70] 
Jeon II. Empéror of the French. 
The present ministers will provi- 
sionally form the council of the go- 
vernment. ‘The interest which I 
take in my son, induces me to in- 
vite thie chambers to form, without 
delay, the regency bya law. Unite 
all for the public safety, that you 
may continue an independent na- 
tion. NapoLeon.” 
This declaration was conveyed 
to both the chambers, which voted 
deputations to the late Emperor, 
accepting his abdication; but in 
their debates, the nomination of 
his son to the succession was 
eluded, and nothing was positively 
determined on that head. The 
chamber of representatives voted 
the nomination of a commission 
of five persons, three to be chosen 
from that chamber, and two from 
that of peers, for the purpose of 
provisionally exercising the func- 
tions of government, and also 
that the ministers should continue 
their respective functions under 
the authority of this commission. 
The persons chosen by the cham- 
ber of representatives were, Car- 
not, Fouche, and Grenier; those 
nominated by the peers were, the 
duke of Vicenza (Caulaincourt), 
and baron Quinette. The com- 
mission nominated five persons to 
repair to the allied army for the 
purpose of proposing peace. 
The proceedings of deliberate 
assemblies were, however, ren- 
dered of little importance, by the 
resolution of the victors to ad- 
vance to Paris. Continuing their 
march on the left of the Sambre, 
marshal Blucher crossed that river 
on the 19th, in pursuit of the 
French; and both armies entered 
the French territory on the 2lst ; 
the Prussians by Beaumont, and 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1815. 
the combined forces under lord 
Wellington, by Bavay. The re- 
mains of the French had retired in 
wretched condition upon Laon. 
The only corps which continued 
entire, was that which had been 
posted at Wavre to observe the 
Prussians, and which made good 
its retreat on the 20th by Namur 
and Dinant after a sharp action, 
in which it underwent much loss. 
From Malplaquet, the scene of 
one of Marlborough’s victories, 
Wellington addressed a procla- 
mation to the French, announcing 
that he entered their territory, not 
asan enemy, except of the usurper, 
the foe of the human race, with 
whom there could be neither peace 
Nor truce, but to enable them to 
shake off the yoke by which they 
were oppressed. He required 
them to conduct themselves peace- 
ably ; to remain at their homes, 
and to furnish the requisitions 
that would be made, taking the 
proper receipts. On the 23rd, the 
Duke sent a detachment under 
Sir C. Colville against Cambray, 
which was taken with small loss 
on the next day by escalade. At 
this time St. Quentin and the 
Castle of Guise were in the pos- 
session of the Prussians. Louis 
XVIII. now moved to Cambiay, 
where, on the 28th, he issued a 
proclamation to the French peo- 
ple. He hastened, he said, to 
place himself a second time be- 
tween the allied and the French 
armies, in the hope that the feel- 
ings of which he might be the 
object would tend to their pre- 
servation: this was the only way 
in which he had wished to take 
part in the war; and he had not 
suffered one prince of his family 
to appear in foreign ranks. He 
