The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-17

was 10 see france enjoy all possible freedom
he said possible, because anarchy always
brought back an absolute government. The
liberty of the press he considered inherent to
the present constitution nor could any change
be made without altering the whole political
system. He then alluded to the threatened
INVASION of France which might soon call him
TO the frontier and he asked the two houses
to show an example to the nation and, like
tie Senate Of a great people of antiquity
TO prefer death rather than survive
the dishonor and degradation of France. We
know that this language fell exceedingly flat
on the ears of the two chambers, either owing
TO the unimpassioned manner in which il was
delivered, or by reason of the unpleasant
nature of the concluding paragraph On the
same 1th of June Soult, who had replaced
Berthier, was ordered to repair TO Lille in
cOgnito; he was TO create a spy Office, and col
loct intelligence from the wood-rangers of the
Ardennes. A few days later Napoleon left
Paris, and placed himself at the head of his
troops. On the 10Th of June he wrote TO Da-
Youst to say that he had found at scissors
500 Polish cavalry without horses, and a depot
of Polish infantry in bad order He directed
his War Minister to recruit two battalions
amongst the Polish prisoners. He concluded
his instructions with these curious words:-
II attach great importance to having the 800
Poles mounted as soon as possible, for by
placing them in the advanced posts they will
aid other Poles to desert !"
On the 18th of June, Prince Joseph received
a letter from Baron Fain:-'M 'Monseigneur:-
1t is nine in the evening. The Emperor, who
has been on horseback since three in the
morning, has just entered overcome by
fatigue. He has thrown himself on bed for
few hours sleep. He is to be on horseback
again at midnight. The army has
forced the Sambre near Charleroi," etc. etc.
On the 10th of June we have only three let
ters-a short note to Prince Joseph, in which
the Emperor regrets the loss of General
Letort in the body of the letter. and says he
is better i'll postscript; an order to Ney tell
ing him to hold himself IN readiness to march
on Brussels, and acquainting him with his
own movements and those of Grouchy; and
finally despatch to Grouchy directing him
to march on Sombreffe with the right wing,
and evidently written early in the morning.
On the 18th there are no letters; on the 18th,
merely an order to the army, dated II A. NJ,
directing the attack on Mont Saint Jean by
d Erlons corps.
There is something tragical in the way this
volume ends with the sudden collapse of
great empire; on the 2Oth the Emperor, who
had stopped in his flight at Laon, wrote his
account of the battles of Ligny and Waterloo.
He attributed the loss of Waterloo
to Ney sacrificing his cavalry. 'After eight
hours fighting the army saw with satisfac-
ton, he said. ''the battle won and the field
in our power. At $50 p. Nj. the four bat
taliOns of the middle guard which had been
sent up the plateau beyond Mont Saint Jean
to sustain the cuirassiers, being harassed by
the enemy's grape, marched forward to carry
his batteries with the bayonet. The day was
drawing to a close when a charge made on their
flank by several squadrons of English threw
them into disorder; the fugitives repassed the
ravine; tie neighboring regiments who saw
some of the guard retiring in confusion
thought that it was the old guard, and broke.
Cries of All is lost and The guard is re-
pulsed were heard" Then came a frightful
panic, and it was found impossible to reform
"A single corps; everything '1as swept away in
dire confusion. The Emperor in his report
made no complaint of Grouchy not coming up
to save the day. he stated that after the manner
in which the cavalry had been employed
decided success was not to be hoped for, ''but
Marshal Grouchy, having learned the move
ment of the Prussian corps, was following it.,
and this assured us brilliant success the
next day" 1t is clear that NapoleOn's impress
| sion two days after Waterloo was that Grouchy
could not have reached the field in time to
have taken any part in the action of the 18th
| of June AS regards the Prussians, the EN-
peror said that early in the morning he was
made aware that column 10, 600 strong had
| quilted the main body, and might be expected
| to come into action towards evening, falling
on his right flank. About P. M. this column
commenced skirmishing with Lobeau's
division, and Napoleon was afterwards
obliged to send his young guard and several
reserve batteries to attack it before marching
against the British centre. He makes no
mention of more Prussian troops arriving
after Bulow's corps had been driven back
On the 21st Napoleon alighted at the Elysee,
and sent message to the Chambers announ-
cling the result of his campaign. The next day
he abdicated in favor of his son. On the 25th
| of June Bertrand writes by order of the En-.
peror to Barber, the Imperial librarian, foi
various works, especially works on the United
States, and a complete collection of the WOH&
tear. His library was to be consigned to some
house in America. On the 14th of July Ma
poleon wrote his memorable letter to the
Prince Regent, in which he compared himself
to Themistoces, and desired to place himself
''under the laws of the most powerful, the
most constant, and the most generous of his
enemies" The collection closes with the pro
test written on board the Bellerophon, il
which Napoleon takes history to witness that
having for twenty years made war upon the
English people, he came of his own free vii
to seek an asylum in England; 'and wha
greater proof could he give her of his esteem
and confidence But how did England re
spond to this magnanimity? She feigned t
stretch forth hospitable hand to this enemy
and when he had surrendered himself sh
inundated him" In spite of the note to Bar
bier, and the consignment to an American
house, it is intended that we should believ
that Napoleon did not contemplate crossing
the Atlantic.-PdB Mall Gazette.
|