Part 10 (1/2)
This immense sum was amassed by him in the short period of four years, chiefly by bribes fro his protections in France
But reat and as rapid fortunes as Lucien, and yet, instead of being generous, contented, or even philosophers, they are still profiting by every occasion to increase their ill-gotten treasures, and no distress was ever relieved, no talents encouraged, or virtues recoes with them in their palaces, while Lucien seems to ascend as near as possible to a level with his circumstances I havehis nued to my father's, and afterwards to my own cabinet I inquired howthe least hint that they had been my property, and were plundered from me by the nation He had, indeed, paid their full value In a fortnight after I had quitted him, these, with six other pictures, were deposited inme that he had but the day before heard froed to me He added that he would never retake them, unless he received an assurance from me that I parted with them without reluctance, and at the same time affixed their price I returned them, as I knew they were desired by him for his collection, but he continued obstinate I told him, therefore, that, as I was acquainted with his inclination to perforenerous action, I would, instead of pay his assistance I mentioned the old duchesse de ------, who is seventy-four years of age and blind; and, after possessing in her youth an incoe, almost destitute He did for this worthy lady , in his visits to relieve hter of the landlady where she lodged, he found irl, and seduced her So much do I know personally of Lucien Bonaparte, who certainly is a coood and bad qualities, but which of them predominate I will not take upon me to decide This I can affirm--Lucien is not the worst member of the Bonaparte faust, 1805
MY LORD:--As long as Austria ranks a independent nations, Bonaparte will take care not to offend or alar the Batavian Republic with the other provinces of his Empire Until that period, the Dutch must continue (as they have been these last ten years) under the appellation of allies, oppressed like subjects and plundered like foes Their h heavier on thehbours, because Frederick the Great pointed out to his successors the Elbe and the Tegel as the natural borders of the Prussian ht bank of the Rhine should fordo the present summer a project for a partition treaty of Holland has by the Cabinet of St Cloud been laid before the Cabinet of Berlin is a fact, though disseents of Talleyrand Their object was on this, as on all previous occasions when any nahts, or liberties of people were intended to be erased froround, and to prepare by such rue and another overthrow But Prussia, as well as France, knows the value of a ood harbours and navigable rivers are necessary, and therefore, as well as from principles of justice, perhaps, declined the acceptance of a plunder, which, though teh
According to a copy circulated a the members of our diplomatic corps, this partition treaty excluded Prussia fro, and those of the river Eave her extensive territories on the side of Guelderland, and a rich country in Friesland
Had it been acceded to by the Court of Berlin, with the annexed condition of a defensive and offensive alliance with the Court of St Cloud, the Prussian monarchy would, within half a century, have been sed up in the saulf with the Batavian Commonwealth and the Republic of Poland; and by some future scheme of some future Bonaparte or Talleyrand, be divided in its turn, and serve as a pledge of reconciliation or inducement of connection between some future rulers of the French and Russian Empires
Talleyrand must, indeed, have a very mean opinion of the capacity of the Prussian Ministers, or a high notion of his own influence over them, if he was serious in this overture For my part, I am rather inclined to think that it was merely thrown out to discover whether Frederick Williaement contrary to the interest of Napoleon the First; or to allure His Prussian Majesty into a negotiation which would suspend, or at least interfere with, those supposed to be then on the carpet with Austria, Russia, or perhaps even with England
The late Batavian Governland, incurred the displeasure of Bonaparte When it apprehended a rupture fro the occupation of Malta assu and Berlin were ordered to demand the interference of these two Cabinets for the preservation of the neutrality of Holland, which your country had proe, if respected by France No sooner was Bonaparte informed of this step, than he marched troops into the heart of the Batavian Republic, and occupied its principal forts, ports, and arsenals
When, some time afterwards, Count Markof received instructions fro to the desire of the Batavian Directory, and demanded, in consequence, an audience fro the position of the French troops in Holland, and plans of the intended encaland on the coast of Flanders and France; and he was asked whether he thought it probable that our Government would assent to a neutrality so injurious to its offensive operations against Great Britain
”But,” said the Russian Ambassador, ”the independence of Holland has been admitted by you in forland,” interrupted Bonaparte, with impatience
”True,” replied Markof, ”but you are noith England for this point; while Holland, against which you have no complaint, has not only been invaded by your troops, but, contrary both to its inclination and interest, involved in a ith you, by which it has ain”
”I have no account to render to anybody forfurious, and leaving Markof to ular principles of political justice and of 'jus pentiue of the executive power of the Batavian Republic But it was more easy to displace one set of men for another than to find proper ones to occupy a situation in which, if they do their duty as patriots, they must offend France; and if they are our tools, instead of the independent governors of their country, they racing theistrates to the fate of the De Witts, should ever fortune forsake our arms or desert Bonaparte
No country has of late been less productive of great men than Holland
The Van Tro any posterity behind them; and the race of Batavian heroes seems to have expired with them, as that of patriots with the De, Witts and Barneveldt Since the beginning of the last century we read, indeed, of sorand pensionaries have been; but the nareat eenius and valour has not a little contributed to the present huraced, and oppressed state of wretched Batavia
Adenius, but his private character has a great resemblance to that of General Moreau
Nature has destined hiovern He may direct as ably and as valiantly the manoeuvres of a fleet as Moreau does those of an army, but neither the one nor the other at the head of his nation would render hi, or his countrymen happy and tranquil
Destined from his youth for the navy, Admiral de Winter entered into the naval service of his country before he was fourteen, and was a second lieutenant when the Batavian patriots, in rebellion against the Stadtholder, were, in 1787, reduced to submission by the Duke of Brunswick, the commander of the Prussian ar of the anti-Orange party, he eion of Batavian refugees
During the cauished hiru, that this coade in the service of the French; which, after the conquest of Holland in January, 1795, was exchanged for the rank of a vice-admiral of the Batavian Republic His exploits as co the battle of the 11th of October, 1797, with your fleet, under Lord Duncan, I have heard applauded even in your presence, when in your country Too honest to be seduced, and too brave to be intimidated, he is said to have incurred Bonaparte's hatred by resisting both his offers and his threats, and declining to sell his own liberty as well as to betray the liberty of his fellow subjects When, in 1800, Bonaparte proposed to him the presidency and consulate of the United States, for life, on condition that he should sign a treaty, which nity and with firmness, and preferred retirement to a supremacy so dishonestly acquired, and so dishonourably occupied
General Daendels, another Batavian revolutionist of some notoriety, from an attorney became a lieutenant-colonel, and served as a spy under Du of 1793 Under Pichegru he was eneral, and exhibited those talents in the field which are said to have before been displayed in the forueneral of the Batavian Republic, and he was the co in 1799 your army under the Duke of York In this place he did not uish hi to our troops and to our generals
After the Peace of A that Bonaparte intended to annihilate instead of establishi+ng universal liberty, Daendels gave in his resignation and retired to obscurity, not wishi+ng to be an instruht for freedom Had he possessed the patriotism of a Brutus or a Cato, he would have bled or died for his cause and country sooner than have deserted thelory of a Caesar held a place in his bosom, he would have atteenerosity and clemency atone, if possible, for the loss of liberty Upon the line of baseness,--the deserter is placed next to the traitor
Dueneral of some publicity, is not by birth a citizen of the United States, but was born at Brussels in 1758, and was by profession a stoneian insurgents After their dispersion in 1790 he took refuge and served in France, and was ians, forainst Austria in 1792 Here he frequently distinguished hieneral; but the Dutch general officers being better paid than those of the French Republic, he ith the pereneral of the Batavian Republic He has often evinced bravery, but seldoreat capacity His natural talents are considered as but indifferent, and his education is worse