o had been so scandalously forced upon him on the 7th of
July. The disgrace of the Duke of Otranto speedily followed, and I had
the satisfaction of having contributed to repair one of the evils with
which the Duke of Wellington visited France.
Fouche was so evidently a traitor to the cause he feigned to serve, and
Bonaparte was so convinced of this,--that during the Hundred Days, when
the Ministers of the King at Ghent were enumerated in the presence of
Napoleon, some one said, "But where is the Minister of the Police?"
"E-h! Parbleu," said Bonaparte, "that is Fouche?" It was not the same
with Carnot, in spite of the indelible stain of his vote: if he had
served the King, his Majesty could have depended on him, but nothing
could shake the firmness of his principles in favour of liberty. I
learned, from a person who had the opportunity of being well informed,
that he would not accept the post of Minister of the Interior which was
offered to him at the commencement of the Hundred Days until he had a
conversation with Bonaparte, to ascertain whether he had changed his
principles. Carnot placed faith in the fair promises of Napoleon, who
deceived him, as he had deceived others.
Soon after my audience with the King I set off to discharge my duties in
the department of the Yonne, and I obtained the honour of being elected
to represent my countrymen in the Chamber of Deputies. My colleague was
M. Raudot, a man who, in very trying circumstances, had given proofs of
courage by boldly manifesting his attachment to the King's Government.
The following are the facts which I learned in connection with this
episode, and which I circulated as speedily as possible among the
electors of whom I had the honour to be President. Bonaparte, on his way
from Lyons to Paris, after his landing at the gulf of Juan, stopped at
Avalon, and immediately sent for the mayor, M. Raudot. He instantly
obeyed the summons. On coming into Napoleon's presence he said, "What do
you want, General?" This appellation displeased Napoleon, who
nevertheless put several questions to M. Raudot, who was willing to
oblige him as a traveller, but not to serve him as an Emperor. Napoleon
having given him some orders, this worthy servant of the King replied,
"General, I can receive no orders from you, for I acknowledge no
sovereign but the King, to whom I have sworn allegiance." Napoleon then
directed M. Raudot, in a tone of severity, to withdraw, and I need not
add t
|