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Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte； V14
by Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne
His Private Secretary
Edited by R。 W。 Phipps
Colonel； Late Royal Artillery
1891
CONTENTS：
CHAPTER VII。 to CHAPTER X。 1815
CHAPTER VII。
＇By the Editor of the 1836 edition＇
1815。
Napoleon at ParisPolitical manoeuvresThe meeting of the Champ…
de…MaiNapoleon； the Liberals； and the moderate Constitutionalists
His love of arbitrary power as strong as everParis during the
Cent JoursPreparations for his last campaignThe Emperor leaves
Paris to join the armyState of BrusselsProclamation of Napoleon
to the BelgiansEffective strength of the French and Allied armies
The Emperor's proclamation to the French army。
Napoleon was scarcely reseated on his throne when he found he could not
resume that absolute power he had possessed before his abdication at
Fontainebleau。 He was obliged to submit to the curb of a representative
government； but we may well believe that he only yielded； with a mental
reservation that as soon as victory should return to his standards and
his army be reorganised he would send the representatives of the people
back to their departments； and make himself as absolute as he had ever
been。 His temporary submission was indeed obligatory。
The Republicans and Constitutionalists who had assisted； or not opposed
his return； with Carnot； Fouche； Benjamin Constant； and his own brother
Lucien （a lover of constitutional liberty） at their head； would support
him only on condition of his reigning as a constitutional sovereign； he
therefore proclaimed a constitution under the title of 〃Acte additionnel
aux Constitutions de l'Empire；〃 which greatly resembled the charter
granted by Louis XVIII。 the year before。 An hereditary Chamber of Peers
was to be appointed by the Emperor； a Chamber of Representatives chosen
by the Electoral Colleges； to be renewed every five years； by which all
taxes were to be voted； ministers were to be responsible； judges
irremovable； the right of petition was acknowledged； and property was
declared inviolable。 Lastly； the French nation was made to declare that
they would never recall the Bourbons。
Even before reaching Paris； and while resting on his journey from Elba at
Lyons； the second city in France； and the ancient capital of the Franks；
Napoleon arranged his ministry； and issued sundry decrees； which show how
little his mind was prepared for proceeding according to the majority of
votes in representative assemblies。
Cambaceres was named Minister of Justice； Fouche Minister of Police （a
boon to the Revolutionists）； Davoust appointed Minister of War。 Decrees
upon decrees were issued with a rapidity which showed how laboriously
Bonaparte had employed those studious hours at Elba which he was supposed
to have dedicated to the composition of his Memoirs。 They were couched
in the name of 〃Napoleon； by the grace of God； Emperor of France；〃 and
were dated on the 13th of March； although not promulgated until the 21st
of that month。 The first of these decrees abrogated all changes in the
courts of justice and tribunals which had taken place during the absence
of Napoleon。 The second banished anew all emigrants who had returned to
France before 1814 without proper authority； and displaced all officers
belonging to the class of emigrants introduced into the army by the King。
The third suppressed the Order of St。 Louis； the white flag； cockade； and
other Royal emblems； and restored the tri…coloured banner and the
Imperial symbols of Bonaparte's authority。 The same decree abolished the
Swiss Guard and the Household troops of the King。 The fourth sequestered
the effects of the Bourbons。 A similar Ordinance sequestered the
restored property of emigrant families。
The fifth decree of Lyons suppressed the ancient nobility and feudal
titles； and formally confirmed proprietors of national domains in their
possessions。 （This decree was very acceptable to the majority of
Frenchmen）。 The sixth declared sentence of exile against all emigrants
not erased by Napoleon from the list previously to the accession of the
Bourbons； to which was added confiscation of their property。 The seventh
restored the Legion of Honour in every respect as it had existed under
the Emperor； uniting to its funds the confiscated revenues of the Bourbon
order of St。 Louis。 The eighth and last decree was the most important of
all。 Under pretence that emigrants who had borne arms against France had
been introduced into the Chamber of Peers； and that the Chamber of
Deputies had already sat for the legal time； it dissolved both Chambers；
and convoked the Electoral Colleges of the Empire； in order that they
might hold； in the ensuing month of May； an extraordinary assemblythe
Champ…de…Mai。
This National Convocation； for which Napoleon claimed a precedent in the
history of the ancient Franks； was to have two objects： first； to make
such alterations and reforms in the Constitution of the Empire as
circumstances should render advisable； secondly； to assist at the
coronation of the Empress Maria Louisa。 Her presence； and that of her
son； was spoken of as something that admitted of no doubt； though
Bonaparte knew there was little hope of their return from Vienna。 These
various enactments were well calculated to serve Napoleon's cause。 They
flattered the army； and at the same time stimulated their resentment
against the emigrants； by insinuating that they had been sacrificed by
Louis to the interest of his followers。 They held out to the Republicans
a prospect of confiscation； proscription； and； revolution of government；
while； the Imperialists were gratified with a view of ample funds for
pensions； offices； and honorary decorations。 To proprietors of the
national domains security was promised； to the Parisians the grand
spectacle of the Champ…de…Mai； and to。 France peace and tranquillity；
since the arrival of the Empress and her son； confidently asserted to be
at hand； was taken as a pledge of the friendship of Austria。
Napoleon at the same time endeavoured to make himself popular with the
common peoplethe； mob of the Faubourg St。 Antoine and other obscure
quarters of Paris。 On the first evening of his return； as he walked
round the glittering circle met to welcome him； in the State apartments
of the Tuileries； he kept repeating； 〃Gentlemen； it is to the poor and
disinterested mass of the people that I owe everything； it is they who
have brought me back to the capital 。 It is the poor subaltern officers
and common soldiers that have done all this。 I owe everything to the
common people and the ranks of the army。 Remember that！ I owe
everything to the army and the people！〃 Some time after he took
occasional rides through the Faubourg St。 Antoine； but the demonstrations
of the mob gave him little pleasure； and； it was easy to detect a sneer
in his addresses to them。 He had some slight intercourse with the men of
the Revolutionthe fierce； bloodthirsty Jacobinsbut even now he could
not conceal his abhorrence of them； and； be it said to his honour； he had
as little to do