436 
Historical Particulars of Napoleon. [Dec. ], 
when Fouchd demanded an audience. 
I was astonished that he had not before 
mentioned these discoveries. I saw, 
however, that he had something impor¬ 
tant to communicate to me. He told 
me with an air of terror, that he would 
no longer answer for any thing; that 
those whom I was pleased to call jaco¬ 
bins, would not be contented with the 
guarantees which I offered them ; that 
they regarded them as insufficient and 
no way in proportion with the dangers 
to which they were exposed ; that once 
seated on the throne, l should be in a 
situation to degrade them as speedily 
as I had elevated them. 41 Very well!” 
I replied, burning with rage, 44 what is 
it they want? What do they demand ?” 
44 I know not,” said he; 44 but see 
yourself if, in the discoveries made be¬ 
yond the Rhine, it would be a difficult 
matter to prove to them that it does 
not form a part of your project to serve 
the cause of the Bourbons.” 
I had heard quite enough. I could 
no longer dissemble what sort of gua¬ 
rantee they demanded. In fact the death 
of the Duke d’Engliien decided the 
question, linked me irrevocably to the 
destinies of men who had outraged the 
revolution, and principally to indivi¬ 
duals who had voted for the death of 
Louis XVI.: it was, in a word, plac¬ 
ing a wall of brass between the Bour¬ 
bons and myself. 
He thus reasons upon that melan¬ 
choly event: 
Let the impartial observer and the 
statesman throw a veil over the bust of 
humanity, and let them render an ac¬ 
count of the circumstances such as they 
were at that time, and they will soon 
be forced to confess that either myself 
or the Duke d’Enghien must have fal¬ 
len a sacrifice in this deplorable affair. 
After' alluding to the famous con¬ 
spiracy in which Picliegru and Moreau 
bore so conspicuous a part, he thus 
closes his remarks on the latter: 
It was a misfortune for him and for 
me not to have been able to live together. 
But there w T as a physical and moral im¬ 
possibility in it. I never was jealous 
of him; but he on the contrary, was 
jealous of me. The pleasure of con¬ 
tributing to my ruin cost him dear. 
The ball which carried him off the field 
of battle put an end to his existence and 
his glory. It is besides without example 
in the annals of history, that a warrior 
slain while armed against his country, 
should figure in the rank of great men. 
Nations yet sufficiently respect them¬ 
selves not to encourage traitors.* 
The institution of the Legion of Ho¬ 
nour was Bonaparte’s favourite work ; 
he feelingly introduced it in the fol¬ 
lowing paragraphs: 
The increasing prosperity of France 
in 1805, became insupportable to the 
English government. Austria received 
from it half a million sterling, and the 
war recommenced between Germany 
and France: J was not sorry for it. The 
enthusiasm of victory had paved my 
way to the throne; and to begin my 
reign by fresh victories was to secure to 
me more and more the tranquil posses¬ 
sion of it. I had no uneasiness as to 
the success of my arms. Besides the 
great valour which the soldier had inhe¬ 
rited from his triumphs, there existed 
unity and confidence between the army 
and its chief; had I not also instituted 
theLegion of Honour ? What may not be 
expected on the day of battle, from an 
army in which the humblest soldier 
may at once obtain the ensign of the 
brave and a small freehold property? 
The idea alone of knowing that, in re¬ 
turning among his fellow citizens, every 
sentinel on duty will present arms at 
his approach, would have sufficed to 
make him brave every danger: but I 
had considered it in all its bearings. 
The Legion of Honour! this title 
is as grand as it is applicable; it is my 
own work and my own property; it 
is not in the power of man to disinherit 
me of it. It will never be sufficiently 
appreciated what I owe to that immor¬ 
tal institution ; thus this eulogium will 
surprise no one. If ever this order is 
destroyed, France will have lost every 
thing, even to its honour. 
His description of the Emperor of 
Austria is excellent: 
The battle of Austerlitz taught 
Francis II. that with English gold, he 
might raise a numerous army, and lose 
a fine crown. He came to see me at 
my bivouac ; he savoured of the prince 
from the head to the foot. I saw in 
* Although the Emperor Alexander had 
given a brilliant reception to Moreau, yet 
the day on which funeral honours were 
rendered to him at St. Petersburgh, there 
was affixed in several places a Russian dis¬ 
tich, of which the following is a transla¬ 
tion : “ Traitors of every country fly to 
Russia! there, braving the justice of fate, 
you will find treasures during life, and ho¬ 
nours will be rendered to you after death.” 
—Note Communicated. 
him 
