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breadth and grandeur of manner as be spoke； and a calm serenity seated on
a brow covered with immortal laurels。〃
Whilst believing the utter incompatibility of Napoleon and constitutional
government we cannot in fairness omit mentioning that the causes which
repelled him from the altar and sanctuary of freedom were strong： the
real lovers of a rational and feasible libertythe constitutional
monarchy men were fewthe mad ultra…Liberals； the Jacobins； the refuse
of one revolution and the provokers of another； were numerous； active；
loud； and in pursuing different ends these two parties； the respectable
and the disreputable； the good and the bad； got mixed and confused with
one another。
On the 14th of May； when the 'federes' were marshalled in processional
order and treated with what was called a solemn festival； as they moved
along the boulevards to the Court of the Tuileries； they coupled the name
of Napoleon ；with Jacobin curses and revolutionary songs。 The airs and
the words that had made Paris tremble to her very centre during the Reign
of Terrorthe 〃Marseillaise；〃 the 〃Carmagnole；〃 the 〃Jour du depart；〃
the execrable ditty； the burden of which is； 〃And with the entrails of
the last of the priests let us strangle the last of the kings；〃 were all
roared out in fearful chorus by a drunken； filthy； and furious mob。 Many
a day had elapsed since they had dared to sing these blasphemous and
antisocial songs in public。 Napoleon himself as soon as he had power
enough suppressed them； and he was as proud of this feat and his triumph
over the dregs of the Jacobins as he was of any of his victories； and in
this he was right； in this he proved himself the friend of humanity。 As
the tumultuous mass approached the triumphal arch and the grand entrance
to the Palace he could not conceal his abhorrence。 His Guards were drawn
up under arms； and numerous pieces of artillery； already loaded were
turned out on the Place du Carrousel。 He hastily dismissed these
dangerous partisans with some praise； some money； and some drink。 On
coming into close contact with such a mob he did not feel his fibre
respond to that of the populace！ Like Frankenstein； he loathed and was
afraid of the mighty monster he had put together。
But it was not merely the mob that checked the liberalism or constitution
of Napoleon； a delicate and doubtful plant in itself； that required the
most cautious treatment to make it really take root and grow up in such a
soil： Some of his councillors； who called themselves 〃philosophical
statesmen；〃 advised him to lay aside the style of Emperor； and assume
that of High President or Lord General of the Republic！ Annoyed with
such puerilities while the enemy was every day drawing nearer the
frontiers he withdrew from the Tuileries to the comparatively small and
retired palace of the Elysee； where he escaped these talking…dreamers；
and felt himself again a sovereign： Shut up with Benjamin Constant and a
few other reasonable politicians； he drew up the sketch of a new
constitution； which was neither much better nor much worse than the royal
charter of Louis XVIII。 We give an epitome of its main features。
The Emperor was to have executive power； and to exercise legislative
power in concurrence with the two Chambers。 The Chamber of Peers was to
be hereditary； and nominated by the Emperor； and its number was
unlimited。 The Second Chamber was to be elected by the people； and to
consist of 629 members； none to be under the age of twenty…five。 The
President was to be appointed by the members； but approved of by the
Emperor。 Members were to be paid at the rate settled by the Constituent
Assembly； which was to be renewed every five years。 The Emperor might
prorogue； adjourn； or dissolve the House of Representatives； whose
sittings were to be public。 The Electoral Colleges were maintained。
Land tax and direct taxes were to be voted only for a year； indirect
taxes might be imposed for several years。 No levy of men for the army
nor any exchange of territory was to be made but by a law。 Taxes were to
be proposed by the Chamber of Representatives。 Ministers to be
responsible。 Judges to be irremovable。 Juries to be established。 Right
of petition； freedom of worship； inviolability of property； were
recognised。 Liberty of the press was given under legal responsibility；
and press offences were to be judged with a jury。 No place or part of
the territory could be placed in a state of siege except in case of
foreign invasion or civil troubles。 Finally； the French people declared
that in the delegation it thus made of its powers it was not to be taken
as giving the right to propose the re…establishment of the Bourbons； or
of any Prince of that family on the throne； even in case of the
extinction of the imperial dynasty。 Any such proposal was formally
interdicted to the Chambers or to the citizens； as well as any of the
following measures；。viz。 the re…establishment of the former； feudal
nobility； of the feudal and seignorial rights； of tithes； of any
privileged and dominant religion； as well as of the power of making any
attack on the irrevocability of the sale of the national goods。
Shortly after the return of Napoleon from Elba； believing it to be
impossible to make the Emperor of Austria consent to his wife's rejoining
him （and Maria Louisa had no inclination to a renewal of conjugal
intercourse）； Napoleon had not been many days in Paris when he concocted
a plan for carrying off from Vienna both his wife and his son： In this
project force was no less necessary than stratagem。 A number of French
of both sexes much devoted to the Emperor； who； had given them rank and
fortune； had accompanied Maria Louisa in 1814 from Paris to Blois and
thence to Vienna。 A correspondence was opened with these persons； who
embarked heart and soul in the plot； they forged passports； procured…
relays； of horses； and altogether arranged matters so well that but a for
a single individualone who revealed the whole project a few days
previously to that fixed upon for carrying it into effectthere is
little room to doubt that the plan would have succeeded； and that the
daughter of Austria and the titular King of home would have given such；
prestige as their presence could give at the Tuileries and he Champs…de…
Mai。 No sooner had the Emperor of Austria discovered this plot； which；
had it been successful； would have placed him in a very awkward
predicament； than he dismissed all the French people about his daughter；
compelled her to lay aside the armorial bearings and liveries of
Napoleon； and even to relinquish the title of Empress of the French： No
force； no art； no police could conceal these things from the people of
Paris； who； moreover； and at nearly the same time； were made very uneasy
by the failure of Murat's attempt in Italy； which greatly increased the
power and political influence of Austria。 Murat being disposed of； the
Emperor Francis was enabled to concentrate all his forces in Italy； and
to hold them in readiness for the re…invasion of France。
〃Napoleon；〃 says Lavallette； 〃had undoubtedly expected that the Empress
and his son would be