More than 200,000 men, Italian, Dutch, and French soldiers came in turn to stay there, but only to be clothed and shod; and then they left newly clothed from head to foot.  To leave nothing to be wished for, Davoust, from 1812, established military commissions in all the thirty-second. military division, before he entered upon the Russian campaign.  To complete these oppressive measures he established at the same time the High Prevotal Court of the Customs.  It was at this time that M. Eudes, the director of the ordinary customs, a strict but just man, said that the rule of the ordinary customs would be regretted, “for till now you have only been on roses..”  The professed judgments of this court were executed without appeal and without delay.  From what I have just said the situation and the misery of the north of Germany, and the consequent discontent, can be judged.

During my stay in Hamburg, which on this occasion was not very long, Napoleon’s attention was particularly engaged by the campaign of Portugal, and his discussions with the Pope.  At this period the thunderbolts of Rome were not very alarming.  Yet precautions were taken to keep secret the excommunication which Pius VII. had pronounced against Napoleon.  The event, however, got reported about, and a party in favour of the Pope speedily rose up among the clergy, and more particularly among the fanatics.  Napoleon sent to Savona the Archbishops of Nantes, Bourges, Treves, and Tours, to endeavour to bring about a reconciliation with His Holiness.  But all their endeavours were unavailing, and after staying a month at Savona they returned to Paris without having done anything.  But Napoleon was not discouraged by this first disappointment, and he shortly afterwards sent a second deputation, which experienced the same fate as the first.  Cardinal Fesch, Napoleon’s uncle, took part with the Pope.  For this fact I can vouch, though I cannot for an answer which he is said to have made to the Emperor.  I have been informed that when Napoleon was one day speaking to his uncle about the Pope’s obstinacy the Cardinal made some observations to him on his (Bonaparte’s) conduct to the Holy Father, upon which Napoleon flew into a passion, and said that the Pope and he were two old fools.  “As for the Pope,” said he, “he is too obstinate to listen to anything.  No, I am determined he shall never have Rome again . . . .  He will not remain at Savona, and where does he wish I should send him?”—­“To Heaven, perhaps,” replied the Cardinal.

The truth is, the Emperor was violently irritated against Pius VII.  Observing with uneasiness the differences and difficulties to which all these dissensions gave rise, he was anxious to put a stop to them.  As the Pope would not listen to any propositions that were made to him, Napoleon convoked a Council, which assembled in Paris, and at which several Italian Bishops were present.  The Pope insisted that the temporal and spiritual interests should be discussed