Fouche, whom Bonaparte disliked exceedingly for his in- 
human deeds during the revolution, was the Minister of Police. 
pon him mainly devolved the trial and punishment of the 
accused. Josephine wrote a letter to Fouche, which was most 
Strikingly indicative of the benevolence of her noble heart, 
and of the noble strength of mind which understood that the 
claims of justice must not pass unheeded. It would be an 
act of injustice, biographically, not to see such a letter. Here 
it is, then, for our perusal: , 
“Citizens-Ministers: While I tremble at the frightful event 
which has just occurred, I am disquieted and distressed through 
ear of punishment necessarily to be inflicted on the guilty, 
who belong to families with whom I once lived in habits of 
intercourse. I shall be solicited by mothers, sisters, and dis- 
consolate wives; here my heart will be broken through my 
inability to obtain all the mercy for which I would plead. ; 
“I know that the clemency of the first consul is great, his 
attachment to me extreme, but the crime is too dreadful that 
terrible examples should not be necessary. The chief of the 
government has not been alone exposed; it is that which will 
render him severe—inflexible. | conjure you, therefore, to 
do all in your power to prevent inquiries being pushed too 
far: Do not detect all those persons who may have been 
accomplices in those odious transactions. Let not France, so 
ong overwhelmed in consternation by public executions, groan 
anew beneath such inflictions. It is even better to endeavor 
to soothe the public mind than to exasperate men by fresh 
terrors. In short, when the ringleaders of this nefarious 
attempt shall have been secured, let severity give place to pity 
Or interior agents, seduced as they may have been by dan- 
gerous falsehoods or exaggerated opinions. When just in- 
vested with supreme power, the first consul, as seems to me, 
Ought rather to gain hearts than to be exhibited as ruling 
slaves. Soften by your counsels whatever may be too violent 
in his just resentment. Punish—alas! that you must certainly 
do—but pardon still more. Be also the support of those unfor- 
tunate men, who, by frank 
, 0, by avowal or repentance, shall expiate 
& portion of their crime. 
_ Having myself narrowly escaped perishing in the Revolu- 
tion, you must regard as quite natural my interference on 
behalf of those who can b 
‘ e saved without involving, in new 
danger, the life of my husband, precious to me and France, 
ness or fear, have consented 
woman, a wife, and a mother, 
of those who will apply to me. 
in such a manner that the numb 
18 
to take a part therein. As a 
I must feel the heart-rendings 
Act, then, citizens-ministers, 
er of these may be lessened, 
