ページの画像
PDF
ePub

both captured by General Grinfield; and the Dutch settlements of Berbice, and Demerara, were likewise taken from the Dutch.

CHAP. VII.

Conspiracy against Bonaparte. Arrest of Generals Pichegru and Moreau.

THE French nation was, in general, highly satisfied with the government of the consul, whom they viewed as having elevated the kingdom to a high pitch of glory: they were careless as to any plans of ambition he might be forming with respect to himself. Bonaparte, had well studied the genius and temper of the French people, and the sagacious Corsican knew well how to maintain that popularity he had acquired, and add a permanent stability to his authority. Yet there were individuals, among whom were some of Bonaparte's companions in arms, who were not insensible to the means he was taking to acquire unlimited power; they saw that the other two consuls were mere organised tools of the first; they beheld Napoleon invested already with as great a plenitude of power as Oliver Cromwell, when Lord Protector of England; they viewed him like that celebrated usurper, aspiring to a crown and sceptre; and hence a conspiracy was formed to defeat his views, and frustrate his designs. The principal of the conspirators were, General Pichegru, the conqueror of Holland; Georges, Lajollais, and Cudendal; and General Moreau was in a slight degree implicated. That the motive of the conspirators was to overthrow the consular government was evident, and that from a jealousy of the height of power to which the first consul had attained. They had already seen him treading on the neck of empires; they foresaw he would be involving the world in slaughter, and consternation, and arrogate to himself a power superior to any potentate of the earth. It had been ascertained, that Moreau had occasional interviews with

Pichegru, since the former had returned to Paris; whether it was resolved to take away the life of the first consul, is dubious; but every secret precaution was made for putting an end to his authority. The discovery of this plot was made at Calais, by means of the arrest of a person who was concerned in its formation. Moreau, and some others of the conspirators, were immediately apprehended; Pichegru and Georges were afterwards arrested.

On February 17, the grand judge made a report of the projected conspiracy. The brother of Moreau was greatly indignant at the charge made against an officer so distinguished for his previous attachment to the consular government, and to the person of the first consul. He made this defence of his brother in the tribunal, of which he was a member.

Nothing could tend more firmly to establish the power of Bonaparte, than the developement of this apparently ill concerted plot; addresses flowed in from the senate, the legislative body, the tribunate and other public bodies, couched in terms of the most fulsome eulogy on the virtues and abilities of the first consul, declaring, that to him the French nation was indebted for its prosperity and happiness; and that the safety and security of his existence was blended and incorporated with that of the country. To these sycophantic addresses, Bonaparte replied with much sang froid; "That since he had attained to the consulship, and was placed at the head of the French nation, many plots had been formed against him, to take away his life. Being educated in camps, he was invulnerable to fear, as any of those dangers referred to himself: but when he considered what might be the consequences of such conspiracies to the great nation he was delegated to command, he felt great regret; for it was a direct attack upon the liberty, glory, and prosperity of the French people. He had long since renounced the hope of enjoying the pleasures of private life. His days he was happy to devote exclusively to those duties which had been destined for him by the French people. He trusted that heaven would watch over France, and defeat every stratagem by which the interests of its inhabitants might be injured. His life would be continued in spite of every conspiracy, as long as it would be of utility to the nation,

there was, therefore, no cause for alarm; his existence would be to him without consolation, and to the people a non-entity, unless he possessed the full and undivided affections and confidence of the nation at large." Among an immensity of addresses, was one from the body of French sailors, consisting of these few words: "Citizen first Consul; O! for that happy moment, when you shall proclaim the hour of vengeance."

Pichegru was arrested in a private house at Paris, through the treachery of the person in whose house he was an inmate; and Georges was arrested when in a cabriolet, attempting to escape in the dusk of the evening; he killed the officer who endeavored to seize him, and wounded another. Madam Moreau was suffered to be at liberty.

Moreau was highly popular throughout the army, and he had, by his famous retreat through the "Valley of Hell," acquired immortal honor. Bonaparte had a very delicate point to adjust: although the plot, which was greatly exaggerated, placed two celebrated military commanders in his power, yet it was requisite to act with extreme caution and policy; if the public civil bodies forgot the meritorious services of Pichegru and Moreau, the army did not. In the case of the latter, the first consul wished to act with apparent clemency, and Moreau, having been found guilty, was merely sentenced to be exiled to North America. Thus did Napoleon rid himself of a rival, of whose pre-eminent talents he was naturally jealous. Moreau had, on his examination, in the presence of Bonaparte, denied the charges brought against him; and during the whole of his imprisonment in the Temple, exemplified the utmost fortitude. With respect to General Pichegru, the following particulars, which appeared in the Paris papers, are particularly interesting:

"The manner of Pichegru's arrest was as follows: The broker, Le Blanc, was the person who betrayed Pichegru, who occupied a first floor in his house, for which he paid fifteen thousand livres a month. Le Blanc went to General Murat, the Governor of Paris, and offered to inform him of Pichegru's place of concealment, and to deliver him up for one hundred thousand livres, (about four thousand three hundred and seventy-five pounds sterling). This sum was promised him. The manner of

arresting him was then planned. Le Blanc introduced the gens d'armes into his house at night, when Pichegru was asleep, and gave a key to his room, as they were informed that Pichegru had with him two pistols and a dagger: they opened the door with as little noise as possihle, and rushed on his bed. Though surprised and alarmed, Pichegru conducted himself with the greatest presence of mind, and in such a manner that even his enemies were forced to speak highly of his courage, and even to pity his misfortunes. He jumped out of his bed, naked and without arms; knocked down four gens d'armes, and they were unable to hold him though six in number. He almost choaked two in pushing them against the chimney; a third he struck with such force upon the breast that he spit blood; and the fourth he griped with such strength by the arm, that he cried out in agony, If you do not let me loose, I will shoot you through the head.' With a loss of part of the flesh he got loose, and Pichegru exclaimed, Fire, rascal, and you will receive a sword of honor.' At last he was obliged from fatigue to capitulate and surrender himself, upon condition of not being tied or chained. He was, however, wounded in the head and on the shoulders, and had lost a great deal of blood. In dressing himself he declared, that if he had not been deprived of his arms, he should not have fallen into their hands.' Bonaparte had ordered the gens d'armes to take him alive, and they were all picked men."

6

But this celebrated commander was destined to undergo a worse fate than Moreau. Bonaparte had conceived an invincible hatred to this unfortunate, but brave man. He had learned too much in Egypt of the convenient modes of secretly removing persons who were ini mical, or hostile, to his wishes; Pichegru was among that number; and the following mysterious account was published under the sanction of the first consul, in the Moniteur, and other French papers:

[ocr errors]

"The ex-general Charles Pichegru having repeatedly requested, and having given his word of honor, that he would make no attempt on his life, Pichegru had obtained the dismission of his guards during the night. Every morning an attendant in waiting came to light his fire with a bundle of wood. Pichegru on one of the preceding mornings had laid aside a part of a faggot, by which

he thought he might put an end to his existence. In short, on the 5th instant (April), after having supped. very heartily at eleven o'clock, he went to bed about twelve. The attendant in waiting having retired, Pichegru drew from under his pillow, where he had placed it, a black silk handkerchief, which he tied round his neck. The piece of wood which he had kept in reserve he then made use of to assist him in the project of suicide. He introduced this piece of wood into the two ends of the handkerchief where it was tied; he turned this little stick close into the glands of the neck as often as he thought necessary to put a stop to respiration. When on the point of losing respiration, he drew the stick behind his ear, and threw himself on the same side of his head in order to prevent its shifting. Pichegru, naturally fat, full of blood, suffocated by the full meal which he had just taken, and the great pressure which he made, expired during the night.

"Next day, in the morning, the attendant came to kindle his fire; he looked towards Pichegru's bed, saw him, as he supposed, in a profound sleep, and retired to do his other work. About half past seven the attendant came again, saw the head of Pichegru quietly resting on his pillow, and again went away, still fearing to interrupt his sleep. At nine o'clock, he went up a third time, and observed no alteration in the posture of the prisoner, who usually spoke to him when he was awake. The attendant began to be surprised at his sleeping so long, went up to the bed, when he saw his face pale and distorted; he then moved the body, and found it lifeless and without motion. He immédiately gave information to the gaoler, who went that instant to inform Thevenot, the judge, and solicitor in this important trial. Eight physicians and surgeons were employed to draw up the proces verbal of the state in which the body was found; and this proces verbal and the corpse were brought before the criminal tribunal on the 6th, about one o'clock in the afternoon. The four sections of the tribunal immediately assembled, appointing eight physicians and surgeons to open, in the presence of four commissary judges, assisted by C. Lasfuterie, the body, and state the circumstances of his situation, and the cause of his death. An inquest was immediately held, which was VOL. II-22.

« 前へ次へ »