nnocently
supposed his friend to be representing Napoleon's own views. There was
consequently but little sense of restraint in the renewed negotiation.
Virtually the entire continental situation was considered as open, and
Fouche's pet scheme of an American kingdom for Louis XVIII was further
amplified by the suggestion of an Anglo-French expedition to establish
it. Labouchere having returned to Holland, much of the negotiation had
been carried on by letter, and Napoleon, getting wind during his
Belgian visit of Ouvrard's presence at the Dutch court, suspected
trickery and called for the correspondence. Its very existence enraged
him; that such matters should have been put in writing was
compromising to his entire policy. Ouvrard afterward declared that he
personally informed the Emperor of what was going on, but he could
never prove it; the only possible basis which can be found for his
statement consists in the seizure and confiscation about this time of
some hundred and thirty American vessels lying in continental
harbors; but, base as that deed was, it proves nothing and was due to
another cause. It is not easy to determine whether this deed was a
well-considered measure of French diplomacy, intended to arouse the
pugnacity of the United States, or a temporary shift to fill empty
coffers. In either case it was not intended to have a direct bearing
on irregular diplomatic negotiations between England and Holland. The
circumstances were a direct result of the Berlin Decree.

CHAPTER XXI

THE CONTINENTAL SYSTEM COMPLETED

The Bayonne and Rambouillet Decrees -- Fouche Replaced by Savary
-- Abdication of King Louis -- Conduct of Louis and Lucien --
Holland Incorporated into the Empire -- Napoleon's Relatives
Untrue to his Interests -- French Empire at its Greatest Extent
-- The Continental System as Perfected -- Discontent in Russia
and in Sweden.

The American Embargo Act of 1807 had been for manifest reasons
entirely to Napoleon's liking, as is proved by the Bayonne Decree of
1808, which ordered the seizure and sale in French harbors of all
American ships transgressing it. The Non-intercourse Act of March
first, 1809, was, however, quite another thing. It was passed by the
Democratic majority of Congress in defiance of Federalist sentiment,
and prohibited commercial intercourse with both Great Britain and
France. Napoleon declared that French vessels had been seized under
its