the news of
Napoleon's daring movement reached Vienna, the Congress published a
proclamation in these words:--"By breaking the convention which
established him in Elba, Buonaparte destroys the only legal title on
which his existence depended. By appearing again in France, with
projects of confusion and disorder, he has deprived himself of the
protection of the law, and manifested to the universe that there can be
neither peace nor truce with him. The powers consequently declare that
Napoleon Buonaparte has placed himself without the pale of civil and
social relations, and that, as an enemy and disturber of the
tranquillity of the world, he has rendered himself liable to public
vengeance." These sentiments underwent no change in consequence of the
apparently triumphant course of Napoleon's adventure. All Europe
prepared once more for war. It was evident that the usurper owed
everything to the French soldiery--that body to which the treaty of
Paris had at once restored 150,000 veterans, idle, and indisposed for
ordinary labour--and that until this ferocious military were effectually
humbled there could be no peace for the world.

A formal treaty was forthwith entered into, by which the four great
powers bound themselves to maintain each of them at least 150,000 troops
in arms, until Buonaparte should either be dethroned, or reduced so low
as no longer to endanger the peace of Europe. The other states of the
continent were to be invited to join the alliance, furnishing
contingents adequate to their respective resources. The King of France
was to be requested to sign the treaty also; but with reference to this
article an explanatory note was affixed, by the representatives of the
Prince Regent of England, denying, on the part of his royal highness,
any wish to force a particular government on the people of France: and
it was further stipulated that in case Britain should not furnish all
the men agreed on, she should compensate by paying at the rate of L30
per annum for every cavalry soldier, and L20 per annum for every foot
soldier under the full number. Such was the treaty of Vienna; but the
zeal of the contracting parties went far beyond the preparations
indicated in its terms. Napoleon was hardly re-seated on his throne ere
he learned that he must in all likelihood maintain it against 300,000
Austrians, 225,000 Russians, 236,000 Prussians, an army of 150,000 men
furnished by the minor states of Germany, 50,000 contribut