The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-05-08
NAPOLEoN'S INSTRUMENTATION.
lie CONTEMPORARY Swept Aside the Plans
of the Directory.

He ContsmptuousIy Swept Aside the Plans
of the Directory.
When the news of the successes in
Piedmont reached Paris, public fes-
rivals were decreed and celebrated,
but the democratic spirit of the di-
rectors could brook neither the con-
temptuous disregard of their plan
which Bonaparte had shown nor his
arrogant assumption of diplomatic
plenipotence. Knowing how thor
oughly their doctrine had permeated
Piedmont, they had intended to
make it republic. 1t was exaspera-
ting therefore that through Bona
parties meddling they found them
selves still compelled to negotiate
peace with monarchy. The treaty
with the king of Sardinia was final
ly signed by them on May Is, but
they had previously determined to
clip the wings of their dangerous fall
con by assigning Kellermann to
share with Bonap.rte the command
of the conquering army, and by con-
frming Salicetti as their diplomatic
plenipotentiary to accompany it.
This news reached their general at
Lodi on the eve of his triumphal en-
try into Milan. "As things now are"
he promptly replied to the directory,
"you must have a general who pos
sesses your entire confidence. If I
must refer every step to government
commissioners, if they have the
right to change my movements, to
withdraw or send troops, expect
nothing good hereafter. To Carnot
he wrote at the same time: "I'd be-
lieve one bad general to be worth
two good ones. War is like govern
ment, matter of fact / do not
wish to be hampered. have begun
with some glory. I with to continue
worthy of you" Aware probably
that his own republican virtue could
not long withstand the temptations
opening before him, he began the
latter missive, as if to excuse him
self and anticipate possible accusa-
tons: Il swear l have nothing in
view but tho country. You will al
ways find mo On the straight road. I
owe to the republic the sacrifice Of
all my own notions. If people seek
to set me wrong in your esteem, my
answer is in my heart and in my
conscience. It is of course needless
to add that the directory yielded, not
only as to the unity of command,
but also in the fatal and vital matter
of intrusting all diplomatic negotia-
tions to his hands.
In taking this last step the exeou-
tive virtually surrendered its iden-
tity. Such, however, was the exul-
tation of the Partisan populace and
of tho soldiery that the degradation
or even the forced resignation of the
conquering dictator would have at
once assured the fall of the directors.
They could not even protest when,
soon after, there came from Bona
parte a dispatch announcing that the
articles of 1.-THE glorious peace which
you have concluded with the king of
Sardinia" had reached "us." and
significantly adding in later para
graph that the troops were content,
having received half their pay in
coin.
Voices in Paris declared that for
such language the writer should be
shot. Perhaps those who put the
worst Interpretation on the appar-
emily harmless words were correct
in their instinct. In reality the d.
rectory had been wholly dependent
on the army since the previous o.
tober, and while such an offensive
insinuation of the fact would be, if
Intentional, most unpalatable, yet
those who had profted by the fact
dared not resent a remote reference
to it.-Professor Sloane's Life of
Napoleon" in Century.