The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-04-13

forming beyond the Rhine. The Italian
towns and States were wavering accord
ing to race and prejudice and interest
between utilization with the French Re-
public and the protection of Germa-
ny. By the sickness of Dumerbion, Gen
eral Massena came to the chief COM
mand Of this division Of the French Ma
tional forces. A campaign was under
taken in July of 1894, but the general
Of artillery did not, for the present,
leave Paris. He was soon despatched,
however, as an agent under orders of
the Convention to Genoa. He was to
protest to the Genoese authorities
against the permission which seemed to
be extended to the coalition to occupy
neutral territory. 1t was a delicate bust
ness; for the other officers did not I'M
derstand the true nature of the instruc-
tions; and the delegates Salicetti and
Albitte were themselves ignorant of
what was really intended.
The result was that Bonaparte was
first misunderstood and then distrusted
in his negotiations with the Genoese
government. He was openly directed to
protest against the occupation of the
territory of Genoa by the enemies of
France; but secretly he was authorized
to examine the fortresses of the city
and make notes on the general topogra-
ply of that region. While engaged in
this work, he was suddenly suspended
from Office, put under arrest, and de-
olared suspected! For the nonce, the
sword of Damocles was hung above him
by a single thread.
Just at this j%uncture, however, ere
Napoleon could be hauled before the
Revolutionary tribunal, that body itself
was blown into death blackness by a
counter revolution. R~obespierre and his
bloody clique were seized, after a day
or two of horrid broil in the city, and
were sent manned, dazed, aw-broken,
bone broken, headlong to the g%uillotine.
In that case, the other saying of the
hour, namely, "the guillotine goes not
badly" was graciously verified!
The destruction of the tribunal had a
paradoxical effect on the interest of Ma
poleon. 1t was from that body that his
secret instructions had emanated. There.
fore his friends were dead; also, his
witnesses. But their plunge into OBJ
livion left behind a lurid trail that
scorched him. 1t was now said that Au-
gustin R~obespierre had been too mucl,
the friend of General Bonaparte! Like
| Caesar in the matter of his intrigue with
Catiline, the hero of Toulon was seri
ously compromised with the members
of the Terror. Left to his own resources,
however, he wrote a powerful and III
dacious protest to the Representative
Albitte and Salicetti; convinced them
of his innocence; won them over to his
cause; obtained from them a report Of
exculpation; and after thirteen days Of
mortal peril was set at liberty! On hi:
return to Paris, in August of 1894, his
defense was accepted by the ministry
of war, and he was offered the command
of a brigade of infantry i'll the Army o.
the West, with orders to operate agains'
the Royalists of La Vendee. He refused
to accept either the field of operations
or the infantry arm of service; and fol
this the Committee of Public Safety
intolerant of all refusals-struck hi
name from the list Of general officers
! and he was onee more turned adrift il
Paris, JOHN CLARK RIDPArH.