memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第1章

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Memoirs　of　Napoleon　Bonaparte；　V6

by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne

His　Private　Secretary




Edited　by　R。　W。　Phipps
Colonel；　Late　Royal　Artillery

1891




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　IX。　　to　　　CHAPTER　XVIII。　　1802…1803




CHAPTER　IX。

1802。

　　　　　Proverbial　falsehood　of　bulletinsM。　DoubletCreation　of　the
　　　　　Legion　of　HonourOpposition　to　it　in　the　Council　and　other
　　　　　authorities　of　the　StateThe　partisans　of　an　hereditary　system
　　　　　The　question　of　the　Consulship　for　life。

The　historian　of　these　times　ought　to　put　no　faith　in　the　bulletins；
despatches；　notes；　and　proclamations　which　have　emanated　from　Bonaparte；
or　passed　through　his　hands。　　For　my　part；　I　believe　that　the　proverb；
〃As　great　a　liar　as　a　bulletin；〃　has　as　much　truth　in　it　as　the　axiom；
two　and　two　make　four。

The　bulletins　always　announced　what　Bonaparte　wished　to　be　believed　true；
but　to　form　a　proper　judgment　on　any　fact；　counter…bulletins　must　be
sought　for　and　consulted。　　It　is　well　known；　too；　that　Bonaparte　attached
great　importance　to　the　place　whence　he　dated　his　bulletins；　thus；　he
dated　his　decrees　respecting　the　theatres　and　Hamburg　beef　at　Moscow。

The　official　documents　were　almost　always　incorrect。　　There　was　falsity
in　the　exaggerated　descriptions　of　his　victories；　and　falsity　again　in
the　suppression　or　palliation　of　his　reverses　and　losses。　　A　writer；　if
he　took　his　materials　from　the　bulletins　and　the　official　correspondence
of　the　time；　would　compose　a　romance　rather　than　a　true　history。　　Of　this
many　proofs　have　been　given　in　the　present　work。

Another　thing　which　always　appeared　to　me　very　remarkable　was；　that
Bonaparte；　notwithstanding　his　incontestable　superiority；　studied　to
depreciate　the　reputations　of　his　military　commanders；　and　to　throw　on
their　shoulders　faults　which　he　had　committed　himself。　　It　is　notorious
that　complaints　and　remonstrances；　as　energetic　as　they　were　well
founded；　were　frequently　addressed　to　General　Bonaparte　on　the　subject　of
his　unjust　and　partial　bulletins；　which　often　attributed　the　success　of　a
day　to　some　one　who　had　very　little　to　do　with　it；　and　made　no　mention　of
the　officer　who　actually　had　the　command。　　The　complaints　made　by　the
officers　and　soldiers　stationed　at　Damietta　compelled　General　Lanusse；
the　commander；　to　remonstrate　against　the　alteration　of　a　bulletin；　by
which　an　engagement　with　a　body　of　Arabs　was　represented　as　an
insignificant　affair；　and　the　loss　trifling；　though　the　General　had
stated　the　action　to　be　one　of　importance；　and　the　loss　considerable。
The　misstatement；　in　consequence　of　his　spirited　and　energetic
remonstrances；　was　corrected。

Bonaparte　took　Malta；　as　is　well　known；　in　forty…eight　hours。　　The　empire
of　the　Mediterranean；　secured　to　the　English　by　the　battle　of　Aboukir；
and　their　numerous　cruising　vessels；　gave　them　the　means　of　starving　the
garrison；　and　of　thus　forcing　General　Vaubois；　the　commandant　of　Malta；
who　was　cut　off　from　all　communication　with　France；　to　capitulate。
Accordingly　on　the　4th　of　September　1800　he　yielded　up　the　Gibraltar　of
the　Mediterranean；　after　a　noble　defence　of　two　years。　　These　facts
require　to　be　stated　in　order　the　better　to　understand　what　follows。

On　22d　February　1802　a　person　of　the　name　of　Doublet；　who　was　the
commissary　of　the　French　Government　at　Malta　when　we　possessed　that
island；　called　upon　me　at　the　Tuileries。　　He　complained　bitterly　that　the
letter　which　he　had　written　from　Malta　to　the　First　Consul　on　the　2d
Ventose；　year　VIII。　　（9th　February　1800）；　had　been　altered　in　the
'Moniteur'。　　〃I　congratulated　him；〃　said　M。　Doublet；　〃on　the　18th
Brumaire；　and　informed　him　of　the　state　of　Malta；　which　was　very
alarming。　　Quite　the　contrary　was　printed　in　the　'Moniteur'；　and　that　is
what　I　complain　of。　　It　placed　me　in　a　very　disagreeable　situation　at
Malta；　where　I　was　accused　of　having　concealed　the　real　situation　of　the
island；　in　which　I　was　discharging　a　public　function　that　gave　weight　to
my　words。〃　　I　observed　to　him　that　as　I　was　not　the　editor　of　the
'Moniteur'　it　was　of　no　use　to　apply　to　me；　but　I　told　him　to　give　me　a
copy　of　the　letter；　and　I　would　mention　the　subject　to　the　First　Consul；
and　communicate　the　answer　to　him。　　Doublet　searched　his　pocket　for　the
letter；　but　could　not　find　it。　　He　said　he　would　send　a　copy；　and　begged
me　to　discover　how　the　error　originated。　　On　the　same　day　he　sent　me　the
copy　of　the　letter；　in　which；　after　congratulating　Bonaparte　on　his
return；　the　following　passage　occurs：〃Hasten　to　save　Malta　with　men　and
provisions：　no　time　is　to　be　lost。〃　　For　this　passage　these　words　were
substituted　in　the　'Moniteur'：　〃His　name　inspires　the　brave　defenders　of
Malta　with　fresh　courage；　we　have　men　and　provisions。〃

Ignorant　of　the　motives　of　so　strange　a　perversion；　I　showed　this　letter
to　the　First　Consul。　　He　shrugged　up　his　shoulders　and　said；　laughing；
〃Take　no　notice　of　him；　he　is　a　fool；　give　yourself　no　further　trouble
about　it。〃

It　was　clear　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　done。　　It　was；　however；　in
despite　of　me　that　M。　Doublet　was　played　this　ill　turn。　　I　represented　to
the　First　Consul　the　inconveniences　which　M。　Doublet　might　experience
from　this　affair。　　But　I　very　rarely　saw　letters　or　reports　published　as
they　were　received。　　I　can　easily　understand　how　particular　motives　might
be　alleged　in　order　to　justify　such　falsifications；　for；　when　the　path　of
candour　and　good　faith　is　departed　from；　any　pretest　is　put　forward　to
excuse　bad　conduct。　　What　sort　of　a　history　would　he　write　who　should
consult　only　the　pages　of　the　'Moniteur'？

After　the　vote　for　adding　a　second　ten　years　to　the　duration　of
Bonaparte's　Consulship　he　created；　on　the　19th　of　May；　the　order　of　the
Legion　of　Honour。　　This　institution　was　soon　followed　by　that　of　the　new
nobility。　　Thus；　in　a　short　space　of　time；　the　Concordat　to　tranquillize
consciences　and　re…establish　harmony　in　the　Church；　the　decree　to　recall
the　emigrants；　the　continuance　of　the　Consular　power　for　ten　years；　by
way　of　preparation　for　the　Consulship　for　life；　and　the　possession　of　the
Empire；　and　the　creation；　in　a　country　which　had　abolished　all
distinctions；　of　an　order　which　was　to　engender　prodigies；　followed
closely　on　the　heels　of　each　other。　　The　Bourbons；　in　reviving　the
abolished　orders；　were　wise　enough　to　preserve　along　with　them　the　Legion
of　Honour。

It　has　already　been　seen　how；　in　certain　circumstances；　the　First　Consul
always　escaped　from　the　consequences　of　his　own　precipitation；　and　got
rid　of　his　blunders　by　throwing　the　blame　on　othersas；　for　example；　in
the　affair　of　the　parallel　between　Caesar；　Cromwell；　and　Bonaparte。　　He
was　indeed　so　precipitate　that　one　might　say；　had　he　been　a　gardener；　he
would　have　wished　to　see　the　fruits　ripen　before　the　blossoms　had　fallen
off。　　This　inconsiderate　haste　nearly　proved　fatal　to　the　creation　of　the
Legion　of　Honour；　a　project　which　ripened　in　his　mind　as　soon　as　he
beheld　the　orders　glittering　at　the　button…holes　of　the　Foreign
Ministers。　　He　would　frequently　exclaim；　〃This　is　well！　　These　are　the
things　for　the　people！〃

I　was；　I　must　confess；　a　decided　partisan　of　the　foundation　in　France　of
a　new　chivalric　order；　because　I　think；　in　every　well…conducted　State；
the　chief　of　the　Government　ought　to　do　all　in　his　power　to　stimulate　the
honour　of　the　citizens；　and　to　render　them　more　sensible　to　honorary
distinctions　than　to　pecuniary　advantages。　　I　tried；　however；　at　the　same
time　to　warn　the　First　Consul　of　his　precipitancy。　　He　heard　me　not；　but
I　must　with　equal　frankness　confess　that　on　this　occasion　I　was　soon
freed　from　all　apprehension　with　respect　to　the　consequences　of　the
difficulties　he　had　to　encounter　in　the　Council　and　in　the　other
constituted　orders　of　the　State。

On　the　4th　of　May　1801　lie　brought　forward；　for　the　first　time
officially；　in　the　Council　of　State　the　question　of　the　establishment　of
the　Legion　of　Honour；　which　on　the　19th　May　1802　was　proclaimed　a　law　of
the　State。　　The　opposition　to　this　measure　was　very　great；　and　all　the
power　of　the　First　Consul；　the　force　of　his　arguments；　and　the　immense
influence　of　his　position；　could　procure　him　no　more　than　14　votes　out　of
24。　　The　same　feeling　was　displayed　at　the　Tribunate；　where　the　measure
only　passed　by　a　vote　of　56　to　38。　　The　balance　was　about　the　same　in　the
Legislative　Body；　where　the　votes　were　166　to　110。　　It　follows；　then；
that　out　of　the　394　voters　in　those　three　separate　bodies　a　majority　only
of　78　was　obtained。　　Surprised　at　so　feeble　a　majority；　the　First　Consul
said　in　the　evening；　〃Ah！　　I　see　very　clearly　the　prejudices　are　still
too　strong。　　You　were　right；　I　should　have　waited。　　It　was　not　a　thing　of
such　urgency。　　But　then；　it　must　be　owned；　the　speakers　for　the　measure
defended　it　badly。　　The　strong　minority　has　not　judged　me　fairly。〃
〃Be　calm；〃　rejoined　I：　〃without　doubt　it　would　have　been　better　to　wait；
but　the　thing　is　done；　and　you　will　soon　find　that　the　taste　for　these
distinctions　is　not　near　gone　by。　　It　is　a　taste　which　belongs　to　the
nature　of　man。　　You　may　expect　some　extraordinary　circumstances　from　this
creationyou　will　soon　see　them。〃

In　April　1802　the　First　Consul　left　no　stone　unturned　to　get　himself
declared　Consul　for　life。　　It　is　perhaps　at　this　epoch　of　his　career　that
he　most　brought　into　play　those　principles　of　duplicity　and　dissimulation
which　are　commonly　called　Machiavellian。　　Never　were　trickery；　falsehood；
cunning；　and　affected　moderation　put　into　play　with　more　talent　or
success。

In　the　month　of　March　hereditary　succession　and　a　dynasty　were　in
everybody's　mouths。　　Lucien　was　the　most　violent　propagator　of　these
ideas；　and　he　pursued　his　vocation　of　apostle　with　constancy　and　address。
It　has　already　been　mentioned　that；　by　his　brother's　confession；　he
published　in　1800　a　pamphlet　enforcing　the　same　ideas；　which　work
Bonaparte　afterwards　condemned　as　a　premature　development　of　his
projects。　　M。　de　Talleyrand；　whose　ideas　could　not　be　otherwise　than
favourable　to　the　monarchical　form　of　government；　was　ready　to　enter　into
explanations　with　the　Cabinets　of　Europe　on　the　subject。　　The　words　which
now　constantly　resounded　in　every　ear　were　〃stability　and　order；〃　under
cloak　of　which　the　downfall　of　the　people's　right　was　to　be　concealed。
At　the　same　time　Bonaparte；　with　the　view　of　disparaging　the　real　friends
of　constitutional　liberty；　always　called　them　ideologues；

　　　　　＇I　have　classed　all　these　people　under　the　denomination　of
　　　　　Ideologues；　which；　besides；　is　what　specially　and　literally　fits
　　　　　them；searchers　after　ideas　（ideas　generally　empty）。　　They　have
　　　　　been　made　more　ridiculous　than　even　I　expected　by　this　application；
　　　　　a　correct　one；　of　the　term　ideologue　to　them。　　The　phrase　has　been
　　　　　successful；　I　believe；　because　it　was　mine　（Napoleon　in　Iung's
　　　　　Lucien；　tome　ii。　　p；　293）。　　Napoleon　welcomed　every　attack　on　this
　　　　　description　of　sage。　　Much　pleased　with　a　discourse　by　Royer
　　　　　Collard；　he　said　to　Talleyrand；　〃Do　you　know；　Monsieur　is　Grand
　　　　　Electeur；　that　a　new　and　serious　philosophy　is　rising　in　my
　　　　　university；　which　may　do　us