Declaration of War against France—Napoleon makes all the English in
France prisoners of war—Patriotic Fund—Squibs on the threatened
invasion—“The New Moses”—Handbill signed “A Shopkeeper”—“Britain’s
War-song”—“Who is Bonaparte?”—“Shall Frenchmen rule over us?”—“An
Invasion Sketch.”
ON THE 16th of May the King sent a message to Parliament announcing
his rupture with the French Government, and the recall of his
ambassador, and laying before them the papers relating to the previous
negotiations; and on the 18th of May, His Majesty’s Declaration of
War against France (a somewhat lengthy document) was laid before
Parliament. No time was lost, for, on the 20th of May, Lord Nelson
sailed from Portsmouth in the _Victory_, accompanied by the _Amphion_,
to take the command in the Mediterranean; and prizes were being brought
in daily.
Whether it was in reprisal for this, or not, there are no means of
telling, but Napoleon, on the 22nd of May, took the most unjustifiable
step of making prisoners of war of all the English in France, and
Holland, where, also, an embargo was laid on all English vessels. This
detention of harmless visitors was unprecedented, and aroused universal
reprobation. They were not well treated, and, besides, were harassed by
being moved from place to place.
In the _Annual Register_, vol. xlv. p. 399, we read: “In consequence
of orders from the Government, the English, confined at Rouen, have
been conducted to Dourlens, six miles from Amiens. The English that
were at Calais when Bonaparte visited that place, have all been sent to
Lisle. The English prisoners at Brussels have been ordered to repair to
Valenciennes. The great Consul, like a politic shepherd, continually
removes the pen of his bleating English flock from spot to spot, well
knowing that the soil will everywhere be enriched by their temporary
residence. How their wool will look when they return from their summer
pasture is of little consequence!”
It is not my province to write on the progress of the war, except
incidentally, and as it affected England socially. The old Volunteer
Corps, which had been so hastily disbanded, again came to the fore,
in augmented strength, and better organization; but of them I shall
treat in another place. As both men, and money, constitute the sinews
of war, the volunteers found one, the merchants helped with the other.
On the 20th of July the merchants, underwriters, and subscribers of
Lloyd’s, held a meeting for the purpose of “setting on foot a general
subscription, on an extended scale, for the encouragement and relief of
those who may be engaged in the defence of their country, and who may
suffer in the common cause; and of those who may signalize themselves
during this present most important contest.” The Society of Lloyd’s
gave £20,000 Stock in the Three per Cent. Consols, and over £12,000
was subscribed at once, five subscriptions each of £1000 coming from
such well-known City names as Sir F. Baring, John J. Angerstein, B.
and A. Goldsmid, John Thomson, and Thomson Bonar. Other loyal meetings
took place, and everything was done that could be done, to arouse the
enthusiasm of the people, and the spirit of patriotism.
One method was by distributing heart-stirring handbills, serious or
humorous, but all having the strongest patriotic basis. Of these very
many hundreds are preserved in the British Museum,[17] and very
curious they are. That they answered their purpose no one could doubt,
for, although the threatened invasion of England was a patent fact,
to which no one could shut their eyes, nor doubt its gravity, these
handbills kept alive an enthusiasm that was worth anything at the
time, and it was an enthusiasm, that although in its style somewhat
bombastic, and with some insular prejudice, was deep-seated and real;
and, had the invasion ever taken place, there can be little doubt but
that, humanly speaking, it would have resulted in a disastrous defeat
for Napoleon, or, had it been otherwise, it would not have been the
fault of the defenders, for, like Cromwell’s Ironsides, “Every man had
a heart in him.”
In these handbills, Bonaparte was accused of many things—that he
became Mohammedan, poisoned his sick at Jaffa, with many other things
which do not come within the scope of this work, and have been fully
treated in my “English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I.,” and which
I do not wish to reproduce; only, naturally, Napoleon’s name can hardly
be kept out, and, as I took the best for that book, this must not
suffer therefrom. They are of all dates, as can be seen from internal
evidence, but very few are dated, so that they may be taken nearly
haphazard. The following, from its mention of Lord Whitworth, and his
recall, is evidently an early one:
“THE NEW MOSES
or
“BONAPARTE’S TEN COMMANDMENTS.
“Translated from a French Manuscript
by
_SOLIMAN the TRAVELLER_.
“And when the great man came from Egypt, he used cunning and force to
subject the people. The good as well as the wicked of the land trembled
before him, because he had won the hearts of all the fighting men; and
after he had succeeded in many of his schemes, his heart swelled with
pride, and he sought how to ensnare the people more and more, to be the
greatest man under the sun.
“The multitude of the people were of four kinds: some resembled blind
men, that cannot see; some were fearful, who trembled before him;
others courageous, and for the good of the people, but too weak in
number; and others yet, who were as wicked as the great man himself.
And when he was at the head of the deluded nation, he gave strict laws
and the following commandments, which were read before a multitude of
people, and in a full congregation of all his priests—
“1. Ye Frenchmen, ye shall have no other commander above me; for I,
Bonaparte, am the supreme head of the nation, and will make all nations
about you bow to you, and obey me as your Lord and Commander.
“2. Ye shall not have any graven images upon your Coin, in marble,
wood, or metal, which might represent any person above me; nor shall ye
acknowledge any person to excel me, whether he be among the living, or
the dead, whether he be in the happy land of the enlightened French, or
in the cursed island of the dull English; for I, the Chief Consul of
France, am a jealous hero, and visit disobedience of an individual upon
a whole nation, and of a father upon the children, and upon the third
and fourth generation of them that hate me; and show mercy unto them
that love me, and humble themselves.
“3. Ye shall not trifle with my name, nor take it in vain; nor shall
you suffer that any other nation, treat it disrespectfully; for I will
be the sole commander of the earth, and make you triumph over your
enemies.
“4. Remember that ye keep the days of prayers, and pray for me as the
head of the nation, and the future conqueror of the base English. Ye
shall pray fervently with your faces cast upon the ground, and not look
at the priest when he pronounces my name; for I am a jealous hero, and
delight in my priests because they are humble, and I have regarded the
lowliness of their hearts, and forgiven them all their past iniquities.
And, ye priests, remember the power of him who made you his creatures,
and do your duty.
“5. Respect and honour all French heroes, that ye may find mercy in
mine eyes for all your iniquities, and that ye may live in the land in
which I, the Lord your Commander, lives.
“6. Ye shall not murder each other, save it be by my own commands, for
purposes that may be known to me alone; but of your enemies, and all
those nations that will not acknowledge your, and my greatness, ye may
kill an infinite number; for that is a pleasing sight in the eyes of
your supreme Commander.
“7. Ye shall not commit adultery at home, whatever ye may do in the
land of the infidels, and the stiff-necked people; for they are an
abomination to the Lord your Commander.
“8. Ye shall not steal at home, but suppress your covetousness and
insatiable desire for plunder until ye may arrive in the land of your
enemies. Ye shall neither steal from them with indiscretion, but seem
to give with the left hand, when the right taketh.
“9. Ye shall not bear false witness against your neighbour, if he
should distinguish himself in the land of the enemies.
“10. Ye shall not covet anything of your neighbour, but everything of
your enemies—his jewels, his gold, his silver, his horse or ass, his
maid, his daughter, his wife, or anything in which your hearts find
delight; and ye may take it, but still with cunning; for the Lord your
Commander loveth mildness more than strength, to please the people
when he plunders. Use the sword in battle, cunning after it; look for
plunder, but subject the people to me. Herein lie all my Commandments,
and those who keep them shall be protected by my power, and prosper in
all their undertakings.
“When the reading of these Commandments were over, the multitude gazed
with amazement. There were present the gentiles, and ambassadors of
various nations, and many looked at each other as if they were looking
for the sense of what they had heard. The Chief Priest, however, more
cunning than all the rest, thus broke silence:
“_Bishop._ Our mouths shall glorify thee for ever; for thou hast
regarded the lowliness of our hearts, and hast raised thy servants
from the dust.
“_Pope._ And I will support your holy endeavours; for without him I
would not sit upon the holy seat of Peter.
“_All_ (Priests and many of the Multitude). Praise be to him, for he
has mercy on those that are humble, and fear him—throughout all the
world, and all nations but the English, who are an abomination in his
sight.
“_Bishop of Amiens._ Bow to him, for he commands ye.
“_An Italian to a Swiss._ I bow to him, for I fear and dread him.
“_A Dutchman_ (to the two former). Ay, ay! I must bow, at present,
with you; but I would rather make him bow before me and my nation.
“_French Gentleman._ Dat be very right to you! Vy vere ye sush fools,
and bigger fools yet, as we French, to submit to him, and even to
court his tyranny?
“_Bonaparte_ (in one corner of the hall, and not hearing part of the
preceding discourse, to one of his slaves). Do you observe that proud
Englishman?
“_1st Slave._ He neither bows, nor does he seem to approve of the
homage paid to thee by the worshippers.
“_2nd Slave._ Ay, he is one of the stiff-necked Englishmen.
“_Bonaparte._ And so are all of his breed, except some of the meanest
rabble.
“_Lord Whitworth_ (to himself). I shall bow to thee with all my heart
and soul, as soon as I may have the pleasure of being recalled.
“_Bonaparte._ This is an insult which shall be revenged on the whole
nation.”
There is not much “go” in the above, but it is mild, as being one of
the first; they soon developed.
“FELLOW CITIZENS,
“Bonaparte threatens to invade us; he promises to enrich his soldiers
with our property, to glut their lust with our Wives and Daughters.
To incite his Hell Hounds to execute his vengeance, he has _sworn_ to
permit everything. Shall we Merit by our Cowardice the titles of sordid
Shopkeepers, Cowardly Scum, and Dastardly Wretches, which in every
proclamation he gives us? No! we will loudly give him _the lie_: Let
us make ourselves ready to shut our Shops, and march to give him the
reception his malicious calumnies deserve. Let every brave young fellow
instantly join the _Army_ or _Navy_; and those among us who, from being
married, or so occupied in business, cannot, let us join some Volunteer
Corps, where we may learn the use of arms, and yet attend our business.
Let us encourage recruiting in our neighbourhood, and loudly silence
the tongues of those whom Ignorance or Defection (if any such there
be) lead them to doubt of the attempt to invade or inveigh against the
measures taken to resist it. By doing this, and feeling confidence in
ourselves, we shall probably prevent the attempt; or, if favoured by
a dark night, the enemy should reach our shores, our Unanimity and
Strength will paralyze his efforts, and render him an easy prey to our
brave _Army_. Let _us_, in families and neighbourhood, thus contribute
to so desirable an event, and the _blood-stained banners of the
Vaunted Conquerors of Europe will soon be hung up in our Churches, the
honourable Trophies of our brave Army_—an Army ever Victorious when
not doubled in numbers, and the only Army who can stand the charge of
Bayonets. What _Army_ ever withstood THEIRS!!! Let the welfare of our
Country animate all, and ‘come the World in Arms against us, and we’ll
shock ‘em!’
“A SHOPKEEPER.”
“Prave ‘orts,” but they answered their purpose. It was an article of
faith that an Englishman was certainly a match for two ordinary foes,
perhaps three, and this, no doubt, was to a certain extent true. The
history of that time shows victories, both by land and sea, gained
against fearful odds. What then might not have been done under such
stimulant as
“BRITAIN’S WAR-SONG.
“BRITONS rouse; with Speed advance;
Seize the Musket, grasp the Lance;
See the Hell-born Sons of France!
Now Murder, Lust, and Rapine reign
Hark! the Shriek o’er Infants slain!
See the desolated Plain!
Now’s the Day, and now’s the Hour,
See the Front of Battle lower!
See curs’d Buonaparte’s Power!
Who will be a Traitor Knave?
Who can fill a Coward’s Grave?
Who so base as live a Slave?
Rush indignant on the Foe!
Lay the Fiend Invaders low!
Vengeance is on every Blow!
Forward! lo, the Dastards flee;
Drive them headlong to the Sea;
Britons ever will be free!
Huzza, Huzza, Huzza!”
“Who is BONAPARTE?
“WHO IS HE? Why an obscure Corsican, that began his Murderous
Career with turning his Artillery upon the Citizens of Paris—who
boasted in his Public Letters from Pavia, of _having shot the whole
Municipality_—who put the _helpless_, _innocent_, and _unoffending_
Inhabitants of Alexandria, _Man_, _Woman_, and _Child_, to the SWORD,
till _Slaughter_ was tired of its work—who, against all the Laws
of War, put near 4000 Turks to death, in cold blood, after their
Surrender—who destroyed his own Comrades by _Poison_, when lying sick
and wounded in Hospitals, because they were unable to further the plan
of Pillage which carried him to St. Jean d’Acre—who, having thus
stained the profession of Arms, and solemnly and publicly renounced
the religious Faith of Christendom, and embraced Mohametanism, again
pretended to embrace the Christian Religion—who, on his return to
France, destroyed the Representative System—who, after seducing the
Polish Legion into the Service of his pretended Republic, treacherously
transferred it to St. Domingo, where it has perished to a Man, either
by Disease or the Sword—and who, finally, as it were to fill the
Measure of his Arrogance, has _Dared_ to attack what is most dear
and useful to civilized Society, the FREEDOM of the PRESS and the
FREEDOM of SPEECH, by proposing to restrict the _British Press_ and
the Deliberations of the _British Senate_. Such is the _Tyrant_ we are
called upon to oppose; and such is the Fate which awaits ENGLAND should
WE suffer him and his degraded Slaves to pollute OUR Soil.”
“SHALL, FRENCHMEN RULE O’ER US? King Edward said, No!
And No! said King Harry, and Queen Bess she said, No!
And No! said Old England, and No! she says still;
They never shall rule Us; let them try if they will.
Hearts of Oak we are all, both our Ships and our Men;
Then steady, Boys, steady,
Let’s always be ready;
We have trimmed them before, let us trim them again.
SHALL FRENCHMEN RULE O’ER US? King George he says No!
And No! say our Lords, and our Commons they say No!
And No! say All Britons of every degree;
They shall never rule Britons, UNITED AND FREE.
Hearts of Oak, &c.
SHALL FRENCHMEN RULE US, the Free Sons of the Waves?
Shall England be ruled by a Nation of Slaves?
Shall the CORSICAN TYRANT, who bound on their Chains,
Govern Us, in the room of OUR GOOD KING who reigns?
Hearts of Oak, &c.
Though HE’D fain stop our Press, yet we’ll publish his shame;
We’ll proclaim to the World his detestable Fame;
How the Traitor RENOUNCED HIS REDEEMER, and then
How he murder’d his Pris’ners and Poison’d his Men.
Hearts of Oak, &c.
Then DOWN WITH THE TYRANT, and DOWN WITH HIS ROD!
Let us stand by our FREEDOM, our KING, and our GOD!
Let us stand by our CHILDREN, our WIVES, and our HOMES!
Then WOE to the Tyrant WHENEVER HE COMES!
Hearts of Oak, &c.”
* * * * *
The following is particularly good, as it gives a very vivid
description of what might have occurred, had Napoleon’s threatened
invasion been successful, and it will favourably contrast with its
congener of modern times, “The Battle of Dorking.”
“OUR INVASION SKETCH.
“If there be one Person so lost to all Love for his Country, and the
British Constitution, as to suppose that his Person or his Property,
his Rights and his Freedom, would be respected under a Foreign Yoke,
let him contemplate the following Picture—not Overcharged, but drawn
from Scenes afforded by every Country: Italy, Holland, Switzerland,
Germany, Spain, Hanover, which has been exposed to the Miseries of a
French Invasion.
“LONDON, _10 Thermidor Year_ ————.
General BONAPARTE made his public entrance into the Capital, over
London Bridge, upon a charger from his BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S Stables at
Hanover, preceded by a detachment of Mamelukes. He stopped upon the
bridge for a few seconds, to survey the number of ships in the river;
and, beckoning to one of his Aide-de-camps, ordered the French flags
to be hoisted above the English—the English sailors on board, who
attempted to resist the execution of this order, were bayonetted, and
thrown overboard.
“When he came to the Bank, he smiled with Complaisance upon a
detachment of French Grenadiers, who had been sent to load all the
bullion in waggons, which had previously been put in requisition by the
Prefect of London, Citizen MENGAUD, for the purpose of being conveyed
to France. The Directors of the Bank were placed under a strong guard
of French soldiers, in the Bank parlour.
“From the Bank, the FIRST CONSUL proceeded, in grand procession, along
Cheapside, St. Paul’s, Ludgate Hill, Fleet Street, and the Strand, to
St. James’s Palace. He there held a grand Circle, which was attended by
all his officers, whose congratulations he received upon his entrance
into the Capital of these once proud Islanders. BONAPARTE, previous
to his arrival, appointed two Prefects, one for London, and one for
Westminster. Citizen MENGAUD, late Commissary at Calais, is the Prefect
of London, and Citizen RAPP, of Westminster. He also nominated Citizen
FOUCHÉ to the office of Minister of Police. The Mansion-house has been
selected for the residence of the Prefect of London, and Northumberland
House,[18] for the residence of the Prefect of Westminster. As it has
been deemed necessary to have the Minister of Police always near the
person of the FIRST CONSUL, Marlborough House has been given to Citizen
Fouché. Lodgings have been prepared elsewhere, for the late owners of
that splendid palace.
“London was ordered to be illuminated, and detachments of French
Dragoons paraded the principal streets, and squares, all night.
“_11 Thermidor._
“BONAPARTE, at five o’clock in the morning, reviewed the French troops
on the Esplanade at the Horse Guards. A Council was afterwards held,
at which the following Proclamations were drawn up, and ordered to be
posted in every part of the City:
“‘BY ORDER OF THE FIRST CONSUL.
“‘PROCLAMATION.
“‘_St. James’s Palace._
“‘Inhabitants of London, be tranquil. The Hero, the Pacificator, is
come among you. His moderation, and his mercy, are too well known to
you. He delights in restoring peace and liberty to all mankind. Banish
all alarms. Pursue your usual occupations. Put on the habit of joy and
gladness.
“‘The FIRST CONSUL orders,
“‘That all the Inhabitants of London and Westminster remain in their
own houses for three days.
“‘That no molestation shall be offered to the measures which the French
Soldiers will be required to execute.
“‘All persons disobeying these Orders, will be immediately carried
before the Minister of Police.
“‘(_Signed_) BONAPARTE.
“‘The Minister of Police, FOUCHÉ.’
“‘Proclamation.
“‘_To the French Soldiers._
“‘Soldiers! BONAPARTE has led you to the Shores, and the Capital of
this proud island. He promised to reward his brave companions in arms.
He promised to give up the Capital of the British Empire to pillage.
Brave Comrades, take your reward. London, the second Carthage, is
given up to pillage for three days.
“‘(_Signed_) BONAPARTE.
“‘The Minister of War, par interim, ANGEREAU.’
* * * * *
“The acclamations of the French Soldiery—_Vive Bonaparte_—_le
Héros_—_le Pacificateur_—_le Magnanime_—resound through every street.
“12th, 13th, 14th _Thermidor_.
“LONDON PILLAGED! The doors of private houses forced. Bands of drunken
soldiers dragging wives, and daughters, from the hands of husbands and
fathers. Many husbands, who had the _temerity_ to resist, butchered
in the presence of their Children. Flames seen in a hundred different
places, bursting from houses which had been set fire to, by the
_vivacity_ of the troops. Churches broken open, and the Church plate
plundered—the pews and altars converted into Stabling. Four Bishops
murdered, who had taken refuge in Westminster Abbey—the screams of
women and of children mix with the cries of the Soldiers—_Vive la
Republique! Vive Bonaparte!_
“St. Martin’s Church converted into a _depôt_ for the property acquired
by the pillage of the Soldiery.
“_15 Thermidor_.
“A proclamation published by the FIRST CONSUL, promising _protection_
to the inhabitants.
“The houses of the principal Nobility and Gentry appropriated to the
use of the French Generals. Every house is required to furnish so many
rations of bread and meat for the troops.
“At a Council of State, presided over by BONAPARTE, the two Houses of
Parliament are solemnly abolished, and ordered to be replaced by a
Senate, and a Council of State. General MASSENA appointed Provisional
President of the former, and General DESSOLLES of the latter. The
Courts of Law are directed to discontinue their sittings, and are
replaced by Military Tribunals.
“_16 Thermidor_.
“A contribution of twenty millions ordered to be levied upon London.
A deputation was sent to BONAPARTE to represent the impossibility
of complying with the demand, the Bank and the Capital having been
pillaged. After waiting in the ante-chamber of the Consul for four
hours, the deputation are informed by a Mameluke guard, that BONAPARTE
will not see them. Two hundred of the principal Citizens ordered to be
imprisoned till the Contribution is paid.
“_17 Thermidor_.
“A plot discovered by FOUCHÉ against the FIRST CONSUL, and three
hundred, supposed to be implicated in it, sent to the Tower.
“Insurrections in different parts of the Capital, on account of the
excesses of the Soldiers, and the contribution of twenty millions.
Cannon planted at all the principal avenues, and a heavy fire of grape
shot kept up against the insurgents.
“Lords NELSON, ST. VINCENT, and DUNCAN, Messrs. ADDINGTON, PITT,
SHERIDAN, GREY, twenty Peers and Commons, among the latter is Sir
SIDNEY SMITH, tried by the Military Tribunals for having been concerned
in the _insurrection_ against France, and sentenced to be shot.
Sentence was immediately carried into execution in Hyde Park.
“_18 Thermidor_.
“The Dock-yards ordered to send all the timber, hemp, anchors, masts,
&c., to France. The relations of the British sailors at sea, sent to
prison till the ships are brought into port, and placed at the disposal
of the French. Detachments dispatched to the different Counties to
disarm the people.
“The Island ordered to be divided into departments, and military
divisions—the name of London to be changed for _Bonapart-opolis_—and
the appellation of the Country to be altered from Great Britain,
to that of _La France insulaire_.—Edinburgh to take the name of
_Lucien-ville_—Dublin, that of _Massen-opolis_.
“BRITONS! can this be endured? shall we suffer ourselves thus to be
parcelled off? I hear you one and all say, No! No! No! To your Tents, O
Israel!—for BRITONS NEVER WILL BE SLAVES.”
[Illustration]
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