memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v10-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！





Memoirs　of　Napoleon　Bonaparte；　V10

by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne

His　Private　Secretary




Edited　by　R。　W。　Phipps
Colonel；　Late　Royal　Artillery

1891




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　XI。　　to　　CHAPTER　　XVIII。　　1807…1809




CHAPTER　XI。

1807

　　　　　Abuse　of　military　powerDefence　of　diplomatic　rightsMarshal　Brune
　　　　　Army　suppliesEnglish　cloth　and　leatherArrest　on　a　charge　of
　　　　　libelDispatch　from　M。　TalleyrandA　page　of　Napoleon's　glory
　　　　　Interview　between　the　two　Emperors　at　Tilsit；Silesia　restored　to
　　　　　the　Queen　of　PrussiaUnfortunate　situation　in　Prussia
　　　　　Impossibility　of　reestablishing　Poland　in　1807Foundation　of　the
　　　　　Kingdom　of　WestphaliaThe　Duchy　of　Warsaw　and　the　King　of　Saxony。

Meanwhile　the　internal　affairs　of　the　towns　over　which　my　diplomatic
jurisdiction　extended　soon　gave　me　more　employment　than　ever。　　The
greatest　misfortune　of　the　Empire　was；　perhaps；　the　abuse　of　the　right
arrogated　by　the　wearers　of　epaulettes。　　My　situation　gave　me　an
opportunity　of　observing　all　the　odious　character　of　a　military
government。　　Another　in　my　place　could　not　have　done　all　that　I　did。　　I
say　this　confidently；　for　my；　situation　was　a　distinct　and　independent
one；　as　Bonaparte　had　told　me：　Being　authorised　to　correspond　directly
with　the　Emperor；　the　military　chiefs　feared；　if　they　did　not　yield　to　my
just　representations；　that　I　would　made　private　reports；　this
apprehension　was　wonderfully　useful　in　enabling　me　to　maintain　the　rights
of　the　towns；　which　had　adopted　me　as　their　first　citizen。

A　circumstance　occurred　in　which　I　had　to　defend　the　rights　of　the
diplomatic　and　commercial　agents　against　the　pretensions　of　military
power。　　Marshal　Brune　during　his　government　at　Hamburg；　went　to　Bremman。
to　watch　the　strict　execution　of　the　illusive　blockade　against　England。
The　Marshal　acting　no　doubt；　in　conformity　with　the　instructions　of
Clarke；　then　Minister　of　War　and　Governor　of　Berlin；　wished　to　arrogate
the　right　of　deciding　on　the　captures　made　by　our　cruisers。

He　attempted　to　prevent　the　Consul　Lagau　from　selling　the　confiscated
ships　in　order　to　sell　them　himself。　　Of　this　M。　Lagau　complained　to　me。
The　more　I　observed　a　disposition　to　encroach　on　the　part　of　the　military
authorities；　the　more　I　conceived　it　necessary　to　maintain　the　rights　of
the　consuls；　and　to　favour　their　influence；　without　which　they　would　have
lost　their　consideration。　　To　the　complaints　of　M。　Lagau　I　replied；
〃That　to　him　alone　belonged　the　right　of　deciding；　in　the　first　instance；
on　the　fate　of　the　ships；　that　he　could　not　be　deprived　of　that　right
without　changing　the　law；　that　he　was　free　to　sell　the　confiscated
Prussian　ships；　that　Marshall　Brune　was　at　Bremen　only　for　the　execution
of　the　decree　respecting　the　blockade　of　England；　and　that　he　ought　not
to　interfere　in　business　unconnected　with　that　decree。〃　　Lagau　showed
this　letter　to　Brune；　who　then　allowed　him　to　do　as　he　wished；　but　it　was
an　affair　of　profit；　and　the　Marshal　for　a　long　time　owed　me　a　grudge。

Bernadotte　was　exceedingly　disinterested；　but　he　loved　to　be　talked
about。　　The　more　the　Emperor　endeavoured　to　throw　accusations　upon　him；
the　more　he　was　anxious　to　give　publicity　to　all　his　actions。　　He　sent　to
me　an　account　of　the　brilliant　affair　of　Braunsburg；　in　which　a　division
of　the　first　corps　had　been　particularly　distinguished。　　Along　with　this
narrative　he　sent　me　a　note　in　the　following　terms：〃I　send　you；　my
dear。　　Minister；　an　account　of　the　affair　of　Braunsburg。　　You　will；
perhaps；　think　proper　to　publish　it。　　In　that　case　I　shall　be　obliged　by
your　getting　it　inserted　in　the　Hamburg　journals；〃　I　did　so。　　The
injustice　of　the　Emperor；　and　the　bad　way　in　which　he　spoke　of
Bernadotte；　obliged　the　latter；for　the　sake　of　his　own　credit；　to　make
the　truth　known　to　the　world。

I　have　already　mentioned　that　I　received　an　order　from　the　Emperor　to
supply　50；000　cloaks　for　the　army。　　With　this　order；　which　was　not　the
only　one　I　received　of　the　same　kind；　some　circumstances　were　connected
which　I　may　take　the　present　opportunity　of　explaining。

The　Emperor　gave　me　so　many　orders　for　army　clothing　that　all　that　could
be　supplied　by　the　cities　of　Hamburg；　Bremen；　and　Lubeck　would　have　been
insufficient　for　executing　the　commissions。　　I　entered　into　a　treaty　with
a　house　in　Hamburg；　which　I　authorised；　in　spite　of　the　Berlin　decree；
to　bring　cloth　and　leather　from　England。　　Thus　I　procured　these　articles
in　a　sure　and　cheap　way。　　Our　troops　might　have　perished　of　cold　had　the
Continental　system　and　the　absurd　mass　of　inexecutable　decrees　relative
to　English　merchandise　been　observed。

The　Director　of　the　Customs　at　Hamburg　got　angry；　but　I　held　firm：　my
cloths　and　my　leather　arrived；　cloaks；　coats；　boots；　all　were　promptly
made；　and　our　soldiers　thus　were　sheltered　from　the　severity　of　the
season。　　To　preserve　peace　with　the　Imperial　Custom…house　I　wrote　to　M。
Collie；　then　Director…General；　that　M。　Eudel　having　wished　to　put　in
execution　the　law　of　the　10th　Brumaire　an　V；　complaints　had　been　made　on
every　side。　　Marshal　Brune　asked　for　my　opinion　on　this　matter；　and　I
gave　it　to　him。　　I　declared　to　M。　Collie　that　the　full　execution　of　the
decree　of　31st　October　1796　was　impracticable；　injurious　to　France；　and
to　the　Hanseatic　Towns；　without　doing　harm　to　England。　　Indeed；　what　said
article　5　of　this　law？　　〃All　goods　imported　from　foreign　countries；
whatever　may　be　their　origin；　are　to　be　considered　as　coming　from　English
manufacturers。〃　　According　to　this　article　France　was　a　foreign　country
for　the　Hanseatic　Towns；　and　none　of　the　objects　enumerated　in　this
article　ought　to　enter　Hamburg！　　But　the　town　received　from　England　a
large　quantity　of　fine　cloths；　buttons；　ironmongery；　toys；　china；　and
from　France　only　clocks；　bronzes；　jewellery；　ribbons；　bonnets；　gauzes　and
gloves。　　〃Let；〃　said　I　to　M。　Eudel；　〃the　Paris　Duane　be　asked　what　that
town　alone　exports　in　matters　of　this　sort　and　it　will　be　seen　how
important　it　is　not　to　stop　a　trade　all　the　more　profitable　to　France；
as　the　workmanship　forms　the　greatest　part　of　the　price　of　the　goods
which　make　up　this　trade。　　What　would　happen　if　the　importation　of　these
goods　were　absolutely　prohibited　in　Hamburg？　　The　consignments　would
cease；　and　one　of　the　most　productive　sources　of　trade　for　France；　and
especially　for　Paris　would　be　cut　off。

At　this　time　neither　Hamburg　nor　its　territory　had　any　manufacture　of
cloth。　　All　woollen　stuffs　were　prohibited；　according　to　M。　Eudel；　and
still　my　duty　was　to　furnish；　and　I　had　furnished；　50；000　cloaks　for　the
Grand　Army。　　In　compliance　with　a　recent　Imperial　decree　I　had　to　have
made　without　delay　16；000　coats；　37；000　waistcoats；　and　the　Emperor
required　of　me　200；000　pairs　of　boots；　besides　the　40；000　pairs　I　had
sent　in。　　Yet　M。　Eudel　said　that　tanned　and　worked　leather　ought　not　to
enter　Hamburg！　　If　such　a　ridiculous　application　of　the　law　of　1796　had
been　made　it　would　have　turned　the　decree　of　21st　November　1796　against
France；　without　fulfilling　its　object。

These　reflections；　to　which　I　added　other　details；　made　the　Government
conclude　that　I　was　right；　and　I　traded　with　England　to　the　great
advantage　of　the　armies；　which　were　well　clothed　and　shod。　　What　in　the
world　can　be　more　ridiculous　than　commercial　laws　carried　out　to　one's
own　detriment？

At　the　beginning　of　1807　my　occupations　at　Hamburg　were　divided　between
the　furnishing　of　supplies　for　the　army　and　the　inspection　of　the
emigrants；　whom　Fouche　pretended　to　dread　in　order　to　give　greater
importance　to　his　office。

I　never　let　slip　an　opportunity　of　mitigating　the　rigour　of　Fouche's
orders；　which；　indeed；　were　sometimes　so　absurd　that　I　did　not　attempt　to
execute　them。　　Of　this　an　instance　occurs　to　my　recollection。　　A　printer
at　Hamburg　had　been　arrested　on　the　charge　of　having　printed　a　libel　in
the　German　language。　　The　man　was　detained　in　prison　because；　very　much
to　his　honour；　he　would　not　disclose　the　name　of　the　writer　of　the
pamphlet。　　I　sent　for　him　and　questioned　him。　　He　told　me；　with　every
appearance　of　sincerity；　that　he　had　never　but　once　seen　the　man　who　had
brought　him　the　manuscript。　　I　was　convinced　of　the　truth　of　what　he
said；　and　I　gave　an　order　for　his　liberation。　　To　avoid　irritating　the
susceptibility　of　the　Minister　of　Police　I　wrote　to　him　the　following　few
lines：〃The　libel　is　the　most　miserable　rhapsody　imaginable。　The　author；
probably　with　the　view　of　selling　his　pamphlet　in　Holstein；　predicts　that
Denmark　will　conquer　every　other　nation　and　become　the　greatest　kingdom
in　the　world。　　This　alone　will　suffice　to　prove　to　you　how　little　clanger
there　is　in　rubbish　written　in　the　style　of　the　Apocalypse。〃

After　the　battle　of　Eylau　I　received　a　despatch　from　M。　de　Talleyrand；　to
which　was　added　an　account　in　French　of　that　memorable　battle；　which　was
more　fatal　to　the　conqueror　than　to　the　other　party；I　cannot　say　the
conquered　in　speaking　of　the　Russians；　the　more　especially　when　I
recollect　the　precautions　which　were　then　taken　throughout　Germany　to
make　known　the　French　before　the　Russian　version。　　The　Emperor　was
exceedingly　anxious　that　every　one　should　view　that　event　as　he　himself
viewed　it。　　Other　accounts　than　his　might　have　produced　an　unfavourable
impression　in　the　north。　　I　therefore　had　orders　to　publish　that　account。
I　caused　2000　copies　of　it　to　be　issued；　which　were　more　than　sufficient
for　circulation　in　the　Hanse　Towns　and　their　territories。

The　reader　will　perhaps　complain　that　I　have　been　almost　silent　with
respect　to　the　grand　manoeuvres　of　the　French　army　from　the　battle　of
Eylau　to　that　of　Friedland；　where；　at　all　events；　our　success　was
indisputable。　　There　was　no　necessity　for　printing　favourable　versions　of
that　event；　and；　besides；　its　immense　results　were　soon　felt　throughout
Europe。　　The　interview　at　Tilsit　is　one　of　the　culminating　points　of
modern　history；　and　the　waters　of　the　Niemen　reflected　the　image　of
Napoleon　at　the　height　of　his　glory。　　The　interview　between　the　two
Emperors　at　Tilsit；　and　the　melancholy　situation　of　the　King　of　Prussia；
are　generally　known。　　I　was　made　ac