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members were presented to the Emperor on the same day。 On this occasion
upwards of 400 persons were present in the salon； from one of whom I
received these details。 When the Emperor saw M。 Lemercier； for whom he
had long pretended great friendship； he said to him in a kind tone；
〃Well； Lemercier； you are now installed。〃 Lemercier respectfully bowed
to the Emperor； but without uttering a word of reply。 Napoleon was
mortified at this silence； but without saying anything more to Lemercier
he turned to Esmenard； the member who should have been most acceptable to
him； and vented upon him the whole weight of his indignation in a manner
equally unfeeling and unjust。 〃Well； Esmenard；〃 said he； 〃do you still
hold your place in the police？〃 These words were spoken in so loud a
tone as to be heard by all present； and it was doubtless this cruel and
ambiguous speech which furnished the enemies of Esmenard with arms to
attack his reputation as a man of honour； and to give an appearance of
disgrace to those functions which he exercised with so much zeal and
ability。
When； at the commencement of 1811； I left Paris I had ceased to delude
myself respecting the brilliant career which seemed opening before me
during the Consulate。 I clearly perceived that since Bonaparte； instead
of receiving me as I expected； had refused to see me at all； the
calumnies of my enemies were triumphant； and that I had nothing to hope
for from an absolute ruler； whose past injustice rendered him the more
unjust。 He now possessed what he had so long and ardently wished for；
a son of his own； an inheritor of his name； his power； and his throne。
I must take this opportunity of stating that the malevolent and infamous
rumours spread abroad respecting the birth of the King of Rome were
wholly without foundation。 My friend Corvisart； who did not for a single
instant leave Maria Louisa during her long and painful labour； removed
from my mind every doubt on the subject。 It is as true that the young
Prince； for whom the Emperor of Austria stood sponsor at the font； was
the son of Napoleon and the Archduchess Maria Louisa as it is false that
Bonaparte was the father of the first child of Hortense。 The birth of
the son of Napoleon was hailed with general enthusiasm。 The Emperor was
at the height of his power from the period of the birth of his son until
the reverse he experienced after the battle of the Moskowa。 The Empire；
including the States possessed by the Imperial family； contained nearly
57；000；000 of inhabitants； but the period was fast approaching when this
power； unparalleled in modern times； was to collapse under its own
weight。
＇The little King of Rome； Napoleon Francis Bonaparte； was born on
the 20th of March 1811。 Editor of 1836 edition。＇
CHAPTER XXVI。
My return to HamburgGovernment Committee established there
Anecdote of the Comte de ChabanNapoleon's misunderstanding with
the PopeCardinal FeschConvention of a CouncilDeclaration
required from the BishopsSpain in 1811Certainty of war with
RussiaLauriston supersedes Caulaincourt at St。 PetersburgThe war
in Spain neglectedTroops of all nations at the disposal of
BonaparteLevy of the National GuardTreaties with Prussia and
AustriaCapitulation renewed with SwitzerlandIntrigues with
CzernischeffAttacks of my enemiesMemorial to the EmperorOgier
de la Saussaye and the mysterious boxRemoval of the Pope to
FontainebleauAnecdote of His Holiness and M。 DenonDeparture of
Napoleon and Maria Louisa for DresdenSituation of affairs in Spain
and PortugalRapp's account of the Emperor's journey to Dantzic
Mutual wish for war on the part of Napoleon and AlexanderSweden
and TurkeyNapoleon's vain attempt to detach Sweden from her
alliance with Russia。
As I took the most lively interest in all that concerned the Hanse Towns；
my first care on returning to Hamburg was to collect information from the
most respectable sources concerning the influential members of the new
Government。 Davoust was at its head。 On his arrival he had established
in the Duchy of Mecklenburg； in Swedish Pomerania； and in Stralsund； the
capital of that province； military posts and custom…houses； and that in a
time of profound peace with those countries； and without any previous
declaration。 The omnipotence of Napoleon； and the terror inspired by the
name of Davoust； overcame all obstacles which might have opposed those
iniquitous usurpations。 The weak were forced to yield to the strong。
At Hamburg a Government Committee was formed； consisting of the Prince of
Eekmuhl as President； Comte de Chaban； Councillor of State； who
superintended the departments of the Interior and Finance； and of M。
Faure； Councillor of State； who was appointed to form and regulate the
Courts of Law。 I had sometimes met M。 de Chaban at Malmaison。 He was
distantly related to Josephine； and had formerly been an officer in the
French Guards。 He was compelled to emigrate； having been subjected to
every species of persecution during the Revolution。
M。 de Chaban was among the first of the emigrants who returned to France
after the 18th Brumaire。 He was at first made Sub…Prefect of Vendome；
but on the union of Tuscany with France Napoleon created him a member of
the Junta appointed to regulate the affairs of Tuscany。 He next became
Prefect of Coblentz and Brussels； was made a Count by Bonaparte； and was
afterwards chosen a member of the Government Committee at Hamburg。 M。 de
Chaban was a man of upright principles； and he discharged his various
functions in a way that commanded esteem and attachment。
＇I recollect an anecdote which but too well depicts those
disastrous times。 The Comte de Chaban； being obliged to cross
France during the Reign of Terror； was compelled to assume a；
disguise。 He accordingly provided himself with a smockfrock； a cart
and horses； and a load of corn。 In this manner he journeyed from
place to place till he reached the frontiers。 He stopped at
Rochambeau； in the Vendomais； where he was recognised by the Marshal
de Rochambeau； who to guard against exciting any suspicion among…
his servants； treated him as if he had really been a carman and said
to him； 〃You may dine in the kitchen。〃Bourrienne。＇
The Hanseatic Towns； united to the Grand Empire professedly for their
welfare； soon felt the blessings of the new organisation of a
regenerating Government。 They were at once presented with； the stamp…
duty； registration； the lottery； the droits reunis； the tax on cards； and
the 'octroi'。 This prodigality of presents caused； as we may be sure；
the most lively gratitude； a tax for military quarters and for warlike
supplies was imposed； but this did not relieve any one from laving not
only officers and soldiers； but even all the chiefs of the administration
and their officials billeted on them： The refineries； breweries； and
manufactures of all sorts were suppressed。 The cash chests of the
Admiralty； of the charity houses； of the manufactures； of the savings…
banks； of the working classes； the fun