Books: Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, v11

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MEMOIRS OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, VOLUME 11.

by LOUIS ANTOINE FAUVELET DE BOURRIENNE
His Private Secretary

Edited by R. W. Phipps
Colonel, Late Royal Artillery

1891

CONTENTS:
CHAPTER XIX. to CHAPTER XXVII. 1809-1812

CHAPTER XIX.

1809.

The castle of Diernstein--Richard Coeur de Lion and Marshal Lannes,
--The Emperor at the gates of Vienna--The Archduchess Maria Louisa--
Facility of correspondence with England--Smuggling in Hamburg--Brown
sugar and sand--Hearses filled with sugar and coffee--Embargo on the
publication of news--Supervision of the 'Hamburg Correspondant'--
Festival of Saint Napoleon--Ecclesiastical adulation--The King of
Westphalia's journey through his States--Attempt to raise a loan--
Jerome's present to me--The present returned--Bonaparte's unfounded
suspicions.

Rapp, who during the campaign of Vienna had resumed his duties as aide de
camp, related to me one of those observations of Napoleon which, when his
words are compared with the events that followed them, seem to indicate a
foresight into his future destiny. When within some days' march of
Vienna the Emperor procured a guide to explain to him every village and
ruin which he observed on the road. The guide pointed to an eminence on
which were a few decayed vestiges of an old fortified castle. "Those,"
said the guide, "are the ruins of the castle of Diernstein." Napoleon
suddenly stopped, and stood for some time silently contemplating the
ruins, then turning to Lannes, who was with him, he raid, "See! yonder
is the prison of Richard Coeur de Lion. He, like us, went to Syria and
Palestine. But, my brave Lannes, the Coeur de Lion was not braver than
you. He was more fortunate than I at St. Jean d'Acre. A Duke of Austria
sold him to an Emperor of Germany, who imprisoned him in that castle.
Those were the days of barbarism. How different from the civilisation of
modern times! Europe has seen how I treated the Emperor of Austria, whom
I might have made prisoner--and I would treat him so again. I claim no
credit for this. In the present age crowned heads must be respected. A
conqueror imprisoned!"

A few days after the Emperor was at the gates of Vienna, but on this
occasion his access to the Austrian capital was not so easy as it had
been rendered in 1805 by the ingenuity and courage of Lannes and Murat.
The Archduke Maximilian, who was shut up in the capital, wished to defend
it, although the French army already occupied the principal suburbs. In
vain were flags of truce sent one after the other to the Archduke. They
were not only dismissed unheard, but were even ill-treated, and one of
them was almost killed by the populace. The city was then bombarded, and
would speedily have been destroyed but that the Emperor, being informed
that one of the Archduchesses remained in Vienna on account of ill-
health, ordered the firing to cease. By a singular caprice of Napoleon's
destiny this Archduchess was no other than Maria Louisa. Vienna at
length opened her gates to Napoleon, who for some days took up his
residence at Schoenbrunn.

The Emperor was engaged in so many projects at once that they could not
all succeed. Thus, while he was triumphant in the Hereditary States his
Continental system was experiencing severe checks. The trade with
England on the coast of Oldenburg was carped on as uninterruptedly as if
in time of peace. English letters and newspapers arrived on the
Continent, and those of the Continent found their way into Great Britain,
as if France and England had been united by ties of the firmest
friendship. In short, things were just in the same state as if the
decree for the blockade of the British Isles had not existed. When the
custom-house officers succeeded in seizing contraband goods they were
again taken from them by main force. On the 2d of July a serious contest
took place at Brinskham between the custom-house officers and a party of
peasantry, in which the latter remained masters of eighteen wagons laden
with English goods: many were wounded on both sides.

If, however, trade with England was carried on freely along a vast extent
of coast, it was different in the city of Hamburg, where English goods
were introduced only by fraud; and I verily believe that the art of
smuggling and the schemes of smugglers were never before carried to such
perfection. Above 6000 persons of the lower orders went backwards and
forwards, about twenty times a day, from Altona to Hamburg, and they
carried on their contraband, trade by many ingenious stratagems, two of
which were so curious that they are worth mentioning here.

On the left of the road leading from Hamburg to Altona there was a piece
of ground where pits were dug for the purpose of procuring sand used for
building and for laying down in the streets. At this time it was
proposed to repair the great street of Hamburg leading to the gate of
Altona. The smugglers overnight filled the sandpit with brown sugar, and
the little carts which usually conveyed the sand into Hamburg were filled
with the sugar, care being taken to cover it with a layer of sand about
an inch thick. This trick was carried on for a length of time, but no
progress was made in repairing the street. I complained greatly of the
delay, even before I was aware of its cause, for the street led to a
country-house I had near Altona, whither I went daily. The officers of
the customs at length perceived that the work did not proceed, and one
fine morning the sugar-carts were stopped and seized. Another expedient
was then to be devised.

Between Hamburg and Altona there was a little suburb situated on the
right bank of the Elbe. This suburb was inhabited, by sailors, labourers
of the port, and landowners. The inhabitants were interred in the
cemetery of Hamburg. It was observed that funeral processions passed
this way more frequently than usual. The customhouse officers, amazed at
the sudden mortality of the worthy inhabitants of the little suburb,
insisted on searching one of the vehicles, and on opening the hearse it
was found to be filled with sugar, coffee, vanilla, indigo, etc. It was
necessary to abandon this expedient, but others were soon discovered.

Bonaparte was sensitive, in an extraordinary degree, to all that was said
and thought of him, and Heaven knows how many despatches I received from
headquarters during the campaign of Vienna directing me not only to watch
the vigilant execution of the custom-house laws, but to lay an embargo on
a thing which alarmed him more than the introduction of British
merchandise, viz. the publication of news. In conformity with these
reiterated instructions I directed especial attention to the management
of the 'Correspondant'. The importance of this journal, with its 60,000
readers, may easily be perceived. I procured the insertion of everything
I thought desirable: all the bulletins, proclamations, acts of the French
Government, notes of the 'Moniteur', and the semi-official articles of
the French journals: these were all given 'in extenso'. On the other
hand, I often suppressed adverse news, which, though well known, would
have received additional weight from its insertion in so widely
circulated a paper. If by chance there crept in some Austrian bulletin,
extracted from the other German papers published in the States of the
Confederation of the Rhine, there was always given with it a suitable
antidote to destroy, or at least to mitigate, its ill effect. But this
was not all. The King of Wurtemberg having reproached the
'Correspondant', in a letter to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, with
publishing whatever Austria wished should be made known, and being
conducted in a spirit hostile to the good cause, I answered these unjust
reproaches by making the Syndic censor prohibit the Hamburg papers from
inserting any Austrian order of the day, any Archduke's bulletins, any
letter from Prague; in short, anything which should be copied from the
other German journals unless those articles had been inserted in the
French journals.

My recollections of the year 1809 at Hamburg carry me back to the
celebration of Napoleon's fete, which was on the 15th of August, for he
had interpolated his patron saint in the Imperial calendar at the date of
his birth. The coincidence of this festival with the Assumption gave
rise to adulatory rodomontades of the most absurd description. Certainly
the Episcopal circulars under the Empire would form a curious collection.

--[It will perhaps scarcely be believed that the following words
were actually delivered from the pulpit: "God in his mercy has
chosen Napoleon to be his representative on earth. The Queen of
Heaven has marked, by the most magnificent of presents, the
anniversary of the day which witnessed his glorious entrance into
her domains. Heavenly Virgin! as a special testimony of your love
for the French, and your all-powerful influence with your son, you
have connected the first of your solemnities with the birth of the
great Napoleon. Heaven ordained that the hero should spring from
your sepulchre, --"Bourrienne.]--

Could anything be more revolting than the sycophancy of those Churchmen
who declared that "God chose Napoleon for his representative upon earth,
and that God created Bonaparte, and then rested; that he was more
fortunate than Augustus, more virtuous than Trajan; that he deserved
altars and temples to be raised to him!" etc.

Some time after the Festival of St. Napoleon the King of Westphalia made
a journey through his States. Of all Napoleon's brothers the King of
Westphalia was the one with whom I was least acquainted, and he, it is
pretty well known, was the most worthless of the family. His
correspondence with me is limited to two letters, one of which he wrote
while he commanded the 'Epervier', and another seven years after, dated
6th September 1809. In this latter he said:

"I shall be in Hannover on the 10th. If you can make it convenient
to come there and spend a day with me it will give me great
pleasure. I shall then be able to smooth all obstacles to the loan
I wish to contract in the Hanse Town. I flatter myself you will do
all in your power to forward that object, which at the present
crisis is very important to my States. More than ample security is
offered, but the money will be of no use to me if I cannot have it
at least for two years."

Jerome wanted to contract at Hamburg a loan of 3,000,000 francs.
However, the people did not seem to think like his Westphalian Majesty,
that the contract presented more than ample security. No one was found
willing to draw his purse-strings, and the loan was never raised.

Though I would not, without the Emperor's authority, exert the influence
of my situation to further the success of Jerome's negotiation, yet I did
my best to assist him. I succeeded in prevailing on the Senate to
advance one loan of 100,000 francs to pay a portion of the arrears due to
his troops, and a second of 200,000 francs to provide clothing for his
army, etc. This scanty supply will cease to be wondered at when it is
considered to what a state of desolation the whole of Germany was reduced
at the time, as much in the allied States as in those of the enemies of
France. I learnt at the time that the King of Bavaria said to an officer
of the Emperor's household in whom he had great confidence, "If this
continues we shall have to give up, and put the key under the door."
These were his very words.

As for Jerome, he returned to Cassel quite disheartened at the
unsuccessful issue of his loan. Some days after his return to his
capital I received from him a snuffbox with his portrait set in diamonds,
accompanied by a letter of thanks for the service I had rendered him.
I never imagined that a token of remembrance from a crowned head could
possibly be declined. Napoleon, however, thought otherwise. I had not,
it is true, written to acquaint our Government with the King of
Westphalia's loan, but in a letter, which I addressed to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs on the 22d of September, I mentioned the present Jerome
had sent me. Why Napoleon should have been offended at this I know not,
but I received orders to return Jerome's present immediately, and these
orders were accompanied with bitter reproaches for my having accepted it
without the Emperor's authority. I sent back the diamonds, but kept the
portrait. Knowing Bonaparte's distrustful disposition, I thought he must
have suspected that Jerome had employed threats, or at any rate, that he
had used some illegal influence to facilitate the success of his loan.
At last, after much correspondence, Napoleon saw clearly that everything
was perfectly regular; in a word, that the business had been transacted
as between two private persons. As to the 300,000 francs which the
Senate had lent to Jerome, the fact is, that but little scruple was made
about it, for this simple reason, that it was the means of removing from
Hamburg the Westphalian division, whose presence occasioned a much
greater expense than the loan.

CHAPTER XX.

1809.

Visit to the field of Wagram.--Marshal Macdonald--Union of the Papal
States with the Empire--The battle of Talavera--Sir Arthur
Wellesley--English expedition to Holland--Attempt to assassinate the
Emperor at Schoenbrunn--Staps Interrogated by Napoleon--Pardon
offered and rejected--Fanaticism and patriotism--Corvisart's
examination of Staps--Second interrogatory--Tirade against the
illuminati--Accusation of the Courts of Berlin and Weimar--Firmness
and resignation of Staps--Particulars respecting his death--
Influence of the attempt of Staps on the conclusion of peace--
M. de Champagny.

Napoleon went to inspect all the corps of his army and the field of
Wagram, which a short time before had been the scene of one of those
great battles in which victory was the more glorious in proportion as it
had been valiantly contested.

--[The great battle of Wagram was fought on the 6th of July 1809.
The Austrians, who committed a mistake in over-extending their line,
lost 20,000 men as prisoners, besides a large number in killed and
wounded. There was no day, perhaps, on which Napoleon showed more
military genius or more personal courage. He was in the hottest of
the fight, and for a long time exposed to showers of grapeshot.-
Editor of 1836 edition.]--

On that day [the type] of French honour, Macdonald, who, after achieving
a succession of prodigies, led the army of Italy into the heart of the
Austrian States, was made a marshal on the field of battle. Napoleon
said to him, "With us it is for life and for death." The general opinion
was that the elevation of Macdonald added less to the marshal's military
reputation than it redounded to the honour of the Emperor. Five days
after the bombardment of Vienna, namely, on the 17th of May, the Emperor
had published a decree, by virtue of which the Papal States were united
to the French Empire, and Rome was declared an Imperial City. I will not
stop to inquire whether this was good or bad in point of policy, but it
was a mean usurpation on the part of Napoleon, for the time was passed
when a Julius II. laid down the keys of St. Peter and took up the sword
of St. Paul. It was, besides, an injustice, and, considering the Pope's
condescension to Napoleon, an act of ingratitude. The decree of union
did not deprive the Pope of his residence, but he was only the First
Bishop of Christendom, with a revenue of 2,000,000.

Napoleon while at Vienna heard of the affair of Talavera de la Reyna. I
was informed, by a letter from headquarters, that he was much affected at
the news, and did not conceal his vexation. I verily believe that he was
bent on the conquest of Spain, precisely on account of the difficulties
he had to surmount. At Talavera commenced the celebrity of a man who,
perhaps, would not have been without some glory even if pains had not
been taken to build him up a great reputation. That battle commenced the
career of Sir Arthur Wellesley, whose after-success, however, has been
attended by such important consequences.

--[The battle of Talavera took place on the 28th of July, twenty-two
days after the fatal defeat of the Austrians at Wagram.]--

Whilst we experienced this check in Spain the English were attempting an
expedition to Holland, where they had already made themselves masters of
Walcheren. It is true they were obliged to evacuate it shortly after;
but as at that time the French and Austrian armies were in a state of
inaction, in consequence of the armistice concluded at Znaim, in Moravia,
the news unfavourable to Napoleon had the effect of raising the hopes of
the Austrian negotiators, who paused in the expectation that fresh
defeats would afford them better chances.

It was during these negotiations, the termination of which seemed every
day to be farther distant, that Napoleon was exposed to a more real
danger than the wound he had received at Ratisbon. Germany was suffering
under a degree of distress difficult to be described. Illuminism was
making great progress, and had filled some youthful minds with an
enthusiasm not less violent than the religious fanaticism to which Henry
IV. fell a victim. A young man formed the design of assassinating
Napoleon in order to rid Germany of one whom he considered her scourge.
Rapp and Berthier were with the Emperor when the assassin was arrested,
and in relating what I heard from them I feel assured that I am giving
the most faithful account of all the circumstances connected with the
event.

"We were at Schoenbrunn," said Rapp, "when the Emperor had just reviewed
the troops. I observed a young man at the extremity of one of the
columns just as the troops were about to defile. He advanced towards the
Emperor, who was then between Berthier and me. The Prince de Neufchatel,
thinking he wanted to present a petition, went forward to tell him that I
was the person to receive it as I was the aide de camp for the day. The
young man replied that he wished to speak with Napoleon himself, and
Berthier again told him that he must apply to me. He withdrew a little,
still repeating that he wanted to speak with Napoleon. He again advanced
and came very near the Emperor; I desired him to fall back, telling him
in German to wait till after the parade, when, if he had anything to say,
it would be attended to. I surveyed him attentively, for I began to
think his conduct suspicious. I observed that he kept his right hand in
the breast pocket of his coat; out of which a piece of paper appeared.
I know not how it was, but at that moment my eyes met his, and I was
struck with his peculiar look and air of fixed determination. Seeing an
officer of gendarmerie on the spot, I desired him to seize the young man,
but without treating him with any severity, and to convey him to the
castle until the parade was ended.

All this passed in less time than I have taken to tell it, and as every
one's attention was fixed on the parade the scene passed unnoticed. I
was shortly afterwards told that a large carving-knife had been found on
the young man, whose name was Staps. I immediately went to find Duroc,
and we proceeded together to the apartment to which Staps had been taken.
We found him sitting on a bed, apparently in deep thought, but betraying
no symptoms of fear. He had beside him the portrait of a young female,
his pocket-book, and purse containing only two pieces of gold. I asked
him his name, but he replied that he would tell it to no one but
Napoleon. I then asked him what he intended to do with the knife which
had been found upon him? But he answered again, 'I shall tell only
Napoleon.'--'Did you mean to attempt his life?'--`Yes.'--` Why?'--`I can
tell no one but Napoleon.'

"This appeared to me so strange that I thought right to inform the
Emperor of it. When I told him what had passed he appeared a little
agitated, for you know how he was haunted with the idea of assassination.
He desired that the young man should be taken into his cabinet; whither
he was accordingly conducted by two gens d'armes. Notwithstanding his
criminal intention there was something exceedingly prepossessing in his
countenance. I wished that he would deny the attempt; but how was it
possible to save a man who was determined to sacrifice himself? The
Emperor asked Staps whether he could speak French, and he answered that
he could speak it very imperfectly, and as you know (continued Rapp) that
next to you I am the best German scholar in Napoleon's Court, I was
appointed interpreter on this occasion. The Emperor put the following
questions to Staps, which I translated, together with the answers:

"`Where do you come from?'--'From Narremburgh.'--`What is your father?'
--`A Protestant minister.'--`How old are you?'--`Eighteen.'--'What did
you intend to do with your knife?'--`To kill you.'--'You are mad, young
man; you are one of the illuminati?'--'I am not mad; I know not what is
meant by the illuminati!'--'You are ill, then?'--'I am not; I am very
well.'--'Why did you wish to kill me?'--'Because you have ruined my
country.'--'Have I done you any harm?'--'Yes, you have harmed me as well
as all Germans.'--'By whom were you sent? Who urged you to this crime?'
--'No one; I was urged to it by the sincere conviction that by killing
you I should render the greatest service to my country.'--'Is this the
first time you have seen me?'--'I saw you at Erfurt, at the time of your
interview with the Emperor of Russia.'--'Did you intend to kill me
then?'--'No; I thought you would not again wage war against Germany. I
was one of your greatest admirers.'--'How long have you been in Vienna?'
--'Ten days.'--'Why did you wait so long before you attempted the
execution of your project?'--'I came to Schoenbrunn a week ago with the
intention of killing you, but when I arrived the parade was just over; I
therefore deferred the execution of my design till today.'--'I tell you,
young man, you are either mad or in bad health.'

"The Emperor here ordered Corvisart to be sent for. Staps asked who
Corvisart was? I told him that he was a physician. He then said,
'I have no need of him.' Nothing further was said until the arrival of
the doctor, and during this interval Steps evinced the utmost
indifference. When Corvisart arrived Napoleon directed him to feel the
young man's pulse, which he immediately did; and Staps then very coolly
said, 'Am I not well, sir?' Corvisart told the Emperor that nothing
ailed him. 'I told you so,' said Steps, pronouncing the words with an
air of triumph.

"I was really astonished at the coolness and apathy of Staps, and the
Emperor seemed for a moment confounded by the young man's behaviour. --
After a few moments' pause the Emperor resumed the interrogatory as
follows:

"`Your brain is disordered. You will be the ruin of your family. I will
grant you your life if you ask pardon for the crime you meditated, and
for which you ought to be sorry.'--'I want no pardon. I only regret
having failed in my attempt.'--'Indeed! then a crime is nothing to you?'
--'To kill you is no crime: it is a duty.'--'Whose portrait is that which
was found on you?'--'It is the portrait of a young lady to whom I am
attached.'--'She will doubtless be much distressed at your adventure?'--
'She will only be sorry that I have not succeeded. She abhors you as
much as I do.'--'But if I were to pardon you would you be grateful for my
mercy?'--'I would nevertheless kill you if I could.'

"I never," continued Rapp, "saw Napoleon look so confounded. The replies
of Staps and his immovable resolution perfectly astonished him. He
ordered the prisoner to be removed; and when he was gone Napoleon said,
'This is the result of the secret societies which infest Germany. This
is the effect of fine principles and the light of reason. They make
young men assassins. But what can be done against illuminism? A sect
cannot be destroyed by cannon-balls.'

"This event, though pains were taken to keep it secret, became the
subject of conversation in the castle of Schoenbrunn. In the evening the
Emperor sent for me and said, 'Rapp, the affair of this morning is very
extraordinary. I cannot believe that this young man of himself conceived
the design of assassinating me. There is something under it. I shall
never be persuaded that the intriguers of Berlin and Weimar are strangers
to the affair.'--'Sire, allow me to say that your suspicions appear
unfounded. Staps has had no accomplice; his placid countenance, and even
his fanaticism, are easiest proofs of that.'--'I tell you that he has
been instigated by women: furies thirsting for revenge. If I could only
obtain proof of it I would have them seized in the midst of their
Court.'--'Ah, Sire, it is impossible that either man or woman in the
Courts of Berlin or Weimar could have conceived so atrocious a design.'--
'I am not sure of that. Did not those women excite Schill against us
while we were at peace with Prussia; but stay a little; we shall see.'--
'Schill's enterprise; Sire, bears no resemblance to this attempt.'
You know how the Emperor likes every one to yield to his opinion when he
has adopted one which he does not choose to give up; so he said, rather
changing his tone of good-humoured familiarity, 'All you say is in vain,
Monsieur le General: I am not liked either at Berlin or Weimar.' There
is no doubt of that, Sire; but because you are not liked in these two
Courts, is it to be inferred that they would assassinate you?'--'I know
the fury of those women; but patience. Write to General Lauer: direct
him to interrogate Staps. Tell him to bring him to a confession.'

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