1802-1803.
Bonaparte President of the Cisalpine Republic--Meeting of the
deputation at Lyons--Malta and the English--My immortality--Fete
given by Madame Murat--Erasures from the emigrant list--Restitution
of property--General Sebastiani--Lord Whitworth--Napoleon's first
symptoms of disease--Corvisart--Influence of physical suffering on
Napoleon's temper--Articles for the Moniteur--General Andreossi--
M. Talleyrand's pun--Jerome Bonaparte- Extravagance of Bonaparte's
brothers--M. Collot and the navy contract.
Bonaparte was anxious to place the Cisalpine Republic on a footing of
harmony with the Government of France. It was necessary to select a
President who should perfectly agree with Bonaparte's views; and in this
respect no one could be so suitable as Bonaparte himself. The two
Presidencies united would serve as a transition to the throne. Not
wishing to be long absent from Paris, and anxious to avoid the trouble of
the journey to Milan, he arranged to meet the deputation half-way at
Lyons. Before our departure I said to him, "Is it possible that you do
not wish to revisit Italy, the first scene of your glory, and the
beautiful capital of Lombardy, where you were the object of so much
homage?"--"I certainly should," replied the First Consul, "but the
journey to Milan would occupy too much precious time. I prefer that the
meeting should take place in France. My influence over the deputies will
be more prompt and certain at Lyons than at Milan; and then I should be
glad to see the noble wreck of the army of Egypt, which is collected at
Lyons."
On the 8th of January 1802 we set out. Bonaparte who was now ready to
ascend the throne of France, wished to prepare the Italians for one day
crowning him King of Italy, in imitation of Charlemagne, of whom in
anticipation he considered himself the successor. He saw that the title
of President of the Cisalpine Republic was a great advance towards the
sovereignty of Lombardy, as he afterwards found that the Consulate for
life was a decisive step towards the throne of France. He obtained the
title of President without much difficulty on the 36th of January 1802.
The journey to Lyons and the conferences were only matters of form; but
high sounding words and solemn proceedings were required for the public
mind.
The attempts which had been made on the life of the First Consul gave
rise to a report that be took extraordinary precautions for his safety
during this journey to Lyons. I never saw those precautions, and
Bonaparte was at all times averse to adopt any. He often repeated "That
whoever would risk his own life might take his." It is not true that
guards preceded his carriage and watched the roads. The Consul travelled
like a private person, and very rarely had arms in his carriage.
--[Bonaparte may have been careless of his own safety, but that he
took great pains in regard to his brother's may be inferred from the
following letter, written a few years later:
"Take care that your valets de chambre, your cooks, the guards that
sleep in your apartments, and those who come during the night to
awaken you with despatches, are all Frenchmen. No one should enter
your room during the night except your aides de camp, who should
sleep in the chamber that precedes your bedroom. Your door should
be fastened inside, and you ought not to open it, even to your aide
de camp, until you have recognised his voice; he himself should not
knock at your door until he has locked that of the room which he is
in, to make sure of being alone, and of being followed by no one.
These precautions are important; they give no trouble, and they
inspire confidence--besides, they may really save your life. You
should establish these habits immediately end permanently; You ought
not to be obliged to have resource to them on some emergency, which
would hurt the feelings of those around you. Do not trust only to
your own experience. The Neapolitan character has been violent in
every age, and you have to do with a woman [Queen of Naples] who is
the impersonation of crime" (Napoleon to Joseph, May 31, 1806.--Du
Casse, tome ii. p. 260).]--
At this time, when the ambition of Bonaparte every day took a farther
flight, General Clarke took it into his head to go into the box of the
First Consul at the "Francais," and to place himself in the front seat.
By chance the First Consul came to the theatre, but Clarke, hardly
rising, did not give up his place. The First Consul only stayed a short
time, and when he came back he showed great discontent at this
affectation of pride and of vanity. Wishing to get rid of a man whom he
looked on as a blundering flatterer and a clumsy critic, he sent him away
as charge d'affaires to the young extemporized King of Etruria, where
Clarke expiated his folly in a sort of exile. This is all the "great
disfavour" which has been so much spoken about, In the end General Clarke
returned to favour. Berlin knows and regrets it.
On the 25th of March of the same year England signed, at Amiens, a
suspension of arms for fourteen months, which was called a treaty of
peace. The clauses of this treaty were not calculated to inspire the
hope of a very long peace. It was evident, as I have already said, that
England would not evacuate Malta; and that island ultimately proved the
chief cause of the rupture of the treaty of Amiens. But England,
heretofore so haughty in her bearing to the First Consul, had at length
treated with him as the Head of the French Government. This, as
Bonaparte was aware, boded well for the consolidation of his power.
At that time, when he saw his glory and power augmenting, he said to me
in one of our walks at Malmaison, in a moment of hilarity, and clapping
me on the shoulder, "Well, Bourrienne, you also will be immortal!"--
"why, General?"--"Are you not my secretary?"--"Tell me the name of
Alexander's," said I.
--[Bonaparte did not know the name of Alexander's secretary, and I
forgot at the moment to tell him it was Clallisthenes. He wrote
Alexander's Memoirs, as I am writing Bonaparte's; but,
notwithstanding this coincidence, I neither expect nor desire the
immortality of my name.--Bourrienne.]--
Bonaparte then turned to me and laughing, said, "Hem! that is not bad."
There was, to be sure, a little flattery conveyed in my question, but
that never displeased him, and I certainly did not in that instance
deserve the censure he often bestowed on me for not being enough of a
courtier and flatterer.
Madame Murat gave a grand fete in honour of Bonaparte at her residence at
Neuilly. At dinner Bonaparte sat opposite Madame Murat at the principal
table, which was appropriated to the ladies. He ate fast, and talked but
little. However, when the dessert was served, he put a question to each
lady. This question was to inquire their respective ages. When Madame
Bourrienne's turn came he said to her, "Oh! I know yours." This was a
great deal for his gallantry, and the other ladies were far from being
pleased at it.
Next day, while walking with me in his favourite alley at Malmaison, he
received one of those stupid reports of the police which were so
frequently addressed to him. It mentioned the observations which had
been made in Paris about a green livery he had lately adopted. Some said
that green had been chosen because it was the colour of the House of
Artois. On reading that a slight sneer was observable in his
countenance, and he said, "What are these idiots dreaming of? They must
be joking, surely. Am I no better than M. d'Artois? They shall soon see
the difference."
Until the middle of the year 1801 the erasures from the emigrant list had
always been proposed by the Minister of Police. The First Consul having
been informed that intrigue and even bribery had been employed to obtain
them, determined that in future erasures should be part of the business
of his cabinet. But other affairs took up his attention, and a dozen or
fifteen erasures a week were the most that were made. After Te Deum had
been chanted at Malmaison for the Concordat and the peace, I took
advantage of that moment of general joy to propose to Bonaparte the
return of the whole body of emigrants. "You have," said I in a half-
joking way, "reconciled Frenchmen to God--now reconcile them to each
other. There have never been any real emigrants, only absentees; and the
proof of this is, that erasures from the list have always been, and will
always be, made daily." He immediately seized the idea. "We shall see,"
said he; "but I must except a thousand persons belonging to high
families, especially those who are or have been connected with royalty or
the Court."
I said in the Chamber of Deputies, and I feel pleasure in repeating here,
that the plan of the 'Senatus-consults', which Bonaparte dictated to me,
excepted from restitution only such mansions as were used for public
establishments. These he would neither surrender nor pay rent for. With
those exceptions he was willing to restore almost all that was possessed
by the State and had not been sold.
The First Consul, as soon as he had finished this plan of a decree,
convoked a Grand Council to submit it to their consideration. I was in
an adjoining room to that in which they met, and as the deliberations
were carried on with great warmth, the members talking very loudly,
sometimes even vociferating, I heard all that passed. The revolutionary
party rejected all propositions of restitution. They were willing to
call back their victims, but they would not part with the spoil.
When the First Consul returned to his cabinet, dissatisfied with the ill
success of his project, I took the liberty of saying to him, "you cannot
but perceive, General, that your object has been defeated, and your
project unsuccessful. The refusal to restore to the emigrants all that
the State possesses takes from the recall all its generosity and dignity
of character. I wonder how you could yield to such an unreasonable and
selfish opposition."--"The revolutionary party," replied he, "had the
majority in the Council. What could I do? Am I strong enough to
overcome all those obstacles?"--" General, you can revive the question
again, and oppose the party you speak of."--"That would be difficult," he
said; " they still have a high hand in these matters. Time is required.
However, nothing is definitively arranged. We shall see what can be
done." The 'Senatus-consulte', published on the 6th Floreal, year X.
(26th of April 1802), a fortnight after the above conversation took
place, is well known. Bonaparte was then obliged to yield to the
revolutionary party, or he would have adhered to his first proposition.
--[The Senatus-consulte retained the woods and forests of the
emigrants, and made their recall an "amnesty." In the end this
retention of the forests was used by Napoleon with great dexterity
as a means of placing them under personal obligation to him for
restoring this species of property. See Thiers tome iii, p. 458,
livre xiv.]--
Napoleon referred to this matter at St. Helena. He himself says that he
"would have been able " (he should have said that he wished) to grant
everything, that for a moment he thought of doing so, and that it was a
mistake not to do so. "This limitation on my part," he adds, "destroyed
all the good effect of the return of the emigrants. The mistake was the
greater since I thought of doing it, but I was alone, surrounded by
oppositions and by spies: all were against your party, you cannot easily
picture the matter to yourself, but important affairs hurried me, time
pressed, and I was obliged to act differently." Afterwards he speaks of
a syndicate he wished to form, but I have never heard a word of that. I
have said how things really happened, and what has been just read
confirms this.
--[This was by no means the only time that Napoleon's wishes were
opposed successfully in his Council of State. On such occasions he
used to describe himself as "repulsed with losses." See the
interesting work of St. Hilaire, Napoleon au Conseil d'Etat.]--
The Royalists, dissatisfied with the state of political affairs, were not
better pleased with the illiberal conditions of the recall of the
emigrants. The friends of public liberty, on the other hand, were far
from being satisfied with the other acts of the First Consul, or with the
conduct of the different public authorities, who were always ready to
make concessions to him. Thus all parties were dissatisfied.
Bonaparte was much pleased with General Sebastiani's conduct when he was
sent to Constantinople, after the peace of Amiens, to induce the Grand
Seignior to renew amicable relations with France.
At the period here alluded to, namely, before the news of the evacuation
of Egypt, that country greatly occupied Bonaparte's attention. He
thought that to send a man like Sebastiani travelling through Northern
Africa, Egypt, and Syria might inspire the sovereigns of those countries
with a more favourable idea of France than they now entertained, and
might remove the ill impressions which England was endeavouring to
produce. On this mission Sebastiani was accordingly despatched. He
visited all the Barbary States, Egypt, Palestine, and the Ionian Isles.
Everywhere he drew a highly-coloured picture of the power of Bonaparte,
and depreciated the glory of England.
--[This General, or Count Sebastian, was afterwards ambassador for
Louis Philippe at our Court.]--
He strengthened old connections, and contracted new ones with the chiefs
of each country. He declared to the authorities of the Ionian Isles that
they might rely on the powerful protection of France. Bonaparte, in my
opinion, expected too much from the labours of a single individual
furnished with but vague instructions. Still Sebastiani did all that
could be done. The interesting details of his proceedings were published
in the 'Moniteur'. The secret information respecting the means of
successfully attacking the English establishments in India was very
curious, though not affording the hope of speedy success.
The published abstract of General Sebastiani's report was full of
expressions hostile to England. Among other things it was stated that
Egypt might be conquered with 6000 men, and that the Ionian Isles where
disposed to throw off the yoke. There can be little doubt that this
publication hastened the rupture of the treaty of Amiens.
England suspended all discussions respecting Malta, and declared that she
would not resume them till the King of Great Britain should receive
satisfaction for what was called an act of hostility. This was always
put forward as a justification, good or bad, for breaking the treaty of
Amiens, which England had never shown herself very ready to execute.
Bonaparte, waiving the usual forma of etiquette, expressed his wish to
have a private conference with Lord Whitworth, the ambassador from London
to Paris, and who had been the English ambassador at St. Petersburg
previous to the rupture which preceded the death of Paul I. Bonaparte
counted much on the effect he might produce by that captivating manner
which he so well knew how to assume in conversation; but all was in vain.
In signing the treaty of Amiens the British Minister was well aware that
he would be the first to break it.
About the commencement of the year 1802 Napoleon began to feel acute
pains in his right side. I have often seen him at Malmaison, when
sitting up at night, lean against the right arm of his chair, and
unbuttoning his coat and waistcoat exclaim,--What pain I feel!" I would
then accompany him to his bedchamber, and have often been obliged to
support him on the little staircase which led from his cabinet to the
corridor. He frequently used to say at this time, "I fear that when I am
forty I shall become a great eater: I have a foreboding that I shall grow
very corpulent." This fear of obesity, though it annoyed him very much,
did not appear to have the least foundation, judging from his habitual
temperance and spare habit of body. He asked me who was my physician.
I told him M. Corvisart, whom his brother Louis had recommended to me.
A few days after he called in Corvisart, who three years later was
appointed first physician to the Emperor. He appeared to derive much
benefit from the prescriptions of Corvisart, whose open and good-humoured
countenance at once made a favourable impression on him.
The pain which the First Consul felt at this time increased his
irritability. Perhaps many of the sets of this epoch of his life should
be attributed to this illness. At the time in question his ideas were
not the same in the evening as they had been in the morning; and often in
the morning he would tear up, even without the least remark, notes he had
dictated to me at night and which he had considered excellent. At other
times I took on myself not to send to the Moniteur, as he wished me to
do, notes which, dictated by annoyance and irascibility, might have
produced a bad effect in Europe. When the next day he did not see the
article, I attributed this to the note being too late, or to the late
arrival of the courier. But I told him it was no loss, for it would be
inserted the next day. He did not answer at once, but a quarter of an
hour afterwards he said to me, "Do not send my note to the 'Moniteur'
without showing it to me." He took it and reread it. Sometimes he was
astonished at what he had dictated to me, and amused himself by saying
that I had not understood him properly. "That is not much good, is it?
"--"`Pon my word, I don't quite know."--"Oh no, it is worthless; what say
you?" Then he bowed his head a little, and tore up the paper. Once when
we were at the Tuileries he sent me at two o'clock in the morning a small
note in his own writing, in which was, "To Bourrienne. Write to Maret to
make him erase from the note which Fleurieu has read to the Tribunate the
phrase (spelt frase) concerning Costaz, and to soften as much as possible
what concerns the reporter of the Tribunate."
This change, after time for reflection, arose, as often happened with
him, from observations I had made to him, and which he had at first
angrily repulsed.
After the peace of Amiens the First Consul, wishing to send an ambassador
to England, cast his eyes--for what reason I know not--on General
Andreossi. I took the liberty of making some observation on a choice
which did not appear to me to correspond with the importance of the
mission. Bonaparte replied, "I have not determined on it; I will talk to
Talleyrand on the subject." When we were at Malmaison in the evening
M. de Talleyrand came to transact business with the First Consul. The
proposed appointment of an ambassador to England was mentioned. After
several persons had been named the First Consul said, "I believe I must
send Andreossi." M. de Talleyrand, who was not much pleased with the
choice, observed in a dry sarcastic tone, "You must send Andre 'aussi', I
Pray, who is this Andre?"--"I did not mention any Andre; I said
Andreossi. You know Andreossi, the general of artillery?"--"Ah! true;
Andreossi: I did not think of him: I was thinking only of the diplomatic
men, and did not recollect any of that name. Yes, yes; Andreossi is in
the artillery!" The general was appointed ambassador, and went to London
after the treaty of Amiens; but he returned again in a few months. He
had nothing of consequence to do, which was very lucky for him.
In 1802 Jerome was at Brest in the rank of 'enseigne de vaisseau'--[A
rank in the navy equivalent to that of our lieutenant.]-- He launched
into expenses far beyond what his fortune or his pay could maintain. He
often drew upon me for sums of money which the First Consul paid with
much unwillingness. One of his letters in particular excited Napoleon's
anger. The epistle was filled with accounts of the entertainments Jerome
was giving and receiving, and ended by stating that he should draw on me
for 17,000 francs. To this Bonaparte wrote the following reply:--
I have read your letter, Monsieur l'Enseigne de Vaisseau; and I am
waiting to hear that you are studying on board your corvette a
profession which you ought to consider as your road to glory. Die
young, and I shall have some consolatory reflection; but if you live
to sixty without having served your country, and without leaving
behind you any honourable recollections, you had better not have
lived at all.
Jerome never fulfilled the wishes of his brother, who always called him a
little profligate. From his earliest years his conduct was often a
source of vexation to his brother and his family. Westphalia will not
soon forget that he was her King; and his subjects did not without reason
surname him "Heliogabalus in miniature."
The First Consul was harassed by the continual demands for money made on
him by his brothers. To get rid of Joseph, who expended large sums at
Mortfontaine, as Lucien did at Neuilly, he gave M. Collot the contract
for victualling the navy, on the condition of his paying Joseph 1,600,000
francs a year out of his profits. I believe this arrangement answered
Joseph's purpose very well; but it was anything but advantageous to M.
Collot. I think a whole year elapsed without his pocketing a single
farthing. He obtained an audience of the First Consul, to whom he stated
his grievances. His outlays he showed were enormous, and he could get no
payment from the navy office. Upon which the Consul angrily interrupted
him, saying, "Do you think I am a mere capuchin? Decres must have
100,000 crowns, Duroc 100,000, Bourrienne 100,000; you must make the
payments, and don't come here troubling me with your long stories. It is
the business of my Ministers to give me accounts of such matters; I will
hear Decres, and that's enough. Let me be teased no longer with these
complaints; I cannot attend to them." Bonaparte then very
unceremoniously dismissed M. Collot. I learned afterwards that he did
not get a settlement of the business until after a great deal of trouble.
M. Collot once said to me, "If he had asked me for as much money as would
have built a frigate he should have had it. All I want now is to be
paid, and to get rid of the business." M. Collot had reason and honour
on his side; but there was nothing but shuffling on the other.
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:
Calumny such powerful charms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Die young, and I shall have some consolatory reflection. . . . . . . .
Immortality is the recollection one leaves . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Most celebrated people lose on a close view. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Religion is useful to the Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The boudoir was often stronger than the cabinet. . . . . . . . . . . .
To leave behind him no traces of his existence . . . . . . . . . . . .
Treaty, according to custom, was called perpetual. . . . . . . . . . .