Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte — Complete
remission of the sentence of death on Prince Armand was obtained by
the Empress Josephine. Time after time, urged on by Madame de
Rémusat, she implored mercy from Napoleon, who at last consented to
see the wife of the Prince. Unlike the Bourbon Louis XVIII., who
could see Madame de Lavalette only to refuse the wretched woman's
prayer for her husband, for Napoleon to grant the interview was to
concede the pardon. The Prince escaped death, and his wife who had
obtained the interview by applying to Madame de Rémusat, when she
met her benefactress in the times of the Restoration, displayed a
really grand forgetfulness of what had passed (see Rémusat, tome ii.
chap. i.).]--
Charles d'Hozier, and de Riviere. So short a period had elapsed since
the proscription of the nobility that, independently of every feeling
of humanity, it was certainly impolitic to exhibit before the public the
heirs of an illustrious name, endowed with that devoted heroism which
could not fail to extort admiration even from those who condemned their
opinions and principles.
The prisoners were all young, and their situation create universal
sympathy. The greatest number of them disdained to have recourse to a
denial, and seemed less anxious for the preservation of their own lives
than for the honour of the cause in which they had embarked, not with
the view of assassination, as had been demonstrated, but for the purpose
of ascertaining the true state of the public feeling, which had been
represented by some factious intriguers as favourable to the Bourbons.
Even when the sword of the law was suspended over their heads the
faithful adherents of the Bourbons displayed on every occasion their
attachment and fidelity to the royal cause. I recollect that the Court
was dissolved in tears when the President adduced as a proof of the
guilt of M. de Riviere his having worn a medal of the Comte d'Artois,
which the prisoner requested to examine; and, on its being handed to him
by an officer, M. de Riviere pressed it to his lips and his heart, then
returning it, he said that he only wished to render homage to the Prince
whom he loved.
The Court was still more deeply affected on witnessing the generous
fraternal struggle which took place during the last sitting between
the two De Polignacs. The emotion was general when the eldest of the
brothers, after having observed that his always going out alone and
during the day did not look like a conspirator anxious for concealment,
added these remarkable words which will remain indelibly engraven on
my memory: "I have now only one wish, which is that, as the sword is
suspended over our heads, and threatens to cut short the existence of
several of the accused, you would, in consideration of his youth if not
of his innocence, spare my brother, and shower down upon me the whole
weight of your vengeance." It was during the last sitting but one,
on Friday the 8th of June, that M. Armand de Polignac made the above
affecting appeal in favour of his brother. The following day, before
the fatal sentence was pronounced, M. Jules de Polignac addressed the
judges, saying, "I was so deeply affected yesterday, while my brother
was speaking, as not fully to have attended to what I read in my own
defence: but being now perfectly tranquil, I entreat, gentlemen,
that you will not regard what he urged in my behalf. I repeat, on the
contrary, and with most justice, if one of us must fall a sacrifice,
if there be yet time, save him, restore him to the tears of his wife;
I have no tie like him, I can meet death unappalled;--too young to have
tasted the pleasures of the world, I cannot regret their loss."--"No,
no," exclaimed his brother, "you are still in the outset of your career;
it is I who ought to fall."
At eight in the morning the members of the Tribunal withdrew to the
council-chamber. Since the commencement of the proceedings the crowd,
far from diminishing, seemed each day to increase; this morning it was
immense, and, though the sentence was not expected to be pronounced till
a late hour, no one quitted the Court for fear of not being able to find
a place when the Tribunal should resume its sitting.
Sentence of death was passed upon Georges Caudoudal, Bouvet de Lozier,
Rusillon, Rochelle, Armand de Polignac, Charles d'Hozier, De Riviere,
Louis Ducorps, Picot, Lajolais, Roger, Coster St. Victor, Deville,
Gaillard, Joyaub, Burban; Lemercier, Jean Cadudol, Lelan, and Merille;
while Lies de Polignac, Leridant, General Moreau,--[General Moreau's
sentence was remitted, and he was allowed to go to America.]--Rolland,
and Hisay were only condemned to two years' imprisonment.
This decree was heard with consternation by the assembly, and soon
spread throughout Paris. I may well affirm it to have been a day of
public mourning; even though it was Sunday every place of amusement was
nearly deserted. To the horror inspired by a sentence of death passed so
wantonly, and of which the greater number of the victims belonged to the
most distinguished class of society, was joined the ridicule inspired by
the condemnation of Moreau; of the absurdity of which no one seemed
more sensible than Bonaparte himself, and respecting which he expressed
himself in the most pointed terms. I am persuaded that every one who
narrowly watched the proceedings of this celebrated trial must have been
convinced that all means were resorted to in order that Moreau, once
accused, should not appear entirely free from guilt.
Bonaparte is reported to have said, "Gentlemen, I have no control over
your proceedings; it is your duty strictly to examine the evidence
before presenting a report to me. But when it has once the sanction
of your signatures, woe to you if an innocent man be condemned." This
remark is in strict conformity with his usual language, and bears a
striking similarity to the conversation I held with him on the following
Thursday; but though this language might be appropriate from the lips
of a sovereign whose ministers are responsible, it appears but a lame
excuse in the mouth of Bonaparte, the possessor of absolute power.
The condemned busied themselves in endeavouring to procure a repeal of
their sentence, the greatest number of them yielded in this respect to
the entreaties of their friends, who lost no time in taking the
steps requisite to obtain the pardon of those in whom they were
most interested. Moreau at first also determined to appeal; but he
relinquished his purpose before the Court of Cessation commenced its
sittings.
As soon as the decree of the special Tribunal was delivered, Murat,
Governor of Paris, and brother-in-law to the Emperor, sought his
presence and conjured him in the most urgent manner to pardon all the
criminals, observing that such an act of clemency would redound greatly
to his honour in the opinion of France and all Europe, that it would
be said the Emperor pardoned the attempt against the life of the
First Consul, that this act of mercy would shed more glory over the
commencement of his reign than any security which could accrue from the
execution of the prisoners. Such was the conduct of Murat; but he did
not solicit, as has been reported, the pardon of any one in particular.
Those who obtained the imperial pardon were Bouvet de Lozier, who
expected it from the disclosures he had made; Rusillon, de Riviere,
Rochelle, Armand de Polignac, d'Hozier, Lajolais, who had beforehand
received a promise to that effect, and Armand Gaillard.
The other ill-fated victims of a sanguinary police underwent their
sentence on the 25th of June, two days after the promulgation of the
pardon of their associates.
Their courage and resignation never forsook them even for a moment,
and Georges, knowing that it was rumoured he had obtained a pardon,
entreated that he might die the first, in order that his companions in
their last moments might be assured he had not survived them.
CHAPTER XXVII.
1804.
Clavier and Hemart--Singular Proposal of Corvisart-M. Desmaisons--
Project of influencing the judges--Visit to the Tuileries--Rapp in
attendance--Long conversation with the Emperor--His opinion on the
trial of Moreau--English assassins and Mr. Fox--Complaints against
the English Government--Bonaparte and Lacuee--Affectionate
behaviour--Arrest of Pichegru--Method employed by the First Consul
to discover his presence in Paris--Character of Moreau--Measures of
Bonaparte regarding him--Lauriston sent to the Temple--Silence
respecting the Duc d'Enghien--Napoleon's opinion of Moreau and
Georges--Admiration of Georges--Offers of employment and dismissal--
Recital of former vexations--Audience of the Empress--Melancholy
forebodings--What Bonaparte said concerning himself--Marks of
kindness.
The judges composing the Tribunal which condemned Moreau were not all
like Thuriot and Hemart. History has recorded an honourable contrast
to the general meanness of the period in the reply given by M. Clavier,
when urged by Hemart to vote for the condemnation of Moreau. "Ah,
Monsieur, if we condemn him, how shall we be able to acquit ourselves?"
I have, besides, the best reason for asserting that the judges were
tampered with, from, a circumstance which occurred to myself.
Bonaparte knew that I was intimately connected with M. Desmaisons, one
of the members of the Tribunal, and brother in-law to Corvisart; he also
knew that Desmaisons was inclined to believe in Moreau's innocence, and
favourable to his acquittal. During the progress of the trial Corvisart
arrived at my house one morning at a very early hour, in a state of such
evident embarrassment that, before he had time to utter a word, I said
to him, "What is the matter? Have you heard any bad news?"
"No," replied Corvisart, "but I came by the Emperor's order. He wishes
you to see my brother-in-law. 'He is,' said he to me, 'the senior judge,
and a man of considerable eminence; his opinion will carry with it great
weight, and I know that he is favourable to Moreau; he is in the wrong.
Visit Bourrienne, said the Emperor, and concert with him respecting the
best method of convincing Desmaisons of his error, for I repeat he is
wrong, he is deceived.' This is the mission with which I am entrusted."
"How," said I, with thorough astonishment, "how came you to be employed
in this affair? Could you believe for one moment that I would tamper
with a magistrate in order to induce him to exercise an unjust rigour?"
"No, rest assured," replied Corvisart, "I merely visited you this
morning in obedience to the order of the Emperor; but I knew beforehand
in what manner you would regard the proposition with which I was
charged. I knew your opinions and your character too well to entertain
the smallest doubt in this respect, and I was convinced that I ran no
risk in becoming the bearer of a commission which would be attended with
no effect. Besides, had I refused to obey the Emperor, it would have
proved prejudicial to your interest, and confirmed him in the opinion
that you were favourable to the acquittal of Moreau. For myself,"
added Corvisart, "it is needless to affirm that I have no intention of
attempting to influence the opinion of my brother-in-law; and if I had,
you know him sufficiently well to be convinced in what light he would
regard such a proceeding."
Such were the object and result of Corvisart's visit, and I am thence
led to believe that similar attempts must have been made to influence
other members of the Tribunal.
--["The judges had been pressed and acted on in a thousand ways by
the hangers on of the Palace and especially by Real, the natural
intermediary between justice and the Government. Ambition,