Caulincourt, Grenier, and Quinette. The first act of the Executive Commission was the sending of an embassy to the Duke of Wellington and Blucher, to stop the march of their armies, and gain information of their intentions relative

to peace.

The plenipotentiaries were General la Fayette, M. le Forest, a veteran in diplomacy, General Sebastiani, and M. d'Argenson; these four were members of the Assembly of Deputies; M. Ponteculant, member of the Chambers of Peers of the king, and M. Benjamin Constant.

The plenipotentiaries repaired first to the French advanced-posts, to ask of the Duke of Wellington and General Blucher a suspension of hostilities. Blucher demanded not only the fortified posts, before and around him, should be given up, but all those of the Ardennes, and in Lorraine, should be evacuated. The plenipotentiaries could not accept these conditions; and proceeded athwart many difficulties and delays, to the head-quarters of the allied sovereigns at Haguenau. The monarchs, and even their first ministers, were not visible; but after some delay the English, Russian, Austrian, and Prussians ambassadors, held conferences with them, in which they acted with the most consummate duplicity, and dismissed the French plenipotentiaries on the pretext that the negociations could not commence at Haguenau. They were accompanied by two Prussian officers, who took so circuitous a route, that they did not reach Paris till two days after the capitulation was signed.

On the 30th of June, the allied armies approached the north of Paris, and commenced a distant cannonade. The French commander-in-chief, the prince of Echmuhl, who was the minister of war, had taken his head quarters at La Villette, just without the walls of Paris. From thence a correspondence was established by the minister and his staff, with the Chamber of Deputies, and by himself with the Duke of Wellington. Representatives of the people,' said the minister, we are in presence of the enemy. We swear

6

before you, and the whole world, that we will defend to our latest breath the cause of our independence, and the honour of our nation. They wish to force the Bourbons upon us. The Bourbons give no pledge to the nation,' &c.-This address was signed by Davoust, and fourteen generals. The letter to the duke of Wellington contained a formal demand of a cessation of hostilities, since the object of the war, Napoleon's abdication, was accomplished. But the Duke of Wellington replied to this demand by occuping such positions as were most favourable for attacking the defences around Paris.

On Monday the 3d of July, the armies were drawn out on the plains of Grenelle, to the south-west of the city. The morning passed in preparations and manoeuvres for battle. But the Duke of Wellington invited the French generals to a conference; when he led them through his ranks, displayed his positions, plans, and resources, and allowed them the necessary time for deliberation. During the day an honourable capitulation was signed, and the French army began its march beyond the Loire.

In the mean time the Legislature laboured uninterruptedly in forming a new constitution and a Bill of Rights, in conformity to the example of the English at the epocha of their revolution. While the cannon of the besiegers were sounding in the ears of these legislators, they decreed that an address should be made to the allied powers, declaring that the Bourbons were rejected as the enemies of the French nation; that no proposition of peace, which should tend to the re-establishment of this family, would be received or listened to, and that the French were resolved to perish rather than submit to such a yoke. This decree of the chamber was ordered to be distributed to the army.

The allied armies, agreeably to the capitulation, having entered Paris, an English and Prussian camp were formed in the Champs Elysées. A message from the provisionary government announced that, although the allied sovereigns

had appeared undecided in the choice of a prince to take the crown of France, they had, on the preceding day, made a declaration by their ministers and generals, that all the sove reigns were engaged to replace Louis XVIII. on the throne; --that he was to make his immediate entry into the capital, and that the Thuileries were now in the possession of the foreign troops. In this state of things, we have nothing to do,' add they, but to offer our vows for the country; and as our deliberations are no longer free, we deem it our duty to separate.'

The Chamber of Peers heard the sentence of the allied sovereigns, and withdrew from the Luxembourg in silence; the Commons were not so courtly disposed. They were hearing the report of the commission on some part of the constitution which they were about to frame, when the message of the commission of government interrupted the speaker at the tribune. The debate on the constitution was then resumed, and the orator terminated his speech, by citing, and applying to themselves the memorable words of Mirabeau in the assembly at Versailles.

The assembly, finding the capital surrounded, had on the preceding day made a solemn declaration, which might be called its testament, to the French nation. After a desultory discussion on their personal situation, the assembly adjourned their meeting to the following morning at an early hour. The deputies repaired to the hall at eight in the morning, and found it surrounded by a considerable number of troops, who refused them entrance. They then repaired to the house of their president, where they made a solemn protest against the proceedings of the Allies.

On the morning of the 8th of July, the white flag waved on the steeples of St. Denis; and crowds of citizens collected to see the re-entrance of the king into Paris. Those who went some distance to hail his approach, carried their white cock ades in their pockets, which they placed in their hats after passing the barrier: but those who neglected to divest them

selves of this symbol of loyalty at their return, were with difficulty saved from the fury of the populace. Fearless of the English and Prussian bayonets, they loudly vociferated "Non Bourbons! vive la representation nationale!' Louis XVIII. surrounded by troops, silently entered the city; and in the evening there was an illumination, in which the houses of many of the anti-Bourbonists exhibited peculiar brilliancy. The rejoicings were accompanied by discharges of artillery from the English and Prussian camps.

Napoleon immediately after his abdication withdrew from Paris to Malmaison, where he employed himself in preparing for his intended voyage, and in conversing with men of letters and artists. The chief topic of his discourse with those persons was the errors and abuses of his own government; but in discussing the late events, he always spoke in the third person, and as if he himself had no immediate concern in those operations.

On the 29th, at the moment of ascending his carriage, Napoleon sent to the Provisionary Government with this message:---' I know the position of the enemy, their advanced corps is not numerous.---There is only occasion to shew the moral force of our army, the hope of the soldiers would revive on seeing their old general. In abdicating the power, I have not renounced the glorious title of every citizen---that of defending my country. If it be required, I answer for beating the enemy, and, inspiring the army with dispositions which shall procure you more favourable negociations. This object gained, I engage on my word to re-ascend my carriage, and to pursue my route to the place which I have chosen.' An answer was returned, that it was too late, and that negociations were already commenced.

Napoleon departed for Rochefort. On going on board the frigates, he sent one of his suite to an English cruiser to learn whether the passports had been received which were promised by the Provisional Government, to allow him to proceed to the United States. He was informed

they were not, but that an explanation would be made to the English admiral upon the subject. It was supposed that Napoleon might get out under a neutral flag; but the answer was, that the frigate would be attacked. A passage was then mentioned in a neutral vessel. The answer was, that it would be strictly searched, perhaps even taken to an English port; but it was intimated to him that he had better go to England, and affirmed, that there he could have no harm to apprehend.

During the interval that he was waiting for the answer of the English admiral, Napoleon conceived the idea of embarking with a select suite in two chasse-marees, of from 18 to 20 tons burthen, and to try the chances of fortune, and the dangers of the sea, in a voyage to America.

In the mean time circumstances pressed, and it became necessary for him to take his resolution. He sent back the same negociator on board the English cruiser to learn if an answer had been received. The English captain replied, that it was every moment expected, and he added, that, if the emperor would immediately embark for England, he was authorised to receive him, and take him thither.---He added, that, as a public character he could not guarantee the determination which would be made as to his fate; but he added, that as a private individual, and many other captains repeated it along with him, they had not a doubt but Napoleon would experience in England all the respectful treatment which he might wish for: that the Engligh had a generosity of sentiment, a liberality of opinion, even above sovereignty. Napoleon's envoy, encouraged by such professions, said he would go and communicate to the emperor the offer of the English captain, and the whole of the conversation.

All this time the force of the English was known to be increasing every day--all the passages were closed--two or three lines of vessels extended in a crescent on the open sea -the boats at night stood near the shores, and shut up the