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Page 15
Thus the police, who previously knew nothing, were suddenly informed of
all. In spite of the numerous police agents scattered over France, it
was only discovered by the declarations of Bouvet de Lozier that three
successive landings had been effected, and that a fourth was expected,
which, however, did not take place, because General Savary was despatched
by the First Consul with orders to seize the persons whose arrival was
looked for. There cannot be a more convincing proof of the fidelity of
the agents of the police to their old chief, and their combined
determination of trifling with their new one,
CHAPTER XXII.
1804.
The events of 1804--Death of the Due d'Enghien--Napoleon's arguments
at St. Helena--Comparison of dates--Possibility of my having saved
the Due d'Enghien's life--Advice given to the Duc d'Enghien--Sir
Charles Stuart--Delay of the Austrian Cabinet--Pichegru and the
mysterious being--M. Massias--The historians of St. Helena--
Bonaparte's threats against the emigrants and M. Cobentzel--
Singular adventure of Davoust's secretary--The quartermaster--
The brigand of La Vendee.
In order to form a just idea of the events which succeeded each other so
rapidly at the commencement of 1804 it is necessary to consider them both
separately and connectedly. It must be borne in mind that all
Bonaparte's machinations tended to one object, the foundation of the
French Empire in his favour; and it is also essential to consider how the
situation of the emigrants, in reference to the First Consul, had changed
since the declaration of war. As long as Bonaparte continued at peace
the cause of the Bourbons had no support in foreign Cabinets, and the
emigrants had no alternative but to yield to circumstances; but on the
breaking out of a new war all was changed. The cause of the Bourbons
became that of the powers at war with France; and as many causes
concurred to unite the emigrants abroad with those who had returned but
half satisfied, there was reason to fear something from their revolt, in
combination with the powers arrayed against Bonaparte.
Such was the state of things with regard to the emigrants when the
leaders and accomplices of Georges' conspiracy were arrested at the very
beginning of 1804. The assassination of the Due d'Enghien
--[Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon, Duc d'Enghien (1772-1804), son of
the Duc de Bourbon, and grandson of the Prince de Conde, served
against France in the army of Conde. When this force was disbanded
he stayed at Ettenheim on account of a love affair with the
Princesse Charlotte de Rohan-Rochefort. Arrested in the territory
of Baden, he was taken to Vincennes, and after trial by court-
martial shot is the moat, 21st May 1804. With him practically ended
the house of Bourbon-Conde as his grandfather died in 1818, leaving
only the Duc de Bourbon, and the Princesee Louise Adelaide, Abbesse
de Remiremont, who died in 1824.]--
took place on the 21st of March; on the 30th of April appeared the
proposition of the Tribunate to found a Government in France under the
authority of one individual; on the 18th of May came the 'Senatus-
consulte', naming Napoleon Bonaparte EMPEROR, and lastly, on the 10th.
of June, the sentence of condemnation on Georges and his accomplices.
Thus the shedding of the blood of a Bourbon, and the placing of the crown
of France on the head of a soldier of fortune were two acts interpolated
in the sanguinary drama of Georges' conspiracy. It must be remembered,
too, that during the period of these events we were at war with England,
and on the point of seeing Austria and the Colossus of the north form a
coalition against the new Emperor.
I will now state all I know relative to the death of the Due d'Enghien.
That unfortunate Prince, who was at Ettenheim, in consequence of a love
affair, had no communication whatever with those who were concocting a
plot in the interior. Machiavelli says that when the author of a crime
cannot be discovered we should seek for those to whose advantage it
turns. In the present case Machiavelli's advice will find an easy
application, since the Duke's death could be advantageous only to
Bonaparte, who considered it indispensable to his accession to the crown
of France. The motives may be explained, but can they be justified?
How could it ever be said that the Due d'Enghien perished as a presumed
accomplice in the conspiracy of Georges?
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