I should
by this means better serve the interests of France than by favouring the
occupation of a neutral town by our troops. But all my remonstrances
were useless. Marshal Mortier had received formal orders from the
Emperor.

No preparations having been made at Hamburg for the reception of Marshal
Mortier, he quartered himself and his whole staff upon me. The few
troops he had with him were disposed of in my courtyard, so that the
residence of a Minister of peace was all at once converted into
headquarters. This state of things continued until a house was got ready
for the Marshal.

Marshal Mortier had to make very rigorous exactions, but my
representations suspended for a while Napoleon's orders for taking
possession of the Bank of Hamburg. I am here bound to bear testimony to
the Marshal's honourable principles and integrity of character. The
representations which I had sent to Marshal Mortier were transmitted by
the latter to the Emperor at Berlin; and Mortier stated that he had
suspended the execution of the orders until he should receive others.
The Emperor approved of this. It was, indeed, a happy event for France
and for Europe, even more so than for Hamburg. Those who suggested to
the Emperor the idea of pillaging that fine establishment must have been
profoundly ignorant of its importance. They thought only of the
90,000,000 of marks banco deposited in its cellars.

By the famous decree of Berlin, dated 21st November 1806, Mortier was
compelled to order the seizure of all English merchandise in the Hanse
Towns, but he enforced the decree only so far as to preserve the
appearance of having obeyed his orders.

Mortier, on leaving Hamburg for Mecklenburg, was succeeded by General
Michaud, who in his turn was succeeded by Marshal Brune in the beginning
of 1807. I am very glad to take the present opportunity of correcting
the misconceptions which arose through the execution of certain acts of
Imperial tyranny. The truth is, Marshal Brune, during his government,
constantly endeavoured to moderate, as far as he could, the severity of
the orders he received. Bernadotte became Governor of Hamburg when the
battle of Jena rendered Napoleon master of Prussia and the north of
Germany.

The Prince of Ponte-Corvo lightened, as far as possible, the unjust
burdens and vexations to which that unfortunate town was subject. He
never refused his assistance to any measures which I adopted to oppose a
system of ruin and pers