Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-11-03
s,nw s,orr AND GEN. GoURGAuD.

-CTn, following lclIer has been addressed oy
Sir w liter Scott TO the Editor OF the fdfn~
burg Vspkiy journal -
SIM observed in the London papers whicn
| received yesterday, leuer from oehefs'
Goursoud, which beg you will have Inc sooa,
ness to reprint. with this communication anu
thu papers accompanying 1t. ;,
II anpears that the General is greatly 0is,
,,c.xed because, availing myself of formal Oh
e 5ncom,.n,s. I have represented, General
Guur,,ud. in TIE Lyt5 NAPOLEON BonHpafte as
co,,nunicatIbg-t ths British Government and
tho lr,,res,,ntatives of others OF the Allied
p..w.rs. certain statements in matter, which he
GEMS at present DESTROYS TO deny or disavow,
,h,.,,h in what degree, or 10 what extern, ne
has moi explicitly stated
Upon these grounds, Tor l can discover no
other General Gourgaud has been pleased 10
charge me, in the mast Incorporate terms, as
m; apenl OF . plot, conirired by the late British
ministers. 20 SANDER and dishcnour him VIII
no, a,tempI 10 initiate the General, e'ther ID
his ,luouence or his insective, but conhne my
self 10 the simple fact, that his accusation a
Gains, mr. is as void &C truth as il is Of pausi-
5ihv | undertook, and earned on, tue las
Of wiling The Life of Napoleon BOnHparie, with
nm, the least intercourse with, or enc.ura ge>
rnent from, the Ministry Of the tune, or any
person connected with them; nor was /; until
nv task was very far advanced, that asked &
ATTAINED permIssion from Earl Bathurst, then
PRINCIPAL Secretary for the Colonial Depart
ment 10 consult such documents as has office
,Inrd.d. concerning The residence Of Napoleon
Buonapar,e at 81, Helena. His lordshiDs lib
crali,y' with that Of Mr. Hay, the Unhcr S"ore-
tar,, permitted me, in the month OF October
last, personal access 10 the Official records,
when inspected more than sixteen quar'o vol
umcs of letters, from which made mrmoran.
da Or extracts at my own discretion, unactnaied
by any feeling excepting The wish 10 do Jusiee
10 all parties.
The papers relating to General Gourgaud *
his Communications were not pointed out 10
me BY any ore. They occurred, in iht course
OF nv researches, like other pieces OF iniorma-
ton. and were Of TOO serious and Important
character. verified as they were, TO be omitted
in the history. The idea that dated and au-
then,ica,rd as they are. they could have been
false documents, frarnyd To misiCaG future his
lorians seems rs absurd, as il is positively false
tina, thev were fabricated on any understanding
with me- who had not al The time oil their dsic
the slightest kaontedge Of their existence.
To me, evidence, er face The foos' unqucs-
tionahle, bore that General Gourgaud hrd at
tested certain facts Of importance, 10 daft rent
persons at different times and places; and II did
MOI, own, occur 10 me- that what he is stated
10 have made the subject OF grave assertion &
a,tes, a ion, could ouSh, 10 be received as
matter Of doubt, because it rested on verbal
cog,rrunica alton made before responsible wit
nesses, and was not concluded by any formal
signature Of the party have been accuStom-
ed 10 consider gen,leman's word as equally
worthy of credit with his hand writing.
AT the same time. in availing myself Of these
documents, | FELT it duty TO tonfne myself to
those particulars which concerned history oil
Napoleon, his person. and his situation at 81.
Helena, emitting all subordinate matters in
which General Gourgaud, in his communica-
ton with our Ministers and others, referred 70
transactions Of more private character, per-
sonal 10 himself ard other gentlemen residing
=, ST. Helena. shall observe the same degree
of restraint, as far possible, out OF the sincere
leSpect entertain for the honour and horlity
Of General Gourgaud's companions in exile,
who might Justly complain OF me Tor re'lving
the memory Of petty alterations; but out of no
Difference to General Gourgaud, 10 whom owe
none The line which General Courtyard has
adopted, obgts me now, in respect 10 my own
character, to lay the full evidence before the
pubic, subject only TO the above restriction,
that i, may appear how far IL bears out the &c
count given Of those transactions IN the history
OF Ncp0!ecn 4 shOuid nave Oren eelHahy WIS
ling 10 have communicated my authorities TO
General Gourgaud in private, had he made such
a request, according TO the ordinary eourtesies
OF society.
With these observations, I request you to
print two documents. No. L is u series of ex-
tracts and notes of passages which did no,
think it necessary TO take down al full length,
because found them scattered over an extern
si,e correspondence In the Colonial Office, and
because the facts they contain. so far as meant
TO iounG upon them, are more fully and official
" detailed in that which follows, viz. the doeu-
ment No. II-No H. is an exact copy taken
from .he record Of a letter written by Mr. Goul-
burn, Under Secretary for the Colonial Depart
ment for the time, giving TO the Principal Sc
cretary of State for that department. Earl ia
thurst, an official and formal report OF General
Gourgaud's communications on the subject oil
Napoleon and his residence at st Helena. his
letter, artested by his subscription, the truth oil
which all who know Mr. Goalburr VIII e"n'l-
der as undeniable, is fully. corrooorated by the