memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v7-第1部分

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Memoirs　of　Napoleon　Bonaparte；　V7

by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne

His　Private　Secretary




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

1891




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　XIX。　　to　　CHAPTER　　XXVI。　　1803…1804




CHAPTER　XIX。

1803。

　　　　　Mr。　PittMotive　of　his　going　out　of　officeError　of　the　English
　　　　　GovernmentPretended　regard　for　the　BourbonsViolation　of　the
　　　　　treaty　of　AmiensReciprocal　accusationsMaltaLord　Whitworth's
　　　　　departureRome　and　CarthageSecret　satisfaction　of　Bonaparte
　　　　　Message　to　the　Senate；　the　Legislative　Body；　and　the　Tribunate
　　　　　The　King　of　England's　renunciation　of　the　title　of　King　of　France
　　　　　Complaints　of　the　English　GovernmentFrench　agents　in　British　ports
　　　　　Views　of　France　upon　TurkeyObservation　made　by　Bonaparte　to　the
　　　　　Legislative　BodyIts　false　interpretationConquest　of　Hanover
　　　　　The　Duke　of　Cambridge　caricaturedThe　King　of　England　and　the
　　　　　Elector　of　HanoverFirst　address　to　the　clergyUse　of　the　word
　　　　　〃Monsieur〃The　Republican　weeks　and　months。

One　of　the　circumstances　which　foretold　the　brief　duration　of　the　peace
of　Amiens　was；　that　Mr。　Pitt　was　out　of　office　at　the　time　of　its
conclusion。　　I　mentioned　this　to　Bonaparte；　and　I　immediately　perceived
by　his　hasty　〃What　do　you　say？〃　that　my　observation　had　been　heardbut
not　liked。　　It　did　not；　however；　require　any　extraordinary　shrewdness　to
see　the　true　motive　of　Mr。　Pitt's　retirement。　　That　distinguished
statesman　conceived　that　a　truce　under　the　name　of　a　peace　was
indispensable　for　England；　but；　intending　to　resume　the　war　with　France
more　fiercely　than　ever；　he　for　a　while　retired　from　office；　and　left　to
others　the　task　of　arranging　the　peace；　but　his　intention　was　to　mark　his
return　to　the　ministry　by　the　renewal　of　the　implacable　hatred　he　had
vowed　against　France。　　Still；　I　have　always　thought　that　the　conclusion
of　peace；　however　necessary　to　England；　was　an　error　of　the　Cabinet　of
London。　　England　alone　had　never　before　acknowledged　any　of　the
governments　which　had　risen　up　in　France　since　the　Revolution；　and　as　the
past　could　not　be　blotted　out；　a　future　war；　however　successful　to
England；　could　not　take　from　Bonaparte's　Government　the　immense　weight　it
had　acquired　by　an　interval　of　peace。　　Besides；　by　the　mere　fact　of　the
conclusion　of　the　treaty　England　proved　to　all　Europe　that　the
restoration　of　the　Bourbons　was　merely　a　pretext；　and　she　defaced　that
page　of　her　history　which　might　have　shown　that　she　was　actuated　by
nobler　and　more　generous　sentiments　than　mere　hatred　of　France。　　It　is
very　certain　that　the　condescension　of　England　in　treating　with　the　First
Consul　had　the　effect　of　rallying　round　him　a　great　many　partisans　of　the
Bourbons；　whose　hopes　entirely　depended　on　the　continuance　of　war　between
Great　Britain　and　France。　　This　opened　the　eyes　of　the　greater　number；
namely；　those　who　could　not　see　below　the　surface；　and　were　not
previously　aware　that　the　demonstrations　of　friendship　so　liberally　made
to　the　Bourbons　by　the　European　Cabinets；　and　especially　by　England；　were
merely　false　pretences；　assumed　for　the　purpose　of　disguising；　beneath
the　semblance　of　honourable　motives；　their　wish　to　injure　France；　and　to
oppose　her　rapidly　increasing　power。

When　the　misunderstanding　took　place；　France　and　England　might　have
mutually　reproached　each　other；　but　justice　was　apparently　on　the　side　of
France。　　It　was　evident　that　England；　by　refusing　to　evacuate　Malta；　was
guilty　of　a　palpable　infraction　of　the　treaty　of　Amiens；　while　England
could　only　institute　against　France　what　in　the　French　law　language　is
called　a　suit　or　process　of　tendency。　　But　it　must　be　confessed　that　this
tendency　on　the　part　of　France　to　augment　her　territory　was　very　evident；
for　the　Consular　decrees　made　conquests　more　promptly　than　the　sword。
The　union　of　Piedmont　with　France　had　changed　the　state　of　Europe。　　This
union；　it　is　true；　was　effected　previously　to　the　treaty　of　Amiens；　but
it　was　not　so　with　the　states　of　Parma　and　Piacenza；　Bonaparte　having　by
his　sole　authority　constituted　himself　the　heir　of　the　Grand　Duke；
recently　deceased。　　It　may　therefore　be　easily　imagined　how　great　was
England's　uneasiness　at　the　internal　prosperity　of　France　and　the
insatiable　ambition　of　her　ruler；　but　it　is　no　less　certain　that；　with
respect　to　Malta；　England　acted　with　decidedly　bad　faith；　and　this　bad
faith　appeared　in　its　worst　light　from　the　following　circumstance：
It　had　been　stipulated　that　England　should　withdraw　her　troops　from　Malta
three　months　after　the　signing　of　the　treaty；　yet　more　than　a　year　had
elapsed；　and　the　troops　were　still　there。　　The　order　of　Malta　was　to　be
restored　as　it　formerly　was；　that　is　to　say；　it　was　to　be　a　sovereign　and
independent　order；　under　the　protection　of　the　Holy　See。　　The　three
Cabinets　of　Vienna；　Berlin；　and　St。　Petersburg　were　to　guarantee　the
execution　of　the　treaty　of　Amiens。　　The　English　Ambassador；　to　excuse　the
evasions　of　his　Government；　pretended　that　the　Russian　Cabinet　concurred
with　England　in　the　delayed　fulfilment　of　the　conditions　of　the　treaty；
but　at　the　very　moment　he　was　making　that　excuse　a　courier　arrived　from
the　Cabinet　of　St。　Petersburg　bearing　despatches　completely；　at　variance
with　the　assertion　of　Lord　Whitworth。　　His　lordship　left　Paris　on　the
night　of　the　12th　May　1803；　and　the　English　Government；　unsolicited；　sent
passports　to　the　French　embassy　in　London。　　The　news　of　this　sudden
rupture　made　the　English　console　fall　four　per　cent。；　but　did　not
immediately　produce　such　a　retrograde　effect　on　the　French　funds；　which
were　then　quoted　at　fifty…five　francs；a　very　high　point；　when　it　is
recollected　that　they　were　at　seven　or　eight　francs　on　the　eve　of　the
18th　Brumaire。

In　this　state　of　things　France　proposed　to　the　English　Government　to
admit　of　the　mediation　of　Russia；　but　as　England　had　declared　war　in
order　to　repair　the　error　she　committed　in　concluding　peace；　the
proposition　was　of　course　rejected。　　Thus　the　public　gave　the　First
Consul　credit　for　great　moderation　and　a　sincere　wish　for　peace。　　Thus
arose　between　England　and　France　a　contest　resembling　those　furious　wars
which　marked　the　reigns　of　King　John　and　Charles　VII。　　Our　beaux　esprits
drew　splendid　comparisons　between　the　existing　state　of　things　and　the
ancient　rivalry　of　Carthage　and　Rome；　and　sapiently　concluded　that；　as
Carthage　fell；　England　must　do　so　likewise。

Bonaparte　was　at　St。　Cloud　when　Lord　Whitworth　left　Paris。　　A　fortnight
was　spent　in　useless　attempts　to　renew　negotiations。　　War；　therefore；　was
the　only　alternative。　　Before　he　made　his　final　preparations　the　First
Consul　addressed　a　message　to　the　Senate；　the　Legislative　Body；　and　the
Tribunate。　　In　this　message　he　mentioned　the　recall　of　the　English
Ambassador；　the　breaking　out　of　hostilities；　the　unexpected　message　of
the　King　of　England　to　his　Parliament；　and　the　armaments　which
immediately　ensued　in　the　British　ports。　　〃In　vain；〃　he　said；　〃had　France
tried　every　means　to　induce　England　to　abide　by　the　treaty。　　She　had
repelled　every　overture；　and　increased　the　insolence　of　her　demands。
France；〃　he　added；　〃will　not　submit　to　menaces；　but　will　combat　for　the
faith　of　treaties；　and　the　honour　of　the　French　name；　confidently
trusting　that　the　result　of　the　contest　will　be　such　as　she　has　a　right
to　expect　from　the　justice　of　her　cause　and　the　courage　of　her　people。〃

This　message　was　dignified；　and　free　from　that　vein　of　boasting　in　which
Bonaparte　so　frequently　indulged。　　The　reply　of　the　Senate　was
accompanied　by　a　vote　of　a　ship　of　the　line；　to　be　paid　for　out　of　the
Senatorial　salaries。　　With　his　usual　address　Bonaparte；　in　acting　for
himself；　spoke　in　the　name　of　the　people；　just　as　he　did　in　the　question
of　the　Consulate　for　life。　　But　what　he　then　did　for　his　own　interests
turned　to　the　future　interests　of　the　Bourbons。　　The　very　treaty　which
had　just　been　broken　off　gave　rise　to　a　curious　observation。　　Bonaparte；
though　not　yet　a　sovereign；　peremptorily　required　the　King　of　England　to
renounce　the　empty　title　of　King　of　France；　which　was　kept　up　as　if　to
imply　that　old　pretensions　were　not　yet　renounced。　　The　proposition　was
acceded　to；　and　to　this　circumstance　was　owing　the　disappearance　of　the
title　of　King　of　France　from　among　the　titles　of　the　King　of　England；
when　the　treaty　of　Paris　was　concluded　on　the　return　of　the　Bourbons。

The　first　grievance　complained　of　by　England　was　the　prohibition　of
English　merchandise；　which　had　been　more　rigid　since　the　peace　than
during　the　war。　　The　avowal　of　Great　Britain　on　this　point　might　well
have　enabled　her　to　dispense　with　any　other　subject　of　complaint；　for　the
truth　is；　she　was　alarmed　at　the　aspect　of　our　internal　prosperity；　and
at　the　impulse　given　to　our　manufactures。　　The　English　Government　had
hoped　to　obtain　from　the　First　Consul　such　a　commercial　treaty　as　would
have　proved　a　death…blow　to　our　rising　trade；　but　Bonaparte　opposed　this；
and　from　the　very　circumstance　of　his　refusal　he　might　easily　have
foreseen　the　rupture　at　which　he　affected　to　be　surprised。　　What　I　state
I　felt　at　the　time；　when　I　read　with　great　interest　all　the　documents
relative　to　this　great　dispute　between　the　two　rival　nations；　which
eleven　years　afterwards　was　decided　before　the　walls　of　Paris。

It　was　evidently　disappointment　in　regard　to　a　commercial　treaty　which
created　the　animosity　of　the　English　Government；　as　that　circumstance　was
alluded　to；　by　way　of　reproach；　in　the　King　of　England's　declaration。
In　that　document　it　was　complained　that　France　had　sent　a　number　of
persona　into　the　ports　of　Great　Britain　and　Ireland　in　the　character　of
commercial　agents；　which　character；　and　the　privileges　belonging　to　it；
they　could　only　have　acquired　by　a　commercial　treaty。　　Such　was；　in　my
opinion；　the　real　cause　of　the　complaints　of　England；　but　as　it　would
have　seemed　too　absurd　to　make　it　the　ground　of　a　declaration　of　war；　she
enumerated　other　grievances；　viz。；　the　union　of　Piedmont　and　of　the
states　of　Parma　and　Piacenza　with　France；　and　the　continuance　of　the
French　troops　in　Holland。　　A　great　deal　was　said　about　the