New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-24

,h,.o Nanooons silence was broken in his
usual startling way. One day. when MeneVai
was al work in his place. he saw the FIRST Coh-
sui enter hurriedly. Calling Bourrienne IN
voice that betrayed his excitement, Napoleon
said to him severely:
Give any papers and keys which you have OF
mine 10 Meneval and withdraw. And never let
me you again.
Al soon ms the words were uttered he left the
ROOM slamming the door violently. For snort
time Meneval exchanged letters with Bourrienne.
But the First Consul watched everything and he
soon put stop to this furtve correspondence
When long afterward. Bourr!enne was sent 10
Hamburg. Napoleon, Emperor by this time gave
him the usual formal audience. but nothing more;
and still later when Bourrienne persstently
sought the cross of the Legion of Honor, Napo-
leon told MGneval 10 write a reply that as ne
yorshippcd the golden calf he should have
money; but that as TO the Legion OF Honor the
Emperor " only gave that 10 those VINO
The book does not Indicate here whether the
broken sentence is Napoleon's or Menevals. Inc
meaning however is plain enough and not lack
ing in bitterness Then Meneval was warned
not TO call himself secretary. but simply attache.
In tho light of Rourrennes conduct MeneVals
offence was trinlng. It's magnitude cannot De
estimated correctly, however without taking INTO
consideration the frequent attempts that were
made to assassinate Napoleon. the continual
rumor Of conspraces against him In Paris ana
elsewhere. and the natural resentment and de-
sire for revenge which these things awoke III
man by whom human life on the average was
MOTOR o,orestimated Maneval makes II clear
that during the whole period when these murder
Qua nlots were most busily fomented Napoleon
took the dangers Of his position very much az
matter of course He seemed to have no time TO
be frightened or to take precautions. But wheh
he thought there real danger he was more
active than the secret police Even theh II Is not
certain that the game was not more stirrihg IMAM
the peril The fate OF the Duo d'Enghen IL the
central fact in all the history Of conspracies ana
counterpots Cruel as the story Of the death OF
that young prince may be- II was no more IMAM
Napoleon would have suffered at the hands OF
the Bourbons II they could have had their way
In this view II the case the defence OF Napoleon
made by Meneval. and traversed as to certain
important facts BY Mr. Sherard. ceems superhu-
ous In substance Meneval says that Napoleon.
though ne never meant that sentence shoud oe
,,.r,.a ont uron thu Due a. Enghen until he him
self had chance TO pass upon the hnding OF the
cour,-martiaI. yet took all the blame upon HIM
self when he found that the young man had oeeh
shot Meneval holds to the theory that Napoleon
less he repeats all the strange mistakes and de-
laws o., that fatal night which worked with such
cur,ous unanlmlty toward one result. From MS
own narrative a very plausible argument might
he made ID show that Napoleon planned the
vh lie arraIr and meant the death n the DUKE.
The shooting - a Bourbon prince was trifle
I'm the career - a man whose business was
l.all, one - millions ~ human beings. Napo-
,.,n well understood that from one point OF view
hls career must always be denounced as STU
r.udous crime. An anecdoie which shows that
h.. could take this condemnatory point OF We"
without nlnchlng is given IN this volume on the
authority y the memoirs u S'anislas Girariin.
Gir,rlir. ln describing a visit which Napoleon
made o. Ermenonville when he was FIRST |'hsul'
said that he paused before the tomb OF Jean
Jacques Rousseau and. gazing upon IT, exclaimed
that II would have been better fJr France II thls
rnnn had never existed
and why &c. citizen Consul" askel Girardin.
ut was he who prepared the French HeVo-
luton" 49,.
Won had any reason to complain OF the KeVou-
don"
well" said Napoleon. the future will show
whether f. would not have been better for the
,.,.,... o., tho world that neither | nor Rousseau
had ever lived ,... NO.,
Asl,nr ~ he men who plotted his death We're
,ho nriv,ffs AMI subalterns II the party opP'Se'
=, him. n, was compare lively Indifferent lis
confidence a. - his personal safety rested upon
the belief that death would no, come 10 MN uh"'
no had accomplished the destroying Iaoor i'r
which his genius flttel him. That Is In ordinary
phrase. he trusted 10 his star when the Cd
scnre woull-be murderers were caught IL SUI
feed 1, let the law take It's course. But doubt
less he Was On the watch continually 10 NY az n
quarry worthy Of his own dignity. He measured
himself a SELF made monarch by the men Dorm
to the purple and patiently waited Tor one OF
There magnificent creatures - whom ne had
once looked up perhaps with wonder. 10 enter the
trap which sooner or later must catch some one
Il was exactly like campaign. except that
where assassination was concerned Napoeons
strategy down to the last act Of the tragedy. was
defensive. not aggressive. Just az he was de-
lighted when England did not accept the peace
pronered IN 1900 so doubtless. he was delighted
I'm his heart though his face never betrayed !
him. when a prince worth killing for the pure |
cake Of vengeance nuttercl within his grasp II |
the Duo d'Enghien had no share In the plots !
against Napocons life. he was probably the only |
member Of his family who could say az much. |
BY sacrificing him Napoleon said as plainly as
words could say II that az he met military ex- :
perts OH the battlefield. - now he met princes
on even terms lie was I'm tho world for victory !
or for nothing. II IL waste OF breath to talk /
about the Justice or injustice Of Duo dEnghiens /
fate The hawk had no. call 20 be where the |
falcon could pounce on him AS the time passed !
doubtless the numerous plots served to en-
bitter Napoleon. But II was rather when his |
plans were defeated than when his own life was |
I'm peril that hir rage famed out. II was thus |
that MGneval incurred the only fierce censure !
that he ever received from Napoleon. Even in |
this case he thought that much OF the great |
mans excitement was artificial But he had |
paid minute attention to Napoleon's moods ana /
had observed that when excited by any violent |