Memoirs of Napoleon — Complete eBook

Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,767 pages of information about Memoirs of Napoleon — Complete.

Memoirs of Napoleon — Complete eBook

Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,767 pages of information about Memoirs of Napoleon — Complete.
Doormann, first Syndic of the Senate of Hamburg.  When he appeared his mortified look sufficiently informed me that he knew what I had to say to him.  I reproached him sharply, and asked him how, after all I had told him of the Emperor’s susceptibility, he could permit the insertion of such an article.  I observed to him that this indecorous diatribe had no official character, since it had no signature; and that, therefore, he had acted in direct opposition to a decree of the Senate, which prohibited the insertion in the journals of any articles which were not signed.  I told him plainly that his imprudence might be attended with serious consequences.  M. Doormann did not attempt to justify himaelt but merely explained to me how the thing had happened.

On the 20th of November, in the evening, M. Forshmann, the Russian charge d’affaires who had in the course of the day arrived from the Russian headquarters presented to the editor of the Correspondent the article in question.  The editor, after reading the article, which he thought exceedingly indecorous, observed to M. Forshmann that his paper was already made up, which was the fact, for I had seen a proof.  M. Forshmann, however, insisted on the insertion of the article.  The editor then told him that he could not admit it without the approbation of the Syndic Censor.  M. Forshmann immediately waited upon M. Doormann, and when the latter begged that he would not insist on the insertion of the article, M. Forshmann produced a letter written in French, which, among other things, contained the following:  “You will get the enclosed article inserted in the Correspondent without suffering a single word to be altered.  Should the censor refuse, you must apply to the directing Burgomaster, and, in case of his refusal, to General Tolstoy, who will devise some means of rendering the Senate more complying, and forcing it to observe an impartial deference.”

M. Doorman, thinking he could not take upon himself to allow the insertion of the article, went, accompanied by M. Forshmann, to wait upon M. Von Graffen, the directing Burgomaster.  Mm.  Doorman and Von Graffen earnestly pointed out the impropriety of inserting the article; but M. Forshmann referred to his order, and added that the compliance of the Senate on this point was the only means of avoiding great mischief.  The Burgomaster and the Syndic, finding themselves thus forced to admit the article, entreated that the following passage at least might be suppressed:  “I know a certain chief, who, in defiance of all laws divine and human,—­in contempt of the hatred he inspires in Europe, as well as among those whom he has reduced to be his subjects, keeps possession of a usurped throne by violence and crime.  His insatiable ambition would subject all Europe to his rule.  But the time is come for avenging the rights of nations . . . .”  M. Forshmann again referred to his orders, and with some degree of violence insisted on the insertion of the article in its complete form.  The Burgomaster then authorised the editor of the Correspondent to print the article that night, and M. Forshmann, having obtained that authority, carried the article to the office at half-past eleven o’clock.

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Memoirs of Napoleon — Complete from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.