that the first victims of these irregular levies would not be the royalists whom the events of the last fifteen months have but too well designated, one might be allowed to wonder that this extremity has not been adopted. M. Bory de St. Vincent made, this morning, a report of his visit to the army yesterday, and concluded a long speech, containing the most assuring details of the state and dispositions of the troops, by moving that the national guards should be called. upon to serve with their brothers in arms upon the heights, and that their efforts should not be paralysed; also that five representatives should be in constant attendance upon the army. In his speech he declared, that if the federates were armed, the capital might be saved. He disclaimed all wish of seeing a battle fought in the streets, but said, that Paris should take a menacing, not a suppliant attitude. The speech is to be printed, sent to the departments, and placarded; but no step is taken as to the project itself. The chamber has adopted an address to the nation similar to M. Manuel's, but in which are the words, " his son (of Napoleon) is called "to the empire." It has also heard a report from the hospitals, by which it appears that 2838 wounded soldiers have been already received in nine different receptacles, and that preparations

are making for nine or ten thousand more. The gift of 30,650 francs from the chamber, and an immense quantity of presents of all kinds from the inhabitants, have been put into employ. The army has replied to the address of the chambers in a letter, which begins thus: "Representatives " of the people-We are in the presence of our "enemies: we swear to you, and in the face of "the world, to defend to our last sigh the "cause of our independence and of the national "honour. They would impose upon us the

Bourbons, and these princes are rejected by "the immense majority of the French." And it concludes in these terms. "The inexorable "voice of history will one day recount what the "Bourbons have done to reinstate themselves on "the throne of France. It will recount, also, "the conduct of the army, of this army, essen"tially national, and posterity will decide which "of the two has the better claim to the esteem "of the world." The letter was read, and read twice with unmixed applause. No message has yet been sent from the government to the chambers; and so great is the anxiety which prevails on that account, that a M. Saussey has accused the executive of a criminal delay in forbearing to tell them one word of the operations of the armies, or of the success of their nego.

VOL II.

I

tiators at the allied camp. "I have this instant," said M. Saussey, "met a lieutenant-colonel who "has been just wounded, and I can contain my"self no longer." In truth, nothing is known but that the movement to the left of the enemies' line continues, and that some partial affairs have taken place in the neighbourhood of Versailles, and the course of the Seine, so that the great attack may be expected from the left bank of the river. Marshal the Prince of Eckmülh, commander in chief of the army, has written a letter to Lord Wellington, demanding a cessation of hostilities until the decision of congress shall be known, and inclosing the armistice concluded between Marshal Suchet and General Bubna*. No cannonading has been heard in the neighbourhood of Paris, but wounded men and horses continue to arrive.

In the chamber of peers, this day, Marshal Grouchy vindicated himself from the charge of having given too dispiriting an account of the corps under his command, and begged his colleagues to appreciate the merit of having brought 40,000 men twenty-eight leagues in thirty hours, from the Dyle to the Seine, with his flank exposed for eighteen hours to a victori

*See Appendix-No. 32.

ous enemy, who were nearer the capital than himself. The marshal has resigned, as he says, from a just diffidence of his abilities to conduct the defence of Paris. Very little is known of the state of the country: it appears the allies are advancing rapidly; La Meurthe is occupied entirely; the sovereigns are said to be arrived at Nancy, forty posts from Paris.

LETTER XXIX.

Sunday, July 2.

THE affair of General Excelmans at Ver. sailles yesterday, appears to have been more considerable than was supposed. The town has been retaken by the French, and two regiments of Prussian cavalry destroyed. This was announced to the chambers by a message from the Tuileries. A communication from the government has also announced, "That "news has arrived from the plenipotentiaries, "treating for an armistice, at the head quarters "of Lord Wellington-that the negotiations "continue, but that the results are not yet "known." The duke has refused the armistice, demanded by the Prince of Eckmülh, in civil terms; the Hero Blucher, in language which it was thought for the honour of France not to publish. The following passages are most prominently polite. "Paris and France are in my "hands; I am come to help the honest men "against the rogues. I warn you not to treat "Paris as you treated Hamburgh."