imprisonment on two of the murderers of General
Ramel. Those of Marshal Brune had never been seriously pursued; but
M. de Serre, being appointed Chancellor, compelled justice to resume its
course; and the Court of Assize at Riom condemned to death, in default
of appearance, the assassins they were unable to apprehend. Tardy and
insufficient amends, which reveal the weakness of authority, as well as
the resistance with which it was opposed! Even the ministers most
subservient to the extreme royalist party endeavoured to check while
supporting them, and took care to contribute less assistance than they
had promised. At the very time when the Government divided the old army
into classes, to get rid of all the suspected officers, the Minister of
War, the Duke of Feltri, summoned to the direction of the staff of his
department General de Meulan, my brother-in-law, a brave soldier, who
had entered the service as a private in 1797, and had won his promotion
on the field of battle by dint of wounds. M. de Meulan was a royalist,
but extremely attached to the army and his comrades, and deeply grieved
by the severities with which they were oppressed. I witnessed his
constant efforts to obtain justice for them, and to secure the
continuance in the ranks, or re-admission, of all those whom he believed
to be disposed to serve the King with honest loyalty. The undertaking
was difficult. In 1816, one of our most able and distinguished officers
of engineers, General Bernard, had been placed on half-pay, and lived in
exile at Dole. The United States of America offered him the command of
that branch of service in the Republic, with considerable advantages. He
accepted the proposal, and asked the permission of his minister. The
Duke of Feltri summoned him to his presence, and tried to induce him to
abandon this design, by offering to appoint him to any situation in
France which he considered suitable. "You promise me," said Bernard,
"what you are unable to perform; place me as you intend, and in a
fortnight I shall be so denounced that you will have no power to support
me, and so harassed that I should voluntarily resign. While the
Government has no more strength than at present, it can neither employ
nor protect me. In my corner, I am at the mercy of a sub-prefect and
police magistrate, who can arrest and imprison me; who sends for me
every day, and compels me to wait in his ante-chamber to be ill received
at last. Suffer me to go to Americ