New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-19
THE TALLEYRAND MEMOIRS.
CONGRESS OF vIENNA-HUNDRED DAYS
RESTORATION.


The third volume of the Tallcyrand Memoirs
opens with the continuation of the Congress OF
Vienna, january, 1915 Taleyrand was then
bringing TO a conclusion and successful conclu-
sion his long and difficult task of saving Saxony
from Acknowledgement Even when this was ac-
couplished, however, the work of the Congress
was by no means completed. There remained sew
eral questions of delicate nature to be deter
mined. The attitude OF Murat at Naples was dis
turbing, but he himself by his Incorporate folly,
gave Austria the opening she had been longing ior'
and his last arrogant note was answered oy the
dispatch To italy Of an army of 100000 men. The
Swiss question also proving difficult, and as
the end of the Congress began TO be visible laley-
rand perceived that the Great Powers, whose plans
of ACKNOWLEDGMENT he had thwarted so adroltly,
were more and more disposed to be sulky, and
that they were in no hurry TO authenticate the
acts of the Congress by the signatures OF their
representatives At this juncture Louis the Eigh-
tecnth began to press Taleyrand to return to Paris
where his counsel was much needed. The King
even instructed the Prince to leave Vienna at once;
but Talleyrand knew the vital Importance of finish
ing his work, and he remained.
While the negotiations were proceeding. on the
9Th of March, Metterpich received the startling IN
telligence that Napoleon had escaped from Eloa
on February &C. This news was dispatched ID
Paris by Talleyrand on the eth of March, and II is
curious to note how little weight he seems TO have
placed upon it at first. But the allies had no
information of Napoleon's destination and pur-
poses IL was thought for several days that he
intended TO make a descent on Northern Italy, 10
form junction with Murat's troops, and TO rouse
the whole country to revolution. This was keenly
apprehended at the Court of Vienna, and when 1t
became known at last that the Corsican had landed
in France feeling of actual relief was expert
enced for it was thought then that he had fallen
into q trap from which extricaton was impossible.
Talleyrand, writing every day TO the Alng, con-
tnually refers to the necessity Of prompt meas
ures, but with certain carelcssness and hghtness
which appear to indicate that for ono his Judg-
ment of the man he should have known 50 well
was at fault Nobody, however, had seriously
considered the possible consequences OF Napoleon'S
prestige, and when. he progressed toward the
capital, regiment after regiment, fortlhed town
after fortified town, went over to him. hung wide
its gates, and flung out the old cry, Vlve Pm
pereur.n the Court and the Legitimists generally
were paralyzed as much with astonlshment as fear.
Taleyrand hoped. or pretended 10 hope, that in
any event the King would remain at Paris. Louis
soon found that TO attempt such an heroic attitude
would he 10 expose himself TO worse straits than
exile 1t soon became apparent that the whole
army with exceptions too small TO be of practical
USE was disaffectcd, and that resistance to Napo-
leon was out of the question.
At the beginning of the Hundred Days the King
ceased to answer Talleyrands letters, and the Am
bassador was left without instructions at Vienna,
where the utmost excitement prevailed. Notwlth-
standing this however, the aStute diplomat held
his.own. His first move was TO procure the issue
by the assembled Powers Of a proclamation de-
nouncing Napoleon as brigand and declaring him
an outlaw. Talcyrand was quite proud Of this
piece of diplomatic pyrotechnics. though at this day
il is apt 10 appear medieval in spirit and prac-
ticaly useless 1t certainly showed that the Allies
were exceedingly excited and perlurbed, but it
could not have had the slightest influence upon the
action of the French army, which continued to
co over TO the brigand,p and which ready to
Eight to the death for him as when he occupied
the throne. Louis fed to Ostend, and then to
Client. and during the Hundred Days he cut
decidedly humiliating figure. Talleyrand adhered
to his fortunes with fiTrlneSS which testiiieS TO
his belief that the star of Napoleon had really SET
and that no matter what spaSmodic efforts he
might make, his empire was finally broken.
After Waterloo-of which campaign there is but
the brlefest mention in the acknowledgement
strongly opposed the Kings proposal TO accompany
the forces of the Allies in their march upon Paris
The craftsmanship Of the Prince appears to great
advantage at this point His sentiments are at
once wiser and more kindly than those of his
master He dwells upon the danger of causing
misapprehension among the French people, who
never will consent TO have ruler forced upon
them by foreign bayonetS, and who, seeing Louis
in the company of the invaders, will almost inevi
taby take that view of the situation
But Taleyrand could not persuade Louis that
il would be the wiser plan for him TO establish
ar a
and TO hold himself aloof from the foreign com
manders. He insisted upon going to Paris, and he
went. At first Talleyrand thought Of resigning
office, but he RETAINED for the moment, rejoined
the Court, was appointed Foreign Minister and
entered upon the negotiations with the Allies
which followed. The Allies, and particularly
Prussia had entered France for the second time
full of rancor and revenge. What they had not
done in 1914 they were eager 10 do in 1915. At
once demand arose for the restoration of the
spoils of art which Napoleon had flched from
every Government that fell before him. Paris
was full of these evidences of q rapacity which
defed the laws of war observed by civilized
Nations and IL is not surprising that the sight Of
these tokens of their humiliation exasperated the
sovereigns who at last found themselves under no
obligation to conceal their Indignation or
70 hold their hands from redreSsng
their own wrongs Blucher wanted
TO blow up the Bridge of Jena, and Louis
wrote q melodranatic note declaring that if this
was done he would take his stand upon the bridge
and be destroyed with IT, Talleyrand takes the
ground. proper enough in his position, that this
cheap pretence of patriotism saved the bridge.
Probably Butcher would have blown up Louis
without the least conjunction, but the Duke OF
Wellington could not be braved 50 easily, and he.
though with much difficulty, succeeded in ellecting
compromise, whereby the menaced structure
changed its name, and ceased lin theory at least
to reflect upon Prussia.
AS 10 the return Of the Museum spOis, the
statues, pictures and other works of ort, the ne
gotations soon became extremely lively. Talley-
rand tried every device TO change the purpose Of
the Allies, bit for once the latter were infeXible
1heA AnDln tI1nf lie nnnls III L.