New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-10


would be richer and stronger than she Is TO-
dov- As he hogan go he proceeded He not
ONLY took mart I'm the opening OF the States
General but he was present at the taking or
the Bastile where he denied that any resistance
was shown. When the King made his entry
into his canital Pasuuier followed him from
the citv's gate to the dome Of bayonets and
drawn swords under which he assembled the
steps of the II6te-de-Ville. AZ a spectator
OF the treatment received by the King ana
Queen, his wavcring mind returned 10 Royailst
convictions since he was neither giddy enough
10 divest his mind Of the spectacle. nor enough
Of stole to consider 1t as a necessary condition
Of the great destinies which awaited France.
But he did not share the feelings Of that crowd
Of the aristocracy which emigrated as lightly as
If on a pleasant excursion. and returned usually
only to meet death 'In spite Of my Royalist
opinions" says he. "a certain amount of easy
going. inherent in my character which has
never failed me. caused me TO live In good
enough harmony with few men whose opinions
did not harmonic with mine. in spite of the
remonstrance which my conduct too often drew
upon me from my family and friends" he tried
to see both sides of the business of the times.
and he was convinced that the Royalists were
not those who most cleverly managed their
affairs 1t was in this spirit Of liberation that
he passed through the Revolution. grieved by
the execution of his father himself a prisoner
more than once in danger OF his life for months
a starved and hunted man. At the end his good
will was such that he no sooner witnessed the
return of order under the Empire than he again
sought political occupation. He obtained 1t
mainly because of Napoleons desire TO concili-
ate the members of the old aristocracy Yet
his advance In the good graces Of the Emperor
was slow He was not so serviceable as his
rivals and he claimed the possession Of a con-
science He illustrates his independence by de-
scribing a scene in which the Emperor violently
upbraided member of the Council of state.
whom Pasquior nevertheless ventured 10 de-
fend. Subsequently he attended the audience
Of the Emperor wondering. others also did.
what would happen. But the Emperor. on COM
ing to him, merely remarked:
Il am afraid sir. that you do not possess very
clear notions of the duties of a Councillor Of
State
In this respect as in every other, Sire" was
Pasquier's answer. II believe that a man does
not risk making many mistakes if he but listens
to the dictates Of his conscience"
Possibly It was Pasquiers character as an
honest man not less than his training in the
ranks of the old magistracy, which led the En-
peror to make him Frefect of Police In place
Of the avaricious and corrupt Dubois. Toward
this man and his predecessor. Fouche and NJ.
de Talleyrand whatever bitterness there was In
Pasquier's nature flowed out. In speaking of
Talleyrand something of that great wits dex-
terity of speech seems to inspire him. When he
ESSAYS to draw the portrait Of the man he hated
he wondered how one was to reproduce such
changing colors. He believes that Taleyrand
more to blame than all others for the death
of the Due dEnghien. that he became the tool
and adviser of Alexander Of Russia in the Con-
gress of Erfurt, and that ne swallowed his Bit
ter hatred of Fouche and plotted with him how
to control the Empire I'm anticipation Of Ma
poleons fall or possible death during the
Spanish campairn The most startling pas
sage Of his first volume IS that in which he tells
how the Emperor dealt with Taeyrand after re-
turning from Spain. Upon dcpriving him ~ the
post of High Chamberlain the Emperor Is
said to have poured out upon him for half an
hour a torrent Of invcctves like the following:
You are thief a coward. a man without
honor you do not believe in God; you have all
your life been traitor TO your duties. you have
deceived and betrayed everybody: nothing IL
| sacred to you; you would sell your own rather.
| I have loaded you down with gifts. and there
| is nothing that you would not undertake against
me. Thus for the last ten months. you have
been shameless enough. because you supposed.
rightly or wrongly. that my affairs In Spain
were going asiray. to say To all who would
listen to you that you always blamed my un-
dcrtaking there. whereas ii was you yourself
who first put it into my head. and who per-
sistently urged IT. And that man. that un-
fortunate (he was thus designating the Due
d Enghien). by whom was advised Of the place
Of his residence? Who drove me To deal cruelty
with him? What then are you aiming at
| What do YOU wish for? What do you hope? Do
YOU dare to say? You deserve that ] should
| smash you like wincglass. | can DO 1t, but
| despise you too much to take the trouble
Talleyrand listened quietly. apparently IN
moved. In fact. all that Pasquier has to say
| only shows that the famous Minister was averse
to following the fortunes f any master beyond
! the boundary Of his own safety. lie ready
| to be used by Napoleon and was used by him
even after this savage rebuke. His foresight.
| II not his consistency and honesty was shown
| In his facility for changing masters.
Ending as this volume does with the fatal
| expedition against Russia. II is plainly only the
prelude to the story Of events which the other
! two volumes of the work should contain.