1800.
Successful management of parties--Precautions--Removal from the
Luxembourg to the Tuileries--Hackney-coaches and the Consul's white
horses--Royal custom and an inscription--The review--Bonaparte's
homage to the standards--Talleyrand in Bonaparte's cabinet--
Bonaparte's aversion to the cap of liberty even in painting--The
state bed--Our cabinet.
Of the three brothers to whom the 18th Brumaire gave birth Bonaparte
speedily declared himself the eldest, and hastened to assume all the
rights of primogeniture. He soon arrogated to himself the whole power.
The project he had formed, when he favoured the revolution of the 18th
Fructidor, was now about to be realized. It was then an indispensable
part of his plan that the Directory should violate the constitution
in order to justify a subsequent subversion of the Directory. The
expressions which escaped him from time to time plainly showed that his
ambition was not yet satisfied, and that the Consulship was only a state
of probation preliminary to the complete establishment of monarchy.
The Luxembourg was then discovered to be too small for the Chief of
the Government, and it was resolved that Bonaparte should inhabit the
Tuileries. Still great prudence was necessary to avoid the quicksands
which surrounded him! He therefore employed great precaution in dealing
with the susceptibilities of the Republicans, taking care to inure
them gradually to the temperature of absolute power. But this mode of
treatment was not sufficient; for such was Bonaparte's situation between
the Jacobins and the Royalists that he could not strike a blow at one
party without strengthening the other. He, however, contrived to
solve this difficult problem, and weakened both parties by alternately
frightening each. "You see, Royalists," he seemed to say, "if you do
not attach yourselves to my government the Jacobins will again rise
and bring back the reign of terror and its scaffold." To the men of the
Revolution he, on the other hand, said, "See, the counter-Revolution
appears, threatening reprisals and vengeance. It is ready to overwhelm
you; my buckler can alone protect you from its attacks." Thus both
parties were induced, from their mutual fear of each other, to attach
themselves to Bonaparte; and while they fancied they were only placing
themselves under the protection of the Chief of the Government, they
were making themselves dependent on an ambitious man, who, gradually
bending them to his will, guided them as he chose in his political
career. He advanced with a firm step; but he never neglected any
artifice to conceal, as long as possible, his designs.
I saw Bonaparte put in motion all his concealed springs; and I could not
help admiring his wonderful address.
But what most astonished me was the control he possessed over himself,
in repressing any premature manifestation of his intentions which
might prejudice his projects. Thus, for instance, he never spoke of the
Tuileries but under the name of "the Palace of the Government," and he
determined not to inhabit, at first, the ancient palace of the kings of
France alone. He contented himself with selecting the royal apartments,
and proposed that the Third Consul should also reside in the Tuileries,
and in consequence he occupied the Pavilion of Flora. This skilful
arrangement was perfectly in accordance with the designation of "Palace
of the Government" given to the Tuileries, and was calculated to
deceive, for a time, the most clear-sighted.
The moment for leaving the Luxembourg having arrived, Bonaparte still
used many deceptive precautions. The day filed for the translation of
the seat of government was the 30th Pluviôse, the previous day having
been selected for publishing the account of the votes taken for
the acceptance of the new Constitution. He had, besides, caused the
insertion in the 'Moniteur' of the eulogy on Washington, pronounced,
by M. de Fontanes, the decadi preceding, to be delayed for ten days. He
thought that the day when he was about to take so large a step towards
monarchy would be well chosen for entertaining the people of Paris with
grand ideas of liberty, and for coupling his own name with that of the
founder of the free government of the United States.
At seven o'clock on the morning of the 30th Pluviôse I entered, as
usual, the chamber of the First Consul. He was in a profound sleep, and
this was one of the days on which I had been desired to allow him to
sleep a little longer than usual. I have often observed that General
Bonaparte appeared much less moved when on the point of executing any
great design than during the time of projecting it, so accustomed was he
to think that what he had resolved on in his mind, was already done.
When I returned to Bonaparte he said to me, with a marked air of
satisfaction, "Well, Bourrienne, to-night, at last, we shall sleep in
the Tuileries. You are better off than I: you are not obliged to make a
spectacle of yourself, but may go your own road there. I must, however,
go in procession: that disgusts me; but it is necessary to speak to
the eyes. That has a good effect on the people. The Directory was too
simple, and therefore never enjoyed any consideration. In the army
simplicity is in its proper place; but in a great city, in a palace, the
Chief of the Government must attract attention in every possible way,
yet still with prudence. Josephine is going to look out from Lebrun's
apartments; go with her, if you like; but go to the cabinet as soon as
you see me alight from my horse."
I did not go to the review, but proceeded to the Tuileries, to arrange
in our new cabinet the papers which it was my duty to take care of, and
to prepare everything for the First Consul's arrival. It was not until
the evening that I learned, from the conversation in the salon, where
there was a numerous party, what had taken place in the course of the
day.
At one o'clock precisely Bonaparte left the Luxembourg. The procession
was, doubtless, far from approaching the magnificent parade of the
Empire: but as much pomp was introduced as the state of things in France
permitted. The only real splendour of that period consisted in fine
troops. Three thousand picked men, among whom was the superb regiment
of the Guides, had been ordered out for the occasion: all marched in the
greatest order; with music at the head of each corps. The generals and
their staffs were on horseback, the Ministers in carriages, which were
somewhat remarkable, as they were almost the only private carriages then
in Paris, for hackney-coaches had been hired to convey the Council of
State, and no trouble had been taken to alter them, except by pasting
over the number a piece of paper of the same colour as the body of the
vehicle. The Consul's carriage was drawn by six white horses. With the
sight of those horses was associated the recollection of days of glory
and of peace, for they had been presented to the General-in-Chief of
the army of Italy by the Emperor of Germany after the treaty of
Campo-Formio. Bonaparte also wore the magnificent sabre given him by the
Emperor Francis. With Cambacérès on his left, and Lebrun in the front of
the carriage, the First Consul traversed a part of Paris, taking the Rue
de Thionville, and the Quai Voltaire to the Pont Royal. Everywhere he
was greeted by acclamations of joy, which at that time were voluntary,
and needed not to be commanded by the police.
From the wicket of the Carrousel to the gate of the Tuileries the
troops of the Consular Guard were formed in two lines, through which the
procession passed--a royal custom, which made a singular contrast
with an inscription in front of which Bonaparte passed on entering the
courtyard. Two guard-houses had been built, one on the right and another
on the left of the centre gate. On the one to the right were written
these words:
"THE TENTH of AUGUST 1792.--ROYALTY IN FRANCE
IS ABOLISHED; AND SHALL NEVER BE RE-ESTABLISHED!"
It was already re-established!
In the meantime the troops had been drawn up in line in the courtyard.
As soon as the Consul's carriage stopped Bonaparte immediately alighted,
and mounted, or, to speak more properly, leaped on his horse, and
reviewed his troops, while the other two Consuls proceeded to the
state apartments of the Tuileries, where the Council of State and the
Ministers awaited them. A great many ladies, elegantly dressed in Greek
costume, which was then the fashion, were seated with Madame Bonaparte
at the windows of the Third Consul's apartments in the Pavilion of
Flora. It is impossible to give an idea of the immense crowds which
flowed in from all quarters. The windows looking to the Carrousel were
let for very large sums; and everywhere arose, as if from one voice,
shouts of "Long live the First Consul!" Who could help being intoxicated
by so much enthusiasm?
Bonaparte prolonged the review for some time, passed down all the
ranks, and addressed the commanders of corps in terms of approbation
and praise. He then took his station at the gate of the Tuileries, with
Murat on his right, and Lannes on his left, and behind him a numerous
staff of young warriors, whose complexions had been browned by the sun
of Egypt and Italy, and who had been engaged in more battles than
they numbered years. When the colours of the 96th, 43d, and 34th
demi-brigades, or rather their flagstaffs surmounted by some shreds,
riddled by balls and blackened by powder, passed before him, he raised
his hat and inclined his head in token of respect. Every homage thus
paid by a great captain to standards which had been mutilated on the
field of battle was saluted by a thousand acclamations. When the troops
had finished defiling before him, the First Consul, with a firm step,
ascended the stairs of the Tuileries.
The General's part being finished for the day, that of the Chief of the
State began; and indeed it might already be said that the First Consul
was the whole Consulate. At the risk of interrupting my narrative of
what occurred on our arrival at the Tuileries, by a digression, which
may be thought out of place, I will relate a fact which had no little
weight in hastening Bonaparte's determination to assume a superiority
over his colleagues. It may be remembered that when Roger Ducos and
Sieyès bore the title of Consuls the three members of the Consular
commission were equal, if not in fact at least in right. But when
Cambacérès and Lebrun took their places, Talleyrand, who had at the
same time been appointed to succeed M. Reinhart as Minister of Foreign
Affairs, obtained a private audience of the First Consul in his cabinet,
to which I was admitted. The observations of Talleyrand on this occasion
were highly agreeable to Bonaparte, and they made too deep an impression
on my mind to allow me to forget them.
"Citizen Consul," said he to him, "you have confided to me the office of
Minister for Foreign Affairs, and I will justify your confidence; but I
must declare to you that from this moment, I will not transact business
with any but yourself. This determination does not proceed from any vain
pride on my part, but is induced by a desire to serve France. In order
that France may be well governed, in order that there may be a unity of
action in the government, you must be First Consul, and the First Consul
must have the control over all that relates directly to politics;
that is to say, over the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry
of Police, for Internal Affairs, and over my department, for Foreign
Affairs; and, lastly, over the two great means of execution, the
military and naval forces. It will therefore be most convenient that the
Ministers of those five departments should transact business with you.
The Administration of Justice and the ordering of the Finances are
objects certainly connected with State politics by numerous links,
which, however, are not of so intimate a nature as those of the other
departments. If you will allow me, General, I should advise that the
control over the Administration of Justice be given to the Second
Consul, who is well versed in jurisprudence; and to the Third Consul,
who is equally well acquainted with Finance, the control over that
department. That will occupy and amuse them, and you, General, having
at your disposal all the vital parts of the government, will be able to
reach the end you aim at, the regeneration of France."
Bonaparte did not hear these remarkable words with indifference. They
were too much in accordance with his own secret wishes to be listened
to without pleasure; and he said to me as soon as Talleyrand had taken
leave, "Do you know, Bourrienne, I think Talleyrand gives good advice.
He is a man of great understanding."--"Such is the opinion," I replied,
"of all who know him."--"He is perfectly right." Afterwards he added,
smiling, "Tallyrand is evidently a shrewd man. He has penetrated my
designs. What he advises you know I am anxious to do. But again I say,
he is right; one gets on quicker by oneself. Lebrun is a worthy man,
but he has no policy in his head; he is a book-maker. Cambacérès carries
with him too many traditions of the Revolution. My government must be an
entirely new one."
Talleyrand's advice had been so punctually followed that even on the
occasion of the installation of the Consular Government, while Bonaparte
was receiving all the great civil and military officers of the State
in the hall of presentation, Cambacérès and Lebrun stood by more like
spectators of the scene than two colleagues of the First Consul. The
Minister of the Interior presented the civil authorities of Paris; the
Minister of War, the staff of the 17th military division; the Minister
of Marine, several naval officers; and the staff of the Consular Guard
was presented by Murat. As our Consular republicans were not exactly
Spartans, the ceremony of the presentations was followed by grand
dinner-parties. The First Consul entertained at his table, the two other
Consuls, the Ministers, and the Presidents of the great bodies of the
State. Murat treated the heads of the army; and the members of the
Council of State, being again seated in their hackney-coaches with
covered numbers, drove off to dine with Lucien.
Before taking possession of the Tuileries we had frequently gone there
to see that the repairs, or rather the whitewashing, which Bonaparte had
directed to be done, was executed. On our first visit, seeing a number
of red caps of liberty painted on the walls, he said to M. Lecomte, at
that time the architect in charge, "Get rid of all these things; I do
not like to see such rubbish."
The First Consul gave directions himself for what little alterations he
wanted in his own apartments. A state bed--not that of Louis XVI.--was
placed in the chamber next his cabinet, on the south side, towards the
grand staircase of the Pavilion of Flora. I may as well mention here
that he very seldom occupied that bed, for Bonaparte was very simple in
his manner of living in private, and was not fond of state, except as
a means of imposing on mankind. At the Luxembourg, at Malmaison, and
during the first period that he occupied the Tuileries, Bonaparte, if I
may speak in the language of common life, always slept with his wife. He
went every evening down to Josephine by a small staircase leading from a
wardrobe attached to his cabinet, and which had formerly been the chapel
of Maria de Medici. I never went to Bonaparte's bedchamber but by this
staircase; and when he came to our cabinet it was always by the wardrobe
which I have mentioned. The door opened opposite the only window of our
room, and it commanded a view of the garden.
As for our cabinet, where so many great, and also small events were
prepared, and where I passed so many hours of my life, I can, even now,
give the most minute description of it to those who like such details.
There were two tables. The best, which was the First Consul's, stood in
the middle of the room, and his armchair was turned with its back to the
fireplace, having the window on the right. To the right of this again
was a little closet where Duroc sat, through which we could communicate
with the clerk of the office and the grand apartments of the Court. When
the First Consul was seated at his table in his chair (the arms of which
he so frequently mutilated with his penknife) he had a large bookcase
opposite to him. A little to the right, on one side of the bookcase, was
another door, opening into the cabinet which led directly to the state
bedchamber which I have mentioned. Thence we passed into the grand
Presentation Saloon, on the ceiling of which Lebrun had painted a
likeness of Louis XIV. A tri-coloured cockade placed on the forehead
of the great King still bore witness of the imbecile turpitude of the
Convention. Lastly came the hall of the Guards, in front of the grand
staircase of the Pavilion of Flora.
My writing-table, which was extremely plain, stood near the window, and
in summer I had a view of the thick foliage of the chestnut-trees; but
in order to see the promenaders in the garden I was obliged to raise
myself from my seat. My back was turned to the General's side, so that
it required only a slight movement of the head to speak to each other.
Duroc was seldom in his little cabinet, and that was the place where I
gave some audiences. The Consular cabinet, which afterwards became the
Imperial, has left many impressions on my mind; and I hope the reader,
in going through these volumes, will not think that they have been of
too slight a description.