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ANNUAL REGISTER, 18U. 



over every other topic of annual 

 commemoration. But before we 

 enter upon the relation of military 

 transactions, it may be interesting 

 to cast a view upon the character 

 and conduct at this period of 

 that man, who for so many years 

 has ruled the destinies of this por- 

 tion of the world. We derive the 

 following account from a visitor of 

 the continent, possessed of some 

 peculiar advantages for obtaining 

 true and impartial information. 



Long before Napoleon had 

 ceased to reign, he had acquired 

 all the faults inseparable from 

 the exercise of despotic autho- 

 rity. Success and adulation had 

 completely turned his head. He 

 could not bear the slightest op- 

 position to his will ; and consulted 

 with none but those who were 

 ready to signify their approbation 

 of all his plans. He had such an 

 overweening conceit of his own 

 powers, that when he had resolved 

 upon any measure, he convinced 

 himself that every difficulty must 

 give waj', and that his having 

 willed it was sufficient to put to 

 flight all opposition. The last cam- 

 paign in Germar.y had produced 

 effects upon his constitution, which 

 were very apparent upon his return 

 to Paris. He ate, drank, and slept, 

 and talked much of what was to 

 be done, and what he intended to 

 do : but he did nothing. He had 

 lost much of his former activity and 

 attention to business. When the 

 allies entered Franje, they found 

 his means of defence no farther ad- 

 vanced than when he had crossed 

 the Rhine on his return. No in- 

 treaty could prevail upon him to 

 make an appeal to the people whom 

 he governed. When solicited to 

 declare publicly that the country 

 wsia in danger, his reply was, <' Non, 



jamais je ne ferai ma cour a la na- 

 tion." This rooted habit of des- 

 potism alienated from him all those 

 who might have indulged a hope of 

 something like constitutional li- 

 berty under his sovereignty ; whilst 

 his harsh, overbearing, and inso- 

 lent demeanour offended those who 

 had immediate access to his person 

 and councils. 



Sir Charles Stewart, in a dis- 

 patch dated from Frankfort, Jan. 

 5, begins with observing, that 

 Marshal Blucher's passage of the 

 Rhine will be as memorable for its 

 rapidity and decision in military 

 annals, as his passage of the Elbe. 

 It took place at three points. The 

 Count de St. Priest, of Langeron's 

 corpsd'armee, passed opposite Cob- 

 lentz, on the night between Jan. 

 1 and 2, occupied the town, took 

 seven pieces of cannon, and made 

 500 prisoners. Generals Count 

 Langeron and D'Yorck passed at 

 Kaub, Marshal Blucher assisting in 

 person, with little resistance from 

 the enemy. Langeron advancing 

 on the 3rd, forced Bingen, a strong 

 position, defended by a general of 

 brigade, and made some prisoners, 

 with a trifling loss, and then pushed 

 his advanced posts to the Salzbach. 

 Blucher advanced to Kreutznach ; 

 and D'Yorck's advanced posts were 

 directed upon the Lauter. Baron 

 Sacken's corps, after passing the 

 Rhine on Jan. 1, near Oppenheim, 

 stormed a redoubt, taking six 

 pieces of cannon, and seven hun- 

 dred prisoners, at which action 

 the King of Prussia was present, 

 and advanced upon Altzey. 



Dispatches received about the 

 same time from Lord Burghersh 

 at Basle, and Lord Cathcart at 

 Freyburgh, in the Brisgau, men- 

 tioned that Gen. Bubna entered 

 Geneva on Dec. 30, by a capito- 



