The National Register.
London, England, 1816-12-09 00:00:00

11,44 [anal Ik rip

Our iting, Comlt4uttion attb %atria.

MONDAY, DECE

9, 18,16.

such that I feel as if I could eart any time of the day :
but lam regular in any meal and always leave off
eating with an appetite : besides, I never, as you kaow, '
drink strong wines. With respect to the English lea- ,
guage, he continued, I have been very diligent : I nowt
read your Newspapers with ease; and must own that
they afford me no inconsiderableamusement. They us
occasionally, inconsistent, and sometimes abusive. Is
one paper I am called a Lat., in another a rtirant, in
a third a Monster, and in one of them, which I really
did not expect, I am desc.rilsed u a Coward ; but it
turned out, atter all, that the writer did not accuse me
of avoiding danger in the field of battle, or flying from
an enemy, or fearing to kick at the menaces of fate
and fortune : it did not charge me with wanting pre-
sence of mind in the hurry of bank, and in the suspeaop
conflicting armies.---No such thing ; I wanted courage
it seems, because I did not coolly take a dose of *son,
or throw myself into the sea, or blow out my brains.—
Tlie Editor most certainly misunderstands me. I have,
at least, too much coursige for that. Your papers are
influenced by party prmeiplbs: what one prams the
other will abuse ; and so vice versa. They who live in
the metropolis where they 4 rblished, can judge q(
but
passing events and transactions for themselves i but
sons living at a distance from the capital, and ~1
laxly foreigners, must be at a lons to determine .
the real state of things, and the characters of public men,
from the perusal of your Journals."
Buonaparte afterwards continual—a This calling of
names, and scolding epithets, only serve to mute me;
but there are observations in your papers, which pro-
duce far different sensations. 'You have," "he con-
tinued, " a writer whom I gieatl7' admire ;. I believe
he is of your country, a Soo . ' Macpherson, the
author of Ossian. There is also person of the name
of Belsham • on what subjects hes be written ?"—I re-
plied, " that I believed he had: written an account of
the reign of our excellent Sovereign."—" Yes," he
said, "y,ur Laws permit you to write of kings, f mi-
nisters, of measures, and of one brother."—" Yes," I
replied, "such is the privilege of Englishmen; and,'
possessing the infirmities of human nature, they may
sometimes abuse it. !dismal:minion, party spirit, and
perhaps, factious minds may, at times, tend to propagate
and support erroneous, and even violent opinions;
but the love of justice and of troth forms the genuine
character of an Englishman.."---"lslevertbeless; he ob-
served, " you appear to batulle my character rather
roughly : and more so, since f
..heve been in your
power." .
Mr. Winton vindicated his cotiatrymen from this ac-
cusation, and gave Buonewarte a ftaitk representation of
the public opinion in England with regard to him,
which the Emperor took extremely wall ;—and pre-
sently, to the great surprise of Mr.-W. asked }ciao if he
remembered the affair of Capt. Wright.
I answered, " perfectly well; and it a prevailing
opinion in England, that yoti ordered him to be mur-
dered, in the Temple.."—With the utmost rapidity of
speech he replied, "for what object? 'Of all men he
was the person whom I should have most desired to livh.
Whence could I have procured so valuable an evidence
as he would have proved on the trial of the conspira-
tors in and about Paris. The heads of it he himself had
landed on the French coast." My curiosity was at this
moment such as to be betrayed l%my looks.—" Listen,"
continued Napoleon, " and yini shall hear. The Eng-
lish brig of war, commanded icy Captain Wright, was
employed by your government in landing traitors and
spies on the west coast of France. Seventy of the
number had actually nise,hed Paris; and, so mysterious '
were their procealings,•so veiled in impenetrable con-
cealment, that although General Ryal, of the Police, I
gave me this infimmation, the newt or place of their re-
met could not be discoveredt I received daily assu-
res= that my life would be attempted, and though I
did not give entire credit, le, them, I took every pre-
caution for my reservation. the brig was afterwards
tot* near L'Orient, with &Ohs Wright, its (tom-
stioder, who was carried' tato?, she Prethet of the
Department of Morbeau, at Nessus: General Julian, I
then Prefect, had accompanied me in the expedition to
Egypt, and recognized Captaia Wright on the first
view of him. Intelligence of this circumstance was
instantly transmitted to Paris; and instructions were
expeditiously returned to interrogate the crew, sepa-
rately, and newsier their tcatineenies to the Minister of
Police. The purport of their examination was at first
very unsatisfactory ; but, L.c length, on the examination
of one of the crew, tAllr light was thrown oa the