The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-21 00:00:00

THE NAPOLEON MUSEUM.

We alluded last week to an incident that took place
at this most interesting and extraordinary national
exhibition at .the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, relative to
the unfortunate Queen Marie Antoinette, on one of the
occasions when his Grace the Duke of Wellington
honoured it with a visit, and in order that our
readers may be able to form some idea of its
merits from other sources as well as ourselves, we
have much pleasure in giving them copies of the follow-
ing interesting historical documents, from these we were
enabled to take :-Ist. His late Royal Highness the Duke
of Sussex and Lord Holland% pfotests in the House of
Lords against the Bill for detaining the late Emperor
Napoleon at St. Helena. 2d. The late Mr. O'Meara's
letter to the proprietor after visiting the Napoleon Mu-
seum in company with the Count Survilliers and Prince
Lucien Bonaparte, many years before a public exhibition
was contemplated. 3d. The Baron Emanuel Las Cases'
letter to the proprietor on presenting him with one of
the two pens with which the late Emperor corrected the
MSS. of the Memoirs he dictated to the Counts Las
Cases and Montholon, and General Gourgaud, at St. He-
lena; and4th, Lord Holland's letter, in 1828, to the writer
of a Memoir of the late Duke of Reichstadt, who dedi-
cated the same to his Lordship.
The Duke of Sussex and Lord Holland were among
the Peers who individually protested. in the House of
Lords, shortly afterwards, against a Bill, called " Bona-
parte's Detention Bill." Their protest was as follows:
" Because,without reference to the character or previous
conduct of him who is the object of the present Bill, I
disapprove of the measure it sanctions and continues.
" To consign to distant exile and imprisonment a
foreign and captive chief, who, after the abdication of
his authority, relying on British generosity, had sur-
rendered himself to us in preference to his other ene.
mies, is unworthy of the magnanimity of a great coun-
try ; and the treaties by which, after his captivity, we
have bound ourselves to detain him in custody at the will
of sovereigns to whom he had never surrendered him-
self, appear to me repugnant to the principles of equity,
and utterly uncalled for by expediency or necessity."
" 16, Cambridge-terrace, Edgware-road,
" Nov. 26, 1835. •
"My dear Sir,—l am very glatl to learn that you con-
template printing a catalogue of your extensive and
valuable Napoleon collection. It is, I believe, unique,
and contains numerous exquisite objects, 'which, not
being an artist, I am incapable of describing, and shall
not attempt to paticularise. I can, however, speak
with confidence as to the strong likeness to the deceased
Emperor in several of the portraits ; amongst others,
that in a bust executed by an Italian sculptor, whose
name Ido not recollect. A similar observation was made
by his brother, the Count de Survilliers, in expressing.
his approbation of your splendid collection. Altogether,
I think that your Museum is most interesting, and does
great credit to your industry and good taste.
" Believe me to be, my dear Sir, yours very sincerely,
" BARRY O'MEARA."

(corr.)
The original is among the MSS. in flit Napoleon Museum.
" Sir,—l am much flattered by your dedication, and
the approbation you express therein of my conduct in
Parliament on the occasion of the imprisonment of the
late Emperor Napoleon.
" It is my firm conviction that, the more the trans-
actions of that day are examined by a dispassionate pub •
lic, the more every just and generous Englishman will
regret the decision taken by the Government of this
country.
" Accept my beat thanks, and believe me, Sir, your
obliged, " VASSALL HOLLAND.

"`Holland House, 22d Dec., 1828.7 .
" Sir,—The magnificent labours you have undertaken
relating to the Emperor Napoleon induces me to present
you with one of the pens he wrote with, and which I
send herewith. He made use of it at St. Helena in
the year 1816. Iri giving it to yOu, Sir, I am making
a great sacrifice, as I possess but two of them,
and was prevented from obtaining other things
which belonged to the Emperor Napoleon by
the sudden and violent manner in which I was separated
from him. I offer it to you, Sir, nevertheless, in consi-
deration of the labours you have gone through in favour
,
of the memory of that.great man, who is, and ever will
be, the subject affection as well as of my vene-
ration.—Believe mfe my
Sir, your devoted servant,
"BARON DE LAS• CASES."