"3. Whether it be necessary or proper to publish a new declaration to confirm or modify that of the 13th of March?"

"A more brilliant arena is now open to sovereigns, and I am the first to descend into it. After having presented to the world the spectacle of great battles, it will now be more delightful to know no other rivalship With respect to the first question, the committee in future, but that resulting from the advantages of came to this general conclusion, that the will of the peace, and no other struggle but the sacred one of feli-French people is by no means sufficient to re-establish, city for our people.

"France has been pleased to proclaim with candour this noble object of her unanimous wish. Jealous of her independence, the invariable principle of her policy will be the most rigid respect for the independence of other nations. If such, then, as I trust they are, are the personal sentiments of your majesty, general tranquillity is secured for a long time to come; and justice, seated on the confines of the various states, will, of herself, be sufficient to guard the frontiers. "NAPOLN."

In consequence of Buonaparte's publishing his ircular letter, the congress at Vienna deemed it pro . r to appoint a committee to examine whether, after the events that had passed since the return of Napoleon Buonaparte to France, and in consequence of the documents published at Paris on the declaration which the powers issued against him on the 13th of March, it would be necessary to proceed to a new declaration. The positions laid down by Buonaparte, in reference to the declaration of the 13th of March, were the following:

in a legal sense, a government proscribed by solemn engagements which that very people entered into with all the powers of Europe; and that they cannot, under any pretext, give validity, as against those powers, to the right of recalling to the throne him whose exclusion was a condition preliminary to every pacific arrangement with France: the wish of the French people, even if it were fully ascertained, would not be the less null in regard to Europe, towards re-establishing a power against which all Europe has been in a state of permanent protest from the 31st of March, 1814, to the 13th of March, 1815; and, in this view, the position of Buonaparte is precisely at this day what it was at those last-mentioned periods.

With respect to the second question, the committee observe, that the treaty of Paris was highly favourable to France, but it was favourable because France agreed to give up Buonaparte: never, in treating with him, would the allies have consented to the conditions which they granted to a government, which, while offering to Europe a pledge of security and stability, relieved them from requiring from France the guarantees which they had demanded under its former government. This clause, the expulsion of Buonaparte, and the consent "1. That that declaration, directed against Buonaparte of the French to the Bourbon dynasty, the committee at the period of his landing on the coast of France, observe, is inseparable from the treaty of Paris,―to was without application now that he had laid hold of abolish it, is to break the treaty: if, therefore, the rethe reins of government without open resistance; and turn of Buonaparte is with the consent of the French that this fact sufficiently proving the wishes of the ua-nation, they, by this consent, in fact, declare war tion, he had not only re-entered into possession of his against Europe; for the state of peace did not exist beold rights in regard to France, but that the question tween Europe and France, except by the treaty of even of the legitimacy of his government had ceased Paris, and the treaty of Paris is incompatible with the to be within the jurisdiction of the powers. power of Buonaparte.

"2. That by offering to ratify the treaty of Paris, he removed every ground of war against him."

The committee of congress were specially charged

to take into consideration

"1. Whether the position of Buonaparte, in regard to the powers of Europe, has changed by the fact of his arrival at Paris, and by the circumstances that accompanied the first success of his attempt on the throne

of France?

"2. Whether the offer to sanction the treaty of Paris of the 31st of May, 1814, can determine the powers to adopt a system different from that which they announced in the declaration of the 13th of March?

The committee next proceed to observe, that as the French nation, by again receiving Buonaparte, have, in fact, broken one of the most essential articles of the

treaty of Paris, the question is no longer the maintenance of that treaty, but the making it afresh; and with whom is it to be now entered into? The man who, in now offering to sanction the treaty of Paris, pretends to substitute bis guarantee for that of a sovereign whose loyalty was without stain, and benevolence without measure, is the same who, during fifteen years, ravaged and laid waste the earth, to find means of satisfying his ambition; who sacrificed millions of victims, and the happiness of an entire generation, to a system of conquests; whose truces, little worthy of the

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"2. That these reasons remain in all their force; and that the changes which have in fact occurred since the declaration of the 13th of March, have produced no alteration in the position of Buonaparte and of France with regard to the allies:

"3. That the offer to ratify the treaty of Paris cannot, on any account, alter the disposition of the allies. "Therefore, the committee is of opinion that it would be useless to publish a fresh declaration.”

name of peace, have only rendered him more oppressive and more odious; who, after having, by mad enterprises, tired fortune, armed all Europe against him, and exhausted all the means of France, was forced to abandon his projects and abdicated power, to save some relics of existence; who, at the moment when the nations of Europe were giving themselves up to the hope of a durable tranquillity, meditated new catastrophes ; and, by a double perfidy towards the powers who had too generously spared him, and towards a government which he could not attack without the blackest treason, The allies being thus determined on war, it was neusurped a throne which he had renounced, and which cessary that no time should be lost in bringing their he never occupied except for the misery of France and troops into the field.. Most of the Russians had already the world. This man has no other guarantee to pro-retired within the frontiers of Poland; the Prussians pose to Europe than his word. After the cruel experience of fifteen years, who would have the courage to accept this guarantee? who could any longer respect the security which it could offer?

and Austrians also had returned to their respective countries. But, as the allies were deeply impressed with the indispensable necessity of the most prompt and vigorous measures, it was resolved, that all the

But the continental allies could not stir in this momentous affair unless Britain subsidized them most liberally. For this purpose, the chancellor of the exchequer proposed and carried with little opposition the renewal of the income-tax, and a loan to an almost unparalleled extent was also raised.

The answer to the second question concludes in the troops which they were to furnish, and even more than following terms: their quotas, should, without the least delay, begin "Peace with a government placed in such hands, and their march towards the frontiers of France. The plan composed of such elements, would only be a perpetual of the campaign was similar to that which had been state of uncertainty, anxiety, and danger. No power pursued with such success during the year 1814; that being able effectually to disarm it, the people would en-is, France was to be invaded in every direction. joy none of the advantages of a true peace; they would be overwhelmed with expenses of all kinds; confidence not being able to establish itself any where, industry and commerce would every where languish; nothing would be stable in political relations; a sullen discontent would spread over all countries; and, from day to day, Europe in alarm would expect a new explosion. The sovereigns have certainly not misunderstood the interest of their people, in judging that an open war, with all its inconveniences and all its sacrifices, is preferable to such a state of things, and the measures which they have adopted have met the general approbation.

"The opinion of Europe, on this great occasion, is pronounced in a manner very positive and very solemn; never could the real sentiments of nations have been more accurately known and more faithfully interpreted than at a moment when the representatives of all the powers were assembled to consolidate the peace of the world."

Great Britain also entered into twelve treaties of accessions, and twenty-five treaties of subsidy. By the treaty of accession with Baden, his Britannic majesty engaged in his own name, and in that of his allies, not to lay down his arms without particularly taking into consideration the interests of the Duke of Baden, and not to permit the political existence of the duchy to be violated. The other treaties of accession were with Bavaria, Denmark, Hanover, the grand Duke of Hesse, the King of the Netherlands, Portugal, Sardinia, Saxony, Switzerland, Wurtemberg, and the princes and free towns of Germany. The treaties of subsidy were with the same powers, and by these Baden was to furnish sixteen thousand men, Bavaria sixty thousand, Denmark fifteen thousand, Hanover twenty-six thousand four hundred, the grand Duke of Hesse eight thousand, Sardinia fifteen thousand, Saxony eight thousand, Wurtemberg twenty thousand, besides the troops to be fur"1. That the declaration of the 13th of March was nished by the princes and free towns of Germany; so dictated to the powers by reasons of such evident jus- that Great Britain had at her command upwards of two tice and such decisive weight, that none of the sophis-hundred thousand troops. They were to be paid at tries by which it is pretended to be attacked can at all the rate of 117. 28. per man, for the service of the year affect it: ending the 5th of April, 1816. It is to be observed,

With respect to the third question, whether it is necessary to publish a new declaration, the committee remark, that the preceding observations furnish the answer to this. It considers,

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that this force is independent of the one hundred and fifty thousand men which the four great allied powers, England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, engaged respectively to furnish. There was afterwards entered into a convention of subsidics between Great Britain and Russia, by which the former engaged to pay the latter, under the head of additional subsidy, the sum of 416,6667.

"When, in the hour of peril, I summoned my people to arms, to combat for the freedom and independence of their country, the whole mass of the youth, glowing with emulation, thronged around my standards to bear with joyful self-denial unusual hardships, and heroically resolved to brave death itself. Then the best strength of the people intrepidly joined the ranks of my brave soldiers, and my generals led with me into battle a host Being now furnished with the sinews of war, the ex- of heroes, who have shewn themselves worthy of the ertions of the continental powers were very great. names of their ancestors, and heirs of their glory. 'Every road was thronged with soldiers proceeding by Thus we and our allies, attended by victory, conquered forced marches to the Sambre and the Rhine. One the capital of our inveterate foe. Our banners waved corps followed another in rapid succession, and it in Paris. Napoleon abandoned his authority. Liberty seemed as if the whole population of Europe had risen was restored to Germany, security to thrones, and to in arms to overwhelm the disturber of their repose. the world the hope of a durable peace. This hope has The congress was removed from Vienna to Frankfort, now vanished, and we must again march to the combat. on account of the contiguity of that city to the probable A perfidious conspiracy has brought back to France theatre of war. the man who, for ten successive years, inflicted on the On the 5th of April, the Emperor Alexander review-world indescribable misery. The people, confounded ed a numerous body of Russian troops, whom he ad- by his unexpected appearance, have been unable to dressed in the following terms :

oppose his armed adherents. Though he, while still at the head of a considerable armed force, declared his abdication to be a voluntary sacrifice to the happiness and repose of France, he now disregards this, like every other convention. He commands a horde of perjured soldiers who wish to render war eternal.

"Europe is again menaced. It cannot permit the man to remain on the throne of France, who loudly proclaimed universal empire to be the object of his continually renewed wars; who confounded all moral principles by his unceasing breach of faith, and who can therefore give the world no security for his peace

"Brave warriors! the honour and the glory of the great empire, with which Providence has intrusted me! your emperor comes once more to place himself at your head: he calls you a second time to the defence of humanity and the rights of Europe, which Napoleon, the vile and criminal artificer of fraud, has dared again to menace. Abusing our clemency, and violating those treaties which ensured to him a secure asylum, he has succeeded in frustrating the hopes of those nations who had forgotten his atrocious cruelties and his insatiable ambition. Let us hasten to join the invincible pha-able intentions. lanxes of our allies, and deliver France from this scourge of the human race, who once more governs it contrary to the wishes of every reasonable and peaceable inhabitant of that country.

"Soldiers! the sacred league which at present unites all the people of Europe, and which ought to guarantee them from all oppression, we know how to defend, and we will defend it, if necessary, to the last drop of our blood.

"Alexander is among you. You will always see him choose the path of true honour, that which leads to the happiness of mankind. This will entitle him to your confidence and affection."

This address was received with universal shouts of "Long live Alexander the Great," and "Death to the Tyrant!"

Again, therefore, arise to the combat. France itself requires our aid, and all Europe is allied with us. United with your ancient companions in victory, and reinforced by the accession of new brethren in arms, you go, brave Prussians! to a just war, with me, with the princes of my family, and with the generals who have always led you to conquest.

"The justice of the cause which we defend will ensure our success. Arise, then, with God for your support, for the repose of the world, for morality, for your king and your country."

The King of France, in the mean time, proceeded to Abbeville, where he arrived, on the 20th of March, without any military escort. Here he designed to wait for the household troops which followed, commanded by Marshal Macdonald. The dignity and serenity of bis countenance, disarmed the rancour of the Buona

The following proclamation of the King of Prussia partists, and the inhabitants received him with acclais also worthy of the reader's attention

mations Louis attempted to address them from the

In the course of the day, his majesty received the declaration of the congress at Vienna; which was im-close of the service, the congregation waited till his mediately placarded on the walls, and distributed among the soldiers, that they might perceive the inevitable calamities which their defection would bring on their country. This, however, instead of alarming the troops, or disposing them to return to their duty, fired them with indignation, and induced them to form the desperate resolution of seizing on the person of the king, and carrying him prisoner to the camp of Buonaparte.

asserted, that they could answer with their lives for the garrison of Bourdeaux and the adjacent forts.

tants, and, powerfully appealing to their feelings, in- | the invaders. The officers of the troops of the line also duced them to sanction a proclamation requiring every man from eighteen to fifty years of age to arm in the royal cause. A considerable number immediately When it was announced that the Corsican had adflocked to his standard, but unfortunately they were vanced to Lyons without opposition, the zeal of the naboth unarmed and undisciplined, and, before they could tional guards and volunteers appeared to increase; but be rendered effective, the troops of the Corsican ad-only a few hundreds could be regularly embodied, in vanced against them. consequence of an unfortunate deficiency of arms and Napoleon's general, however, wishing to avoid as ammunition. The loyalty of the troops of the line bemuch as possible an appeal to arms, despatched a he-gan to waver, as the progress of Napoleon was made rald to the duke, to remonstrate with him on the in- known, and some of the barracks already resounded utility of opposing his undisciplined levies against the with cries of sedition. The officers, however, daily wait veteran troops which were marching against them, ed on the duchess, and renewed their assurances of and to offer an amnesty to his followers, and passports fidelity; but she remarked that the commandant of the for himself and all who chose to accompany him, if he fort of Blaye, an out-post of considerable importance, chose to retire. After mature deliberation, the duke had not called upon her during some days. Orders was convinced that any resistance which he could offer were sent to require his attendance; but two days would be in vain; and, having received a safe conduct elapsed without his appearing. A general was then for himself and about forty of his officers, he proceed- despatched to examine the state of the fortress, and ed to Nantes, where he embarked. report the disposition of the troops by whom it was garrisoned. He returned, and stated, that the place was in an excellent state of defence. "But wby," enquired the princess, "did he not obey the orders which were transmitted to him several days ago?" "He did not answer me on that point," replied the general, “but he will be here to-morrow."

It has been already stated, in a preceding chapter, that the inhabitants of the maritime towns in France had suffered severely by the protracted wars of the revolution. Their population had been thinned; their commerce had been almost annihilated, and they were driven to a state bordering on despair. They therefore welcomed the return of the Bourbons with unfeigned joy, and, at Bourdeaux in particular, they had testified the most unequivocal attachment to their legitimate prince.

The next day he appeared, and offered a slight apology for his apparent disobedience; and, on being required to renew his oath of allegiance, he muttered some indistinct sounds, with which the duchess thought it pruOn the 2d of March, the Duke and Duchess of An-dent to appear satisfied. She, however, proposed to gouleme arrived at Bourdeaux, where they were re- the governor of Bourdeaux that the present commandceived with acclamations of joy, and with the benedic-ant of Fort Blaye should be removed, and that he and tions of an immense multitude which had assembled from the adjacent towns and villages.

On the 5th, the merchants of the city gave a grand fête, at which the duke and duchess were present; but, in the midst of the festivities, a courier arrived with despatches announcing the landing of Buonaparte. Unwilling to damp the public joy, his royal highness concealed the purport of the letters; and, at midnight, set out for the south, where he imagined his presence might be necessary.

his garrison should be replaced by others, on whom she could rely. The governor confessed that such a measure was desirable, but expressed a fear that it could not be carried into execution. The duchess, how ever, intreated him to make the attempt.

To have ordered a battalion of regular troops to dispossess their brethren, would have given them an opportunity of expressing at once that disaffection which, it was feared, they secretly cherished. The business was, therefore, committed to some national

The next morning the duchess communicated the in-guards; a sufficient number of whom were sent to telligence to the magistrates, and, in the course of the day, it was made public. On the following day, all the civil and military authorities assembled, to assure the duchess of their inviolable attachment to her family, and to renew their oaths of allegiance. The national guards were called out; houses were opened for the enrolment of volunteers, and the greater part of the inhabitants demanded arms, some to defend their native city in case of an attack, and others to march against

occupy the fort for a short time, but not enough to attempt its reduction, in case of resistance. This measure, which was adopted after mature deliberation, in all probability, prevented a considerable effusion of blood. The garrison not only refused admittance to the corps sent to replace them, but immediately avowed their sentiments, by hoisting the tri-coloured flag on the fortress; in consequence of which the national guards returned to Bourdeaux.