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street, "Le depart de sa majesté l'Empereur pour "l'armée;" and common rumour asserts, that he was at Montmartre this morning inspecting the works. This story is aided by a tale of the Archduke Charles, having arrived at the French head quarters. The last folly is, that the Duke of Wellington is to be offered the crown of France; but, before you laugh at this, let me assure you that a marshal of France said a day ago, "We have been beaten; we must bear the badge of humiliation : let our conquerors im

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pose any foreign sovereign of their own, not "make us suffer the excess of disgrace by put

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ting upon us the traitors who have ruined us. Why not give us Lord Wellington? nay, we "would take the Cossack Platoff-any body but "the Bourbons." This was said to an Englishman, and the last sentence shows there was no To-morrow is expected to

flattery intended.

decide the lot of the capital, if not of France.

LETTER XXVII.

Paris, June 30.

Ar three o'clock this morning a cannonading was heard, sometimes loudly, sometimes faintly, which continued till five. The fire of distant musquetry was also heard, in the direetion of St. Denis; but at eight o'clock neither cannon nor small arms were distinguishable; and an officer of engineers assured me at nine o'clock, that he had received permission to quit his post at la Villette a suspension of arms hav ing been agreed upon with the allies. Other reports said that the battle was still raging, and that the Prussians were beaten and in flight. Walking into the town, I found for the first time the shops shut, and large patroles of the national guards parading the streets, in every direction many soldiers of the line were loitering about, singly, and in small parties of three and four, which did not give cause to suspect that the decisive battle had taken place. The Tuileries' gardens and boulevards are crowded with well drest people, chiefly ladies; but there is not the

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slightest show of any disturbance: however, two men were killed yesterday for crying Vive le Roi. An address from the prefect of the Seine, Count Bondy, to the inhabitants of Paris, is placarded, and tells them distinctly, "It is not you "who are called upon to pronounce upon the (i great interests of the nation; distrust then all "those who may advise you to take too active a

part in the important determinations, in which σε your concurrence can be of no service." Order and tranquillity are all that is demanded of them; all rallying signs, all acclamations of every kind, are forbidden*. The same municipal body whence this address emanated declared its sittings permanent on the 28th, and upon communicating to the Duke of Otranto its apprehensions of the calamity which might await the city, by attempting its defence, received, it is said, positive assurances, that no battle should be fought within the walls.

In the middle of the day, no firing being heard, there was a rumour of a capitulation; but so strictly are the barriers guarded, and so secret are all the measures, both of the government and the generals of the army, that the inhabitants are in utter ignorance of what is passing * See Appendix-No. 31.

VOL. II.

H

within two miles of the town. It is a fact that as two regiments of cavalry were passing along the boulevards, about two o'clock, with drawn swords, the people who were standing near me, looking at them in the Rue Mont Blanc, did not know whether they were Prussians or French; some of my neighbours were positive that they were the former. These troops passed in silence. I have since learnt that they were a portion of Vandamme's corps, which has unexpectedly arrived, and that they were going to take up a position on Mont Rouge, under the Bicêtre, in consequence of the Duke of Wellington having crossed the Seine, at Meulan, where some English cavalry are said to have been drowned. No capitulation has taken place; distant cannonading is still heard at intervals.

Napoleon did leave Malmaison at four o'clock yesterday afternoon, which was announced by General Beker, intrusted with the escort of the Ex-Emperor, in this letter to the Duke of Otranto.

"MY LORD,

Malmaison, June 29, 1815.

"I have the honour to announce to the com"mission of government, that the Emperor is "getting into his carriage to repair to his desti

"nation, uttering his wishes for the establish"ment of the peace, and the prosperity of "France. Deign, my lord, to receive the homage of profound respect, with which I "have the honour to be, &c.

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(Signed)

"GENERAL COUNT BEKER."

This letter was communicated to the chamber of representatives at ten o'clock last night, together with the answer of the Duke of Wellington to the application made by Count Bignon, minister ad interim for foreign affairs, for passports for Napoleon. You will see that the duke refuses those passports, and that consequently Napoleon runs the risk of being taken in his retreat; to which it appears that he was finally forced by the positive orders of the government, communicated to him by the Duke of Decrés, minister of the marine, and by Count Boulay. A message from the government informed the chamber of the measures it had pursued relative to him, and owned that his removal was rendered indispensable by the alarms for his personal safety, and apprehensions of some internal commotion.

The Duke of Decrés, in a speech to the peers, confirmed this message. He said he had not been in bed for three nights. I send you his

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