Produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
By LOUIS ANTOINE FAUVELET DE BOURRIENNE
His Private Secretary
Edited by R. W. Phipps
Colonel, Late Royal Artillery
1891
CONTENTS:
Chapter XXVII. to Chapter XXXV.
1799-1800.
Difficulties of a new Government—State of Europe—Bonaparte's wish for peace—M. de Talleyrand Minister for Foreign Affairs— Negotiations with England and Austria—Their failure—Bonaparte's views on the East—His sacrifices to policy—General Bonaparte denounced to the First Consul—Kléber's letter to the Directory— Accounts of the Egyptian expedition published in the Moniteur— Proclamation to the army of the East—Favour and disgrace of certain individuals accounted for.
When a new Government rises on the ruins of one that has been overthrown,its best chance of conciliating the favour of the nation, if that nationbe at war, is to hold out the prospect of peace; for peace is always dearto a people. Bonaparte was well aware of this; and if in his heart hewished otherwise, he knew how important it was to seem to desire peace.Accordingly, immediately after his installation at the Luxembourg henotified to all the foreign powers his accession to the Consulate, and,for the same purpose, addressed letters to all the diplomatic agents ofthe French Government abroad.
The day after he got rid of his first two colleagues, Sieyès and RogerDucos, he prepared to open negotiations with the Cabinet of London. Atthat time we were at war with almost the whole of Europe. We had alsolost Italy. The Emperor of Germany was ruled by his Ministers, who intheir turn were governed by England. It was no easy matter to manageequally the organization of the Consular Government and the no lessimportant affairs abroad; and it was very important to the interestsof the First Consul to intimate to foreign powers, while at the same timehe assured himself against the return of the Bourbons, that the systemwhich he proposed to adopt was a system of order and regeneration, unlikeeither the demagogic violence of the Convention or the imbecile artificeof the Directory. In fulfilment of this object Bonaparte directed M. deTalleyrand, the new Minister for Foreign Affairs, to make the firstfriendly overtures to the English Cabinet: A correspondence ensued, whichwas published at the time, and which showed at once the conciliatorypolicy of Bonaparte and the arrogant policy of England.
The exchange of notes which took place was attended by no immediateresult. However, the First Consul had partly attained his object: if theBritish Government would not enter into negotiations for peace, there wasat least reason to presume that subsequent overtures of the ConsularGovernment might be listened to. The correspondence had at all eventsafforded Bonaparte the opportunity of declaring his principles, and aboveall, it had enabled him to ascertain that the return of the Bourbons toFrance (mentioned in the official reply of Lord Grenville) would not be asine qua non condition for the restoration of peace between the twopowers.
Since M. de Talleyrand had been Minister for Foreign Affairs the businessof that department had proceeded with great activity. It was animportant advantage to Bonaparte to find a nobleman of the old regimeamong the republicans. The choice of M. de Talleyrand was in some sortan act of courtesy to the foreign Courts.