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Memoir of Napoleon Buonaparte.

Directors sent a detachment to the Luxembourg to destroy Napoleon, but they went over to their General. The next day Barras left Paris, and thus was overturned the Directory without scarcely violence or commotion. The minority of the Council of Ancients, and the majority of the Council of Five Hundred however repaired to St. Cloud, and were debating violently upon resisting this Revolution, when Napoleon himself with his Aid-de-Camps entered amongst the former Council, and in a vigorous speech evinced that he was determined to suppress their machinations. He next repaired to the Council of Five Hundred attended by only a few grenadiers. He was immediately assailed by the cries of the whole Assembly; the Deputy Destren struck him upon the shoulder, Bigounet seized him by the arms, but General Lefevre with a few grenadiers precipitately entered the hall and rescued their General. Lucien Buonaparte was President of the Council of Five Hundred, but it was in vain that he attempted to be heard in defence of his brother. The Council ordered him to put the question, whether Napoleon should be declared out of the protection of the law; he refused obedience and abdicated the tribunal. The Chamber was infuriated, but fortunately at this moment a piquet of grenadiers entered; and rescuing Lucien bore him out of the Assembly. He immediately mounted his horse and addressed the troops in a violent philippic against the Council. But the Council had chosen another President and were proceeding to protest against the usurpation of Buonaparte; Napoleon informed of the fact, dissolved the Council by Military force. The members were to the last resolute in their proscription of Napoleon, and their entrance into the capital was prevented by Fouché and the Police, for fear of their exciting the multitude to rebellion. The Council of Five Hundred being dissolved, Lucien repaired to that of the Ancients and proposed the formation of a new Council. His plans were adopted; the Buonapartists of the Ancients assembled as a Council, expelling the sixty-one members who opposed the innovations. They voted the

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abolition of the government by a
Directory and nominated a com-
mission to revise the Constitution
with an executive commission con-
sisting of Sieyes, Roger-Ducos and
Napoleon. These Councils took
their oaths of office, swearing to ac-
knowledge" the sovereignty of the
people, that the republic was one
and indivisible, and to preserve ți-
berty, equality and a representative:
system.' As if to shew the abyss
political assemblies can descend,
of perfidy and meanness to which
this Council of Ancients, at the dic
tation of their rulers, came to a vote.
that the General and soldiers who
had dissolved them by violence and
military outrage "had deserved
well of their country." The Exe-
time at the Luxemburg.
cutive Triumverate met for the first
"Which
Sieyes. "You see clearly, that it
of us is to preside?" asked l'Abbe
is the General who presides," satiri-
cally answered Roger-Ducos; and
Sieyes, struck with the truth, de-
clared to the persons assembled
he knows every thing, he does every
"You have at last got a Master:
thing, and is capable of all things."
thorough a revolution in a popular
It is singular to reflect that so
government could be effected in a
few days, amidst the most excitable
and at that time the most sangui-
whose impetuosity seemed to put all
nary people on earth, and by a man
prudence and subtle contrivances
at defiance-so admirably could
Napoleon adapt himself to circum-
stances. Happy had it been for
France if all her political regenera-
ing bloodshed as Napoleon-happy
tors had been as successful in avoid-
had it been for the human race had
Napoleon devoted his genius to the
establishment of freedom instead of
prostituting it to the vulgar shrines
of military glory and personal am-
of even the most mighty intel-
bition; how narrow are the views-
lects ;-how frail are all their cal-
morality. The sole incentive of
culations when they swerve from
Napoleon's actions was the admira-
tion of after ages; had he establish-
France, had he administered it with
ed a thoroughly free government over
virtue proportionate to his genius,-
he might have been the sole great
character in history; now he will,
shine only as the Caesar, the Hanni-

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bal, or the Alexander of his age; greater than they in degree, but specifically the same. There is one character in human nature which has never yet been filled-but for ambition, that character might have been filled by Napoleon.

Europe was destined to feel at its inmost core the effects of Napoleon's success in this memorable revolu tion. Superiority appeared inherent in the nature as well as in the destiny of Buonaparte. Created consul, he assumed the sole reins of government, and his two companions appeared astounded by his genius, and yielded their power to him, as if he had been created for its exercise. The truth of history compels us to acknowledge that at this epoch, upon which the whole subsequent career of Buonaparte depended, his intentions were decidedly patriotic and conscientious; and all the miseries which afterwards befel Europe arose from the bigotry, folly and corruption of the enemies of France. Napoleon began his government by purifying the institutions of his country, by administering his powers with vigour and integrity, and his object was evidently to establish freedom upon the basis of wisdom and virtue. He made an effort to obtain from Europe an acknowledgment of that obvious principle that has recently been avowed by our own cabinet, that every nation has the sole right of regulating its internal affairs. But, alas! Europe was bent upon supporting antiquated prejudices, and systems which had ceased to be applicable to the state of mankind; because France had thrown off her odious and corrupt system of government, surrounding courts conceived her to be out of the pale of civilization, and because she had committed excesses in the struggle, they endeavoured to appear as knight-errants in the cause of humanity; they refused all alliance with the new government, and Napoleon, thus put at bay, turned like a lion upon his assailants. What mortal is proof against the intoxication of success; victory followed victory; the battles of antiquity faded into insignificance; war became the element of the hero; the patriotism and integrity of Napoleon faded before the

radiance of martial glory, and thus was the human race sacrificed to that military mania of Buonaparte which had been engendered, fostered and matured by the criminal propensities of the governments of Europe.

The effect of Buonaparte's supremacy acquired by this revolution was like magic; tumultuous mobs were suppressed; the decisions of the law courts became respected; the payments of the government became regular; private property was rendered inviolable; the details of the public departments exhibited regularity and dispatch; all the ancient costumes of the public functionaries, and the affected mummeries of antiquity were supplanted by objects purely national. Commerce, trade and industry seemed to revive; and the imbecile tyranny of the Bourbons, and the horrors of the revolution seemed to have suddenly faded into mere objects of memory. Nothing but peace was necessary to consolidate their blessings; Napoleon proposed a peace, but the war-cry of legitimacy was raised; peace was refused; and Napoleon resolved to conquer it with his sword.

He appointed Moreau to the command of the army of the Rhine and Danube; Massena was nominated to that of Italy. He proposed an exchange of prisoners with the English, pacified the Vendeans, protected the proscribed and persecuted, aud liberated from the jails all the victims of party-rage and political fury. The ferocious and unprincipled Fouché was obliged to humanize his system of police. The Revolution of the 18 Brumaire had been effected by borrowed money; this loan was repaid, and an equitable system of finance superceded the former spoliation and extortion. But the climax of Napoleon's admirable qualities, displayed at this juncture, was his assembling the most eminent jurisconsultes of every party to devise an equitable code of laws. Such was his impartiality and spirit of conciliation, 'so completely was ability the passport to employment, that this commission comprehended Trouchet, the defender of Louis XVI., and the sagacious, but violent Conventionalist, Merlin.

Napoleon himself discussed and voted upon every material article of this celebrated code, thus uniting in himself the qualities of a Justinian and a Cæsar.

The constitution of the year eight appointed Napoleon First Consul for ten years, associating with him Cambaceres and Le Brun. It constituted 1st, the Consulate, with the sole right of initiating laws; 2nd, the Tribunate to discuss them; 3rd, the Legislative body to enact laws, and the Senate as Conservators of the laws. There was also an executive Council under the presidency of the First Consul, the appointment and dismissal of the members being intrusted to the President. This constitution was submitted to the vote of the people, but it was observed that no mention was made in it of "the rights of man, the primary assemblies of the people, the liberty of the tribunes, or the liberty of the press; the four great rallying points of the Revolutionists. It is obvious that this constitution threw the whole executive and legislative power into the hands of Napoleon, who thus in one day saw him self invested with all the prerogatives of the descendants of the Capets. He inhabited the Thuilleries, the palace of a long race of kings, and in removing into it from the Luxemburg he gave a grand military fête which surpassed the magnificence of the former kings of France. The word citizen became disused, and all the negligence of dress and coarseness of manners affectedly assumed by the republicans justly sunk into contempt. He altered the whole course of administering justice, by abolishing the old district courts, and establishing courts for each new arrondissement; each department had a criminal court, and the whole of France was divided into twenty-nine "courts d'appel," or districts possessing courts of appeal. Napoleon gave a constitution to Switzerland, opened relations with the United States of America, and cited the Senate of Hamburgh to appear before him and answer for their having yielded to the English those Irish refugees who had sought their hospitality, and who were under the protection of France,

But Napoleon's efforts to obtain peace were fruitless. England had excited a coalition between Austria, Bavaria, and Turkey against France; and these powers, having unfortunately preached a sort of Crusade against the French Revolution, gave the war a national character, and united every class of Frenchmen to Buonaparte. The excessive cruelty of the King of Naples had disposed his subjects rather to wish than to dread a foreign invasion and the barbarity of Austria to those parts of Italy, which General Melas had reconquered from the French, had rendered her Italian subjects at best indifferent to her cause. for these barbarities of the Courts of Vienna and Naples, it is thought that Napoleon might have found it difficult to raise any force sufficient to reconquer Italy. But the Italians were goaded by their rulers to wish for his approach, and he marched towards Italy at the head of 100,000 men, furnished with 40,000 horses, and the best train of artillery that France had ever carried into the field. Denmark, Sweden, and Prussia were neuter, whilst Russia had declared war against Austria.

But

But Napoleon's movements threw the cabinet of Vienna into the utmost state of perplexity as to the theatre of the war. The French reserve was concentrated upon Dijon, and the forces were assembled at a point equidistant from Basle, Martigny, and Chambery, so that the attention of Austria was distracted from the Var, where Melas at the head of 150,000 victorious troops was about to fall upon the 25,000 dispersed French, commanded by Messena. Napoleon's plan was that of Hannibal against Rome, and that of Scipio against Carthage. He determined to relieve Massena by striking at once into the heart of the Austrian possessions. His object was to possess himself of the two basins of the Po and Danube. The Directory had extended their line of operation from Holland to the Var, Napoleon's object was to concentrate his movements. By assembling his forces between the Rhine and Rhone, he separated the two Austrian armies of the Rhine and of Italy, and commanded an entrance into Switzerland. Massena commanded on the Var; Berthier,

at Dijon; and Moreau commanded on the Rhine, with his right on Switzerland; so that it appeared that Napoleon's designs were all against Germany, and that the affairs of Italy were to be neglected. Napoleon ordered Moreau to make certain movements, which put him in possession of the defiles of the Black Forest, and separated the Germans under General Kray from the army of Melas. Napoleon in the Thuilleries was enjoying the errors and perplexities which these dispositions and manoeuvres occasioned to the enemy, and to his own generals, for none but Moreau was in the secret of his real intentions. At length the army marched from Dijon upon Geneva, and Moreau's victories of Engen, of Stokach, of Moeskisch, of Biberach, and of Meningen, were the appointed signals for Buonaparte's leaving Paris. Whilst Europe imagined him engaged in establishing his government in the French capital he suddenly arrived at Geneva, and immediately directed his force towards the Po, between Milan,Genoa and Turin, making the backs or southern bases of the Simplon and St. Gothard the line of his operations. Moreau was to hold General Kray in check upon the Rhine, whilst Napoleon was to surprize the passes of the Alps, and to fall upon the rear of Melas, whose forces were extended from Genoa to the Var, and who was farther weakened by his efforts to keep Lombardy in subjection. Napoleon transported his army and artillery over the crest of the Alps, 7,200 feet above the level of the sea, over tremendous rocks, through the eternal snows, and by paths over which the foot of man had probably never trod. Infantry, cavalry, baggage, and cannon were transported over this mountain of St. Gothard, and the sight of all the panoply and circumstance of war on. this cloud capt mount must have been one of the most sublime sights imaginable. Melas was yet on the Var when he was astounded by the reports, that the French were descending to the south of the Simplon, St. Gothard, and Mount Cenis. Massena and Suchet defended themselves with the greatest heroism at Genoa, knowing that Buonaparte relied upon their

The

making a desperate resistance. In short, the position of Melas was completely turned, whilst that of Napoleon was invulnerable. day of passing the Alps the city of Aoste was taken, but the great difficulty was to pass the fort of Bard before Melas should be aware of his approach. This fort was too strong to capture, but Napoleon ordered the roads to be strewed with litter, and the wheels of the gun-carriages to be bound with hay-bands, and he thus passed during the night, under the guns of the fort without being perceived. This defile passed, Yores with its citadel was captured after two days resistance, and 10,000 men from the army of Melas were overthrown at the passage of the Chiusella. Buonaparte thus opened to himself the plains of Piedmont, and established his line of strategy on the Po, between the mouth of the Tesin and the confluence of the Tenaro and Bormida. He occupied Pavia, in which he found 200 pieces of cannon, and on the 2nd of June he entered Mantua, where they had but just learnt of his intended invasion of Piedmont. He reorganised the Cisalpine Republic, possessed himself of Bergamo, Crema, and Cremona, and drove General Loudon as far as Brescia. Melas seemed unable to penetrate Buonaparte's designs, and who, taking advantage of his inactivity, possessed himself of the points near Stradella on the Po, points which, of all others, it was necessary for Melas to have fortified. The Austrians were now hemmed in to a degree that compelled them to risk a battle, and they were defeated at Montebello with a loss of 8,000 men; but this was only a prelude to the great battle of Marengo. On the 13th June Napoleon, being joined by Dessaix from Egypt, took his position between the river Bormida and the village of Marengo.

On the 14th Napoleon was attacked by Melas; Victor's corps was driven back on the right, and Lanmes, after a partial success, was obliged to fall back by the movement of Victor; but it was essential for Napoleon to support his position on the right, and as necessary for Melas to carry it. Napoleon suddenly poured his guards upon this point, and this corps withstood every

attack of the enemy with a bravery that ever afterwards rendered it the glory of France. The battle was maintained several hours till the arrival of General Dessaix, when Buo naparte at five o'clock, perceiving that Melas had injudiciously weak ened his left wing, ordered an attack on the enemy's line.. Dessaix furiously charged 5,000 Austrian grenadiers, and was shot; the battle was equally maintained till Keller mann with the cavalry attacked these grenadiers on the flank, when they immediately surrendered. The Aus trians now retreated, and Melas in vain attempted to keep possession of Marengo. The French pursued the Austrians till ten o'clock and as far as the Bormida, and the enemy lost 5000 killed, 8000 wounded, 7000 prisoners, 30 pieces of cannon and six pair of colours. The next morn ing, at break of day, Buonaparte at. tacked the tête de pont of the Bormida, but to his astonishment he received a proposal to treat from the enemy, and a few hours after Generals Berthier and Melas signed the famous convention of Alexandria which ceded to the French, with the exception of Mantua, the whole of Italy that Austria had wrested from them after Buonaparte's departure for Egypt; Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria, with the twelve strong places that defended them, were yielded to the French; and the neutral line between the two armies was between the Mincio and the Chiese. Never did the Aus trians fight with more determined valour than at Marengo, and it is to be observed that, at the time of treating, Melas was yet at the head of an army equally numerous with the French, and in possession also of all the strong posts and fortresses of Piedmont.

Napoleon occupied himself in or ganising the Cisalpine Republic, then leaving Suchet in command of Genoa, and placing Messena at the head of the army, he returned to Paris; Murat had been directed to march to the south and to restore the Pope. It was observed, on Buona parte's attending at the celebration of the Te Deum at Milan, that it was the only religious ceremony he had participated in since his celebration of the anniversary of Mahomet,

The Emperor of Austria was scarcely more fortunate on the Rhine than on the Po; three days after the battle of Marengo, (19 June), Moreau won the victory of Hockstedt; the battle of Neuburgh opened the heart of Germany to the French, and the capture of Feld, kirch terminated the fine campaign of Moreau, placing his army in communication with that of Italy, and obliging General Kray to sue for an armistice.

On entering Paris on July 3, (1800) Buonaparte was received with enthusiasm; but a plot to assassi nate him had been discovered by the Police, and the conspirators were brought to justice. Two months after (10 Oct. 1800,) he escaped the celebrated "Infernal Machine" which had been contrived for his destruction by the Chouan leaders.

In the mean time the Cabinet of Austria had disgraced General Melas for his armistice of Alexandria, as well as General Kray for forming the armistice of Hohenlinden with Moreau. Kray was superceded by the Archduke Ferdinand of 18 years of age under the tutelage of General Sawer, and the army was augmented to 150,000 men. That of Italy was increased to 80,000 men and placed under General Bellegarde; opposed to the first was Moreau, and to the latter General Brune, whilst Macdonald commanded an army of reserve at Dijon, with orders to pass the Alps immediately the armistice should be concluded. "You must not mind the long nights or the severity of the season," said Napoleon,—“An army can pass in any season wherever two men can stand a-breast." Moreau commenced the campaign by gaining the victory of Hohenlinden; 180 officers, 11,000 men, and 100 pieces of cannon were captured, and 6000 men were killed. The Archduke Ferdinand, a lad of 18, made a disorderly retreat, and Moreau at the head of 100,000 men was ordered by Napoleon to march apon Vienna and to dictate a peace in the German capital. The Archduke Ferdinand suffered defeat after defeat, and at length the Archduke Charles, always the last resource of the Austrians, having been in disgrace since the treaty of Campo Formio, was now appointed Gene

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