, 1863-02-19
Napoleon's Second Abdioation.

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lovely summers night, with brilliant moon and
an unclouded sky. In the early dawn he arrived
at Quatre Bras. After few moments Of rest
on the sofa, he again mounted his horse, and, &C
companed by small retinue, pressed on to Laon,
where he arrived at four o'clock in the afternoon.
Here he wrote his celebrated bulletin Of the dis.
aster, to be sent to Paris, and handing tito Gen.
Dfouet, said; i9ii n.l
'"Here is the bulletin Of Waterloo. I wish
you to hear It read. II have omitted any es.
sential circumstances, you will remind me of
them. Il Is not my intention to conceal nything.
Now, as after the affair at Moscow, the whole
! truth must be disclosed to Franco: Knight have
thrown on Marshal Ney the blame Of part Of the
misfortune at Waterloo. But the mischief Is
done. No more must be said"
Amer an hour Of troubled sleep he took . car
rage, and, driving al day, just after midnight
arrived at Paris, and went to the palace Of the
Elysee. Throwing himself upon q sofa, be
pressed his hand upon his heart, saying:
al am suffering here The army has per
formed prodigies Of valor. Il is gfievous to think
that we should have been overcome after 50
many heroic efforts. Ny most brilliant victories
do not shed more glory on the French army than
the defeat at Waterloo. Our troops have not
been beaten they have been sacrificed, massa-
cred by overwhelming numbers. Ny guard suf.
Tered themselves to be cut 10 pieces without ask
ing for quarter. But they exclaimed to me,
Withdraw, withdraw; you see that death is re-
solved to spare your majesty And opening
their ranks, my old grenaders screened me from
the carnage, BY forming around me rampant
Of their own bodies. Ny brave, my admirable
guard has been destroyed, and have not per-
ished with them" e'i snH 'e'
| He retired TO his cabinet, and soon called for
Caulaincourt His pallid cheek and sunken eye
proclaimed the anguish Of his mind. 10 tones
Of exhaustion be said, II feel that I have 70
ceived my death wound The blow that has
fallen upon me at Waterloo Is mortal. The ene-
mics force quadrupled ours. But had com
bined bold man@uvre with the view Of pre-
venting the junction Of the two hostile armies.
The Infamous desertion Of Bourmont forced me
to change all my arrangements. To pass over
to the enemy on the eve Of battle Atrociousl
The blood Of bis countrymen be on his head
The maledictiOns Of France will pursue him.
Oh, this baseness is incredible. The annals Of
the French army offer no precedent for such .
crime The consequences Of this detection have
been most disastrous. It created despondency.
Grouchy was too late. Ney was carried away
BY enthusiasm. Our army performed prodigies
Of valor; and yet we lost the battle. Generals,
marshals, all fought glOriously." a7 7''7f7i
Lucien and Joseph, informed Of the return Of
their brother, made all haste TO the Elyeee. Soon
the apartments were filled with all the great func
tionaries Of the empire. Some advised one thing
aud some another. Al seven 10 the morning Ne.
poleon assembled the Council Of State The bull
letn Of Waterloo was then read, and Napoleon
thus addressed them, 5-s.ig Z t9ll5iHg' ggos
"The army is covered with glorv. lDesertiots,
MISUNDERSTANDING and an inexpcable fatality
have rendered unavailing the heroic exeTtions
Of our troops Our disasters are great, but they
are still repsrable Il my efforts are seconded.
returned to Paris to stimulate noble impulse.
II the French people rise, the enemy will be
subdued. II, instead Of resorting to prompt
measures and making extraordinary sacrifices,
time is wasted in disputes and discussions. all Is
lost The enemy is in France. In eight days
he will be at the gates Of the capital To save
the country, Il is necessary that should be in
vested with temporary dictatorship For the
interests Of all ought TO possess this power,
but il will be more proper that it be conferred
upon me by the Chambers"
Carnot, with deep emotion, said: "I declare
that consider it indispensable that, during the
present crisis, the sovereign should be invested
with absolute power" s,.r -s,o a ~
Many others advocated this view. Fouche,
theil the agent Of the Duke Of Wellington, sug-
gested that the Chamber Of Deputies would not
consent TO the dictatorship. . q E11
Napoleon inquired, "What Is Il they wish 7
Speak candidly. Is i my abdicatiOn they de-
sire Z" a'a VI
"I fear Il is 50, sire, Rcgnault answered, sadly.
And though it is deeply repugnant to my feel
ings to tell your majesty painful truth, yet i
is my belief that, were you not to abdicate vol
UNFAIRLY, the Chamber Of Deputies would 70
Others responded, eff the deputies will not
unite with the Emperor 10 save France, he must
save the empire by his single efforts He must
declare himself dictator"
"The nation" said the Emperor, "did not elect
the Deputies to overthrow me, but TO support me.
Woe to them IL the presence Of the enemy on
French soil do not arouse their energy and their
patriotism. Whatever course they may adopt
shall be supported by the people and the army.
The fate Of the Chamber-its very existence, de
pends upon my will Were TO pronounce their
doom, they would all be sacrificed They are
playing an artful game. No matter; have no
need TO resort 10 stratagem. have right on nay
side. Tho patriotism Of the people, their anti
pathy TO the Bourbons, their attachment to my
person, all these circumstances still afford im-
mense resources IL we know how to profit by
tnem."
The Chambers were now In session. The ma
jority Of them thought that Il Napoleon would
abdicate, The allies would sheathe the sword.
Resolutions suggesting this were passed. La
Fayette introduced them. He aft rwards re-
GREETED il bitterly stating that the restoration Of
the empire under the heir Napoleon was the only
hope Of France. John Adams was equally clear
on this point He says: ia FAyette was
wrong. The Emperor Of France was the true
rallying point The Deputies and the country
should have stuck 10 him after the deieatof Wa.
terlOo." 5il. rE sai aH u
As Napoleon read these resolutions. be said:
al ought to have dismissed the men before LEFT
| Paris. l foresaw this These iactious IRE
I -. IL ,..tn 4 ha ftall