and a full corroboration of all we have stated, from the lips of the count de Las Cases.' "I shall now proceed to give the account of an interesting conversation which I had with the count de Las Cases on the final resolution of Napoleon to throw himself on the generosity of the English government. He prefaced his narrative with this assurance: No page of Ancient History will give you a more faithful detail of any extraordinary event, than I am about to offer of our departure from France, and the circumstances connected with it. The future Historian will certainly attempt to describe it; and you will then be able to judge of the authenticity of his materials and the correctness of his narration. From the time the Emperor quitted the capital, it was his fixed deter mination to proceed to America, and establish himself on the banks of one of the great rivers in America, where he had no doubt a number of his friends from France would gather round him; and, as he had been finally baffled in the career of his ambition, he determined to retire from the world, and, beneath the branches of his own fig-tree, in that sequestered spot, tranquilly and philosophically observe the agitations of Europe. 'On our arrival at Rochfort, the difficulty of reaching the Land of Promise appeared to be much greater than had been conjectured. Every inquiry was made, and various projects proposed; but, after all, no very practicable scheme offered itself to our acceptance. At length, as a dernier resort, two chasse-marées (small one-masted vessels) were procured; and it was in actual contemplation to attempt a voyage across the Atlantic in them. Sixteen midshipmen engaged most willingly to direct their course; and, during the night, it was thought they might effect the meditated escape. We met,' continued Las Cases, in a small room, to discuss and come to a final determination on this momentous subject; nor shall I attempt to describe the anxiety visible on the contenance of our small assembly. The Emperor alone retained an unembarrassed look, when he calmly demanded the opinions of his chosen band of followers, as to his future conduct. The majority were in favour of his returning to the army, as in the South of France his cause still appeared to wear a favourable aspect. This proposition the Emperor instantly rejected, with a declaration delivered in a most decided tone, and with a peremptory gesture-that he never would be the instrument of a Civil War in France. He declared, in the words which he had for some time frequently repeated, that his political career was terminated; and he only wished for the secure asylum which he had promised himself in America, and, till that hour, had no doubt of attaining. He then asked me, as a naval officer, whether I thought that a voyage across the Atlantic was practicable in the small vessels, in which alone it then appeared that the attempt could be made. I had my doubts,' added Las Cases, and I had my wishes: The latter urged me to encourage the enterprise; and the former made me hesitate in engaging for the probability of its being crowned with success. My reply indicated the influence of them both. I answered, that I had long quitted the maritime profession, and was altogether unacquainted with the kind of vessels in question, as to their strength and capacity for such a navigation as was proposed to be undertaken in them; but as the young midshipmen who had volunteered their services, must be competent judges of the subject, and had offered to risk their lives in navigating these vessels, no small confidence, I thought might be placed in their probable security. This project, however, was soon abandoned, and no alternative appeared but to throw ourselves on the generosity of England.' "In the midst of this midnight coun # cil, but, without the least appearance and it is therefore reasonably supposed of dejection at the varying and rather that this profession of honour and highirresolute opinions of his friends, Na- minded loyalty was a cloak to cover poleon ordered one of them to act as the conspiracy which was hatching, and secretary, and a letter to the Prince an insidious attempt to deceive the Regent of England was dictated. On king and his ministers. This letter, the following day I was employed in written to the duke of Fitzjames, (who making the necessary arrangements has the misfortune to be Bertrand's with captain Maitland on board the brother-in-law,) cannot be denied; it Bellerophon. That officer conducted was at the time communicated by the himself with the utmost politeness and duke to the king, and it has been since gentlemanly courtesy, but would not verified and officially published in enter into any engagements on the France, and in half the journals of Eupart of his government." pp. 60-64. rope. 'This avowal of Las Cases is quite sufficient to oppose to the falsehoods which Bertrand related to Mr. Warden, and which Bonaparte recorded in the famous protest which we gave in the article before mentioned. Why, it will be asked, do we, on this occasion, give that credit to Las Cases which we deny him in every other? We answer, because his account tallies with undisputed facts, and because Bonaparte's and Bertrand's story is irreconcilable with those facts. 'The contempt in which these folks must have held poor Mr. Warden, is evident from the absurdities with which they crammed his credulity. Thus, Bertrand says that "Bonaparte was never sensual, never gross." (p. 212) His manners and language were gross in the extreme, and his habits scandalously sensual. We need only recall to our readers' recollection the anecdote slightly alluded to in our 27th number, page 96, the authenticity of which (filthy and disgraceful to Bonaparte as it is) is established by the testimony of the commissioners that attended him to Elba, and his own confessions. 'Marshal Bertrand is a great favourite with Mr. Warden, and he therefore endeavours to exculpate him from the charge of having, while at Elba, made overtures to the king. On this point Las Cases completes the pictureMr. Warden thinks count Bertrand him- "He never speaks of himself; he self the best witness he could adduce, never mentions his achievements. Of and he represents him as saying, "the money he is totally regardless; and he report of my having taken oath of fide- was not known to express a regret for lity to Louis XVIII is groundless; for, any part of his treasure but the diaI never beheld a single individual of the mond necklace, which he wore conBourbon family of France." (p. 45.) stantly in his neckcloth, because it was Admirable logic! But M. Bertrand the gift of his sister, the Princess Hormisstates the charge-he was not tense, whom he tenderly loved.' This charged with having sworn allegiance, he lost after the battle of Waterloo." but with writing a letter to the Duke of Fitzjames, promising allegiance on the honour of a gentleman, and soliciting permission to return to France, where he intended to live as a faithful subject of the king, and under his protection and it is further charged, that this letter was written at a time when Bonaparte's return was in preparation, p. 212. This is no bad instance of Las Cases's varacity: the necklace in question was stolen or forced from his sister previously to his leaving Paris, when the generous Bonaparte, contemplating the chances of a reverse, determined to collect about his own person as much wealth as possible; he accordingly, as the most portable, took all the jewels mitted to Paris; and instructions were he could lay his hands on, and, amongst expeditiously returned to interrogate the the rest, this necklace of the Princess crew, separately, and transfer their tes Hortense; who wished her brother's anxiety for a keep sake had been contented with a lock of her hair, or a bracelet, or a ring, or any thing, in short, rather than her best diamond necklace, of the value of 20,000l. But there are four topics connected with the character of Bonaparte, on which above all others, a good deal of interest is naturally excited-we mean the murders of Captain Wright and the duke D'Enghien, the poisoning of his own sick at Jaffa, and the massacre of the garrison of that place; and as Mr. Warden professes to have heard from Bonaparte himself explanations of both of these events, we shall give them as shortly as we can, but always in his own words; stating, however, that Mr. Warden's reports may be in these instances substantially correct, because we have understood that Bonaparte was forward to give similar explanations to other persons. "The English brig of war commanded by Captain Wright, was employed by your government in landing traitors and spies on the west coast of France. Seventy of the number had actually reached Paris; and, so mysterious were their proceedings, so veiled in impenetrable concealment, that although general Ryal, of the Police, gave me this information, the name or place of their resort could not be discovered. I received daily assurances that my life would be attempted, and though I did not give entire credit to them, I took every precaution for my preservation. The brig was afterwards taken near L'Orient, with Captain Wright, its commander, who was carried before the Prefect of the department of Morbeau, (Morbihan,) at Vannes: General Julian, then Prefect, had accompanied me in the expedition to Egypt, and recognised Captain Wright on the first view of him. Intelligence of this circumstance was instantly transVOL. 1.-No. II. timonies to the minister of Police. The purport of their examination was at first very unsatisfactory; but, at length, on the examination of one of the crew, some light was thrown on the subject. He stated that the brig had landed several Frenchmen, and among them he particularly remembered one, a very merry fellow, who was called Pichegru. Thus a clue was found that led to the discovery of a plot, which, had it succeeded, would have thrown the French nation, a second time, into a state of revolution. Captain Wright was accordingly conveyed to Paris, and con fined in the Temple; there to remain till it was found convenient to bring the formidable accessaries of this treasonable design tɔ trial. The law of France would have subjected Wright to the риnishment of death: but he was of minor consideration. My grand object was to secure the principals, and I considered the English captain's evidence of the utmost consequence towards com pleting my object.' Bonaparte again and again, most solemnly asserted, that Captain Wright, died in the Temple, by his own hand, as described in the Moniteur, and at a much earlier period than has been generally believed." p. 139-141. 'We beg leave to postpone making any observations on this story till we have quoted the ex-emperor's denial of the murder of Pichegru, and his defence of that of the duke D'Enghien.' "Here Napoleon became very ani mated, and often raised himself on the sofa where he had hitherto remained in a reclining posture. The interest attached to the subject, and the energy of his delivery, combined to impress the tenor of his narrative so strongly on my mind, that you need not doubt the accuracy of this repetition of it He began as follows. N "At this time, reports were every night brought me,' (I think, he said, by General Ryal,) that conspiracies quitted his house, I conceived there would be good ground for suspicion. The old Monk was secured, and in the act of this arrest, his fears betrayed what I most wanted to know—'Is it,' he exclaimed, because I afforded shelter to a brother that I am thus treated!'The object of the plot was to destroy me; and the success of it would, of course, have been my destruction. It emanated from the capital of your country, with the count d'Artois at the head of it. To the west he sent the duke de Berri, and to the east the duke d'Enghien. To were in agitation; that meetings were held in particular houses in Paris, and names even were mentioned; at the same time, no satisfactory proofs could be obtained, and the utmost vigilance and ceaseless pursuit of the police was evaded. General Moreau, indeed, became suspected, and I was seriously importuned to issue an order for his arrest; but his character was such; his name stood so high, and the estimation of him so great in the public mind; that it appeared, to me, he had nothing to gain, and every thing to lose, by becoming a conspirator against France your vessels conveyed underme: I, therefore, could not but exonerate him from such a suspicion. I accordingly refused an order for the proposed arrest by the following intimation to the minister of police. You have named Pichegru, Georges, and Moreau: convince me that the former is in Paris, and I will immediately cause the latter to be arrested. Another and a very singular circumstance led to the developement of the plot. One night, as I lay agitated and wakeful, I rose from my bed, and examined the list of suspected traitors; and chance, which rules the world, occasioned my stumbling, as it were, on the name of a surgeon, who had lately returned from an English prison. This man's age, education, and experience in life, induced me to believe, that his conduct must be attributed to any other motive than that of youthful fanaticism in favour of a Bourbon: as far as circumstances qualified me to judge, money appeared to be his object. I accordingly gave orders for this man to be arrested; when a summary mock trial was instituted, by which he was found guilty, sentenced to die, and informed he had but six hours to live. This stratagem had the desired effect: he was terrified into confession. It was now known that Pichegru had a brother, a monastic priest, then residing in Paris. I ordered a party of gendares to visit this man, and if he had lings of the plot, and Moreau became a convert to the cause. The moment was big with evil: I felt myself on a tottering eminence, and I resolved to hurl the thunder back upon the Bourbons even to the metropolis of the British empire. My minister vehemently urged the seizure of the Duke though in a neutral territory. But I still hesitated, and Prince Benevento brought the order twice, and urged the measure with all his powers of persuasion : it was not, however, till I was fully convinced of its necessity, that I sanctioned it by my signature. The matter could be easily arranged between me and the duke of Baden. Why, indeed, should I suffer a man, residing on the very confines of my kingdom, to commit a crime, which within the distance of a mile, by the ordinary course of law, Justice herself would condemn to the scaffold? And now answer me; did I do more than adopt the principle of your government, when it ordered the capture of the Danish fleet, which was thought to threaten mischief to your country? It had been urged to me again and again, as a sound po litical opinion, that the new dynasty could not be secure, while the Bourbons remained. Talleyrand never deviated from this principle: it was a fixed, unchangeable article in his political creed. But I did not become a ready or a willing convert. I examined the opinion with care and with caution; To all those who knew any thing of and the result was a perfect conviction General Pichegru's mind and manners of its necessity. The Duke d'Enghien to all those who have been accuswas accessary to the confederacy: and tomed to weigh probabilities, and to although the resident of a neutral terri- reason on evidence, it will be evident tory, the urgency of the case, in which that this particular must be false. Pimy safety and the public tranquillity, chegru was, by character and habit, to use no stronger expression, were in sedate-he could never have been the volved, JUSTIFIED THE PROCEEDING. I buffoon of the seamen-he could never accordingly ordered him to be seized have betrayed his name to the gossipand tried: He was found guilty, and ing merriment of a ship's crew, who sentenced to be shot. The sentence would have repeated it on their return was immediately executed; and the to England, where it would have soon same fate would have followed had it found its way into the newspapers, and been Louis the Eighteenth. For I again through them into France. No-Bodeclare, that I found it necessary to roll naparte knew mankind too well, and the thunder back on the metropolis of he was well aware that the only one of England, as from thence, with the the crew who was worth interrogating Count d'Artois at their head, did the assassins assail me."-pp. 144-149. 'Now we have here, from this most interested witness, some admissions which, so far from exculpating him, increase the presumption against him. 'Let it be recollected that the charge relative to Captain Wright was not that Bonaparte had wantonly murdered him, but that he had first caused him to be tortured, in order to obtain the clue of the conspiracy, and afterwards to be murdered to prevent this atrocity from being discovered. was Captain Wright. The conclusion then to be drawn from all this is inevitable, that the Captain, to be made of use, must be forced to speak. It would be too much to assert positively that Captain Wright would have resisted all the extremities of torture. We must not reckon so confidently on the firmness of human nature; but at least the generous character of that gallant officer induces us to think him as capable as any other man of a noble resistance :— yet, to prove how uncertain are all deductions of this kind, Bonaparte after'From Bonaparte's own account, it wards tells us that he found Pichegru is evident how great his anxiety was to was in France, not by one of the crew trace this plot. His police, he says, but by a surgeon to whom he was miwere in an ignorant perplexity-his life raculously directed, and from whom, was supposed to be in imminent dan- because he was avaricious, he contrives ger-seventy conspirators were at Pa- to obtain a confession, not by money, ris, but neither their names, persons, but by terror! The contradictory nor haunts can be discovered: fortu- statements prove, at least one thingnately in this moment of perplexity, that Bonaparte was not telling truth, Captain Wright is taken-the intelligence is instantly transmitted to Paris -instructions immediately returned to interrogate the crew separately, i. e. secretly, and by the police. These examinations, however, produced nothing at first; but at length one of the crew threw some light on the subject; he stated that the brig had landed several Frenchmen on the coast, and, among others, a merry fellow called Pichegru. torture. and that there was some part of the transaction which he chose to involve in obscurity. We have seen his anxiety for information, the vast importance he attached to the capture of Captain Wright, and the necessity in which he was to obtain his evidence: let us now see whether there is reason to suppose he was a man to be deterred from endeavouring to obtain this evidence by |