The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-04 00:00:00

TILE SWORD (iF NAPOLEON.

( From Le & onmerce.)
For some time: the u cotton of the public has been
aw.ikened to a eir,:owst.ince worthy of exciting all their
sympathies. it is a question of the mos prec;ous
legacy which could be h•queathed to France by the
victim of St. Helena, of tne most ssriking and glori-
ous reminiscences of our modern history ; it is a ques-
tion of the sword of Austerlitz and Monttnirail—of the
arms of Napoleon.

Upon tills subject, a most important point—namely,
th..t of poss. ssion—has recently arisen between the
foully of the Emperor and one of the most faithful of
his si.rvants.

Since the death of the Duke de ittichotadt, to whom.
by the last will of the Emperor, at St. Helena, this
pious legacy teas bequeathed, a negotiation has been
pending between the family of the Emperor and tlo.
illustrious General Bertrand, on the destination of these
arms. Since that moment the family of' the Emperor,
naturally represented by the Empress mother, heiress
of her grandson, claimed this noble part of the pro-
perty, which he left behind him. Since the year 18:33
the Count de Survillicrs has understood fully the moral
greatness of the duty which she imposed on her family.
The famiiy of Napoleon did not. seek this property
for themselves. Tney felt that the sword of Napoleon
was not the heritage of any man, but of a nation.
They desired to consecrate it to France ; they wished
that it should be deposited in his name in that national
asylum opened to military virtue, above the tombs
where sleep together Vauban and Bessieres, Turrenc
and Montebello.
For seven years these negotiations have been
carried on between the Count de Survilliers
and General Bertrand, who has possession of
the sword. These negotiations were interrup-
ted by the .general's voyage to the colonies. On
his return they were resumed, and it was then that the
General printed a statement, which has been since re-
published by the greater portion of the public papers,
and in which, for the first time, he declared himself the
proprietor of these arms.

The family. of- Napoleon were taken by surprise at
this unexpected revelation. At the same time that, in
common with all the world, they rendered due honLige
to the honour and probity of G..nerial Ber►rand, tney
considered tont they ought not to allow themselves to
be disinherited of their duties towards their glorious
chief.

The fam.ly of the Emperor, in its just dignity,
wished for i.othing more, and, in our opinion, ought to
have wished for nothing more, than that the sword of
Napoleon should not. be consecrated to France in army
other name than that of the Emperor. Th,y would
not consent that General Bertrand should make himself
the arniter of the conditions on which, and of the time
when, the sword st.oual be given up to France ; and in
this they detended exclusively the rights and the inie.
Tests of France,
Since the year 1833• the hati! of the Emperor have
no: suspelaki t:4e r 4ff,rts to endow France with these
ioest tnahl.- relic, of genius and glory. it they ear men-
tioned, the Count de Jurvi kers caused a conwitation to
be held by the principal advocates of Paris. who were of
opinion that the arms of N p,,leon were the p;operty of
the oation, in cons• quenet• oh which the 4..mily from that
moment resigned all their own rights in favour of.

Alrer so long a time, APc regr,t to be obliged to say
tbm. the interv,,wion oh the family on this subject with
General Bertrand hIN hitherto been of no avail whatece..

STATE OF TRADE.—Thi're was no tirreerilde
change in the market yesterday, as compared with that of the
preceding week. The demand was, ge erally speaking lim ted,
though some .olerably large sales of yarn were made by parties
who sere willing to accep• a trifling reduction of price. Goods
of all descriptions continue very flit, and the business onne
rst,ntav was generally at dechn.hg price*. Still, with the
exception of one or two descriptions of cloth stocks are by no
means heavy ; and a little brisk buying would clear the market
immediately.— Manchester Guardian.
A arge s weig 260 pounds 1,31tS kid d few
days since by the men in the employment of Edward A ki, son,
Esq while drafting for salmon at the fhhery of this town.—
Biding Advert(
BRAINTREE CHURCH-RATE —We or" an-
thorised to state that the proceedings in this case are about to
be removed by writ of error into the Court of Exch. quer
Chamber, where it may probably be argued in Alichaelmas
Wean nezt..,Znex Heroic/.

EVENING E DIT lON

L Ek. A ? 1-1 IS l' 0
OF THE WAR IN THE PENINSULA.

We have alre ;dy given several notic.- tii•t en
iv., recur to it only the more impres.• $4lOl v•'''
itni,ortanee of the subject and the great intee•t
ry English reader must take in the Last •iel•ilis Id .4
s t es of campaigns rarely equalled and never surpassed.
Almost ev ry page bears testimony to the skill and
comprehensive mind of the commander— the titishing
bravery and indomitable persev, ranee of his troops--
the obstinate self.conceit of the Spanish Government--
and the no less culpable conceit, ignorance, and apathy
of a Government that, but for the sagacious mead and
long-enduring firmness of Wellington, would have ruined.t
the cause. The Tory Government claimed great merit
for the share they had in the noble victories which he
achieved. Can any one read the following extracts
without indignation ?
" San Sebastian, a third-rate fortress, and in bad
condition when first invested, resisted a besieging aril;
possessing an enormous
battering train, for sixty-thre
days. This is to be attributed partly to the errors .0'
the besiegers, principally to obstructions extraneous ,n!
the military operations. Amongst the
reckoned the misconduct of the Admiralty, and t
negligence of the Government relative to the batter
l
train and supply of ammunition ; the latter retarget
the second siege for sixteen days; the former enabled
the garrison to keep up, and even increase its mean',
the siege proceeded. last arc to he
" Next, in order and importance, was the failure °f
the Spanish authorities, who neglected to supply earo
and boats from the country, and even refused the 119,
;
of their public buildings for hospitals. Thus between
the sea and the shore, receiving aid from neither, LoT
Wellington had to conduct an operation of war eibietir
more than any other depends for success upon bib.° e
and provident care. It was probably the first tnti,,
that an important siege was maintained by went%
exertions ; the stores of the besiegers were landed fr
boats rowed by Spanish girls !"
The next extract shows that the Government Was.
blind and infatuated as the Admiralty. In adverlti
to the treatment Wellington received at the bows et
the Spanish Cortes and some Spanish grandees, colon
Napier says:— a of
His resignation was accepted in the latter en
Septymber, and he held the command only anal the
assemuling of the New Cortes, but the attemptto
render him odious fai•ed even at Cadiz, owing ehit's#o
to the personal ascendancy which all great minis
surely surely attain over the masses in troubled times• m
the people and the soldiers respected him more thaw
they did their own Government, and the Stiafhlih i,
officers had generally yielded as ready obedience to
ishes before he wits appointed Generalissimo, as ttiey
ai to his orders when holding that high office. is
was this ascendancy which enabled him to rat/intuit) the
war with such troublesome allies ; and yet so little ego.
Le English Miuisters cap .ble of appreciating its irp
ance, that after the battle of Vittoria they entertain.
Lite deign of removing him from Spain to take part tJ
the German operations. his answer was short au
modest, lot lull of wisdom :
" Many might be found to conduct matters as -id
as I can, both here and in Germany, but nribody w°t3eo
enjoy the same advantsges here, and I should be
better than another in Germany.'
" The egregious folly which dictated this proposititVa
was thus checked, and in De.centber the new CO
the
decided that he should retain the command of
atones, and the Regency be bound to fulfil its Pred'es
cevor's engagements !"
With all these annoyances and disheartening obstru
tions, Wellington, after the battle of Vittoria, k.°174,.
on the steady tenour of his way, prepared to inert irst
greatest and the last General, Napoleon sent to eouipr.
him ; and never did any General display more dete
mined spirit, or more skilful operations. It a sVei.
lar coincidence, that almost at. the first renrontre aa
lington, by some accident or some fault of Picten,
within a few seconds of being made prisoner, by a bA°e
of French light cavalry ; and that, but a few '430
after, Soult and his whole army were saved from
f:si,
most terrible disaster, by the misconduct of three Do'.
tish soldiers. But we will allow Napier to give
account of these hair-breadth escapes, in his oein 1"g
passioned language :
" While the French General thus formed 7.iis line Of
t d
battle, Lord Wellington, who had quitted Sr'. Rowtgib,
Hill's quarters in the Bastan very early on the re" f
crossed the main ridge and descendois the valley :f
Lanz without having been able to, learn anything
Picton's movements or position, ar.oj in this state of 11"_
certainty reached Ostia, a few miles from Saurore
where he found General Long with the brigade of ligbts;
cavalry which had furnished. the posts of corresiggi
deuce in the mountains. Here learning that Pic!'o
having abandoned the heights of Linzoain
on Huarte, he left his Quarter-master General with the
in-
structions to stop all the troops coming down
valley of Lanz until the state of affairs at Huang
should be ascertained. Then at racing speed he
made for Sauroren. As he entered that village be 1197
Clauzel's divisions moving from Zabaldica along
tbO
crest of the mountain', and it was clear that the
allied
troops in the valley of Lanz were intercepterk where.;
fore pulling up his horse he wrote on the ,•arapet
of
the bridge of Sauroren fresh instructions to eyed
thing from that valley to the right, was moving
led through Lizasso and Marcalain behind the hills to
the village of Oricain, that is to say, in rear of tbe
Lion now occupied by Cole. Lord Fitzroy Somerset,
by road Which
the only staff-officer who had kept I•4p with him, gala
loped vv,th these orders out of Say roren
by one road,
the French light cavalry dashed ir, by another, and the
English General rode alone up the mountain to react'
his troops One of Campbell's Portuguese batta-
lions first descried him and raised a cry et
joy, and the shrill clamour caught up
by the
next regiments swelled as it run along the lie;
into that stern and appalling shout which ale Britisd
soldier is wont to give upon the edge of battle, 3"
wnich no enemy ever heard unmoved, Lord Virelli°g;
ton suddenly stopped in a conspicuoiss place, he desired
that both armies shou.d know he was there, lied e•
double spy who was present pointed out Soult, then 9°
near that his features could 'oe plainly distinguished. 7
Thus Wellington way. saved by the speed of his horse'
The next extract recounts how Soult and his arnlY''
when all but hemmed in, were saved by three "
dering knaves." The event took plaCe after several des
of hard fighting :---,.
e Wellington now occupied the hills through wb'felltlf
road leads from Elizondo to San Estevart:and full
hope he was to strike a terrible blow : for Se tilt, n°
being pursued alter passing Dona Maria, had halted ill
San Estevan, although by his scouts ha kne w that the
c envoy had been taken at Elizondo. 1-1.,e was in
deep narrow valley, and three British divisions with 0I3"
of Spaniards were behind the mount Gins overlookl
the town ; the seventh division was
en the mountain °
Dona Maria ; the light division and Sir Thon's', Graham's Spaniards were marching to block the Vvr:,
and Echallar exits from the valley ; Bvna was Direr,'
at Maya, and Hill was moving by Alinandoz just %-,a
hind Wellington's own position. A few hours gat,
and the French must surrender or disperse. vv.ef,
lington gave strict orders to prevent the liglating of fir
the straggling of soldiers, or any other indication
presence of troops ; and he placed himself_ arnon 1 „
some rocks at a commanding point, from wbenc!)
inofa chiitsrel'esser.rus.ed.nuneTe. I";
I°
e " 1;- he e
could observe every movement of the enemy, 54311,.;
sseeeenmetod
rti:daenqudpilt,haendvalfloeuyr
of the staff proposed to cut them off ;
General, whose • ,object was to hide ',,is own preseitY,
would not suffer it, but the next mo aient three mar tun-
ing English soldiers entered the veil and were s"
the Enl"e
stantly carried off by the hor,,,,,,:"Hitif
an h our
afterwards the French drupes beat to arms, and tl heir
columns began to move
out of San Estevan tow' ids
e
Surnbilla. Thus the disobedience of three Diandel
knaves, unworthy of the name of soldiers, deprived 7de
consummate commander of the most splendid sane
Thneex
ttwdoayarmi wase fotutigelAnt ,
restedi n h eqhuiSe
and saved another from the roost terrible disaster?'
teass
A great
defeated.battle
their respective positions after nine days cootie
movement, during which they had • of
rico..
tou bt actions, the result of which was :—Cigtthelen
se
ill'
• *Mies.
,44i
eluding the Scaoiaids, 7,300 officers and soldiers 1:04,
been killed, uounde,l, or Ls • Oa the French 0,
the loss was terrible. Ace -7
•
rding to the French de 4
mints it amounted to 13,000. Wellington put it di I`cl
at 15,000 officers and
men, with 4,000 unworn ~
prisoners.
0

r ig-
R _.
IGIN of CABINET _.CABINET . d_nd
.41 Cabinet Council is of very early
origin. The grea 4
wise Allred, to whom we are indebted for many e&celle aO..
Loin,
stttutions, so arranged the affairs of the nation
that all r eseral
tions relating to the public should
ease through, tnrce gev
Councils;
the first was a Select Council, to which r•igi 1
those the K ng had a particular eNt e e
ra for we re adrni tree c but
;hieth
affairs were here rikbated, that were to hr.: laid before
second Council, witch consisted of Bishops, Earl's, viscoctnts
aid
Judges, and some of the principal Thanes after .ward
none '
I tAt ons ; these re,ern bled the present Privy C. )uncli ; :a,..f„
belonged to it but those the King was pleas.ed to app the
Ttnation,•e thcalled ird wain s aSax ge
on, neral Council or Asse ;I•thli 0. ,lily
Wittenagemot, !ab ichich 011!•- all I ofEtes gave a right to sit, Ind, p-ndent of the Mond,nd
In these three Councils we see the origin of c ao Cabinet
Privy Councils and the antiquity of Parliar „Gt., , hut ati:,,e,
co. ding to Lord Clan, nion. originated thu. : —The affairs 1 ,°)?
term Cabinet Courted is of a much more mod.
~,,n date, and, a-f
State in the reign of Ciurles I. were prir xi„aily n ,anagedthe
Lord Cottingtoo ; to these were added tl 4, E.ini of ic„rthuro
the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earl c
berl•nd, for ornament; the Bishop of '
Lanitlon. for his place
bring Lord 'Treasurer ;
the two Seer. t • d '‘Vin't
i Si-traffort. '. and
e artes, Vane an derbank, for service and intelligent:,
; only the 11) 'argots °G.
Hamilton, by his skill and interest., meddled J,,,,, ~,, fa, , anti I,
rciese pers. ns made u , t he Cum'"
and en-"
ti "iv then, in the Court, tee Cabinet Council.
eti
mfailttheer'ofthSat'al thee rhtapdroaarnehitnull. aft,„
called the Junto
MARSHAL BIRON.----I was well accr
,141t1t.„--
, with Alarslial tiiron, kshu gave ma the liberty of occu iying 6;1
bt.x, b'tth at .he ~o,r. and ar the French ''neatre. I.hi4 ‘11",,
my daughter that she c odd say .-
nobleman. who was one of the most polished men of tl- ,e Fret!"
court, and a most agreeable ci mita •
---1 -' ton* took such a fancy t°
, • ..ilc, m.2_.
Ple"ed. StnetAme6 "en-, -.,ecau-e she ordered it, ' i'have l'er
bim capering atAitt* t - • Ice him do an vthitti; sh:
good humour., b., wei
the room and singing with the trmrt
dancer, 1-I,:nosvo song, ‘• Quan4 eiyan v,outhl
qtland Biron voulut dancer," &r.-41( --
of
icnozri
Princ*itt Daic/t/tuw.