Fortunately, after this first discharge the fury of Dupas was appeased; but still he persisted in keeping the gates closed at night.  Next day an order was posted about the city prohibiting the cry of hurrah! under pain of a severe punishment.  It was also forbidden that more than three persona should collect together in the streets.  Thus it was that certain persons imposed the French yoke upon towns and provinces which were previously happy.

Dupas was as much execrated in the Hanse Towns as Clarke had been in Berlin when he was governor of that capital during the campaign of 1807.  Clarke had burdened the people of Berlin with every kind of oppression and exaction.  He, as well as many others, manifested a ready obedience in executing the Imperial orders, however tyrannical they might be; and Heaven knows what epithets invariably accompanied the name of Clarke when pronounced by the lips of a Prussian.

Dupas seemed to have taken Clarke as his model.  An artillery officer, who was in Hamburg at the time of the disturbance I have just mentioned, told me that it was he who was directed to place two pieces of light-artillery before the gate of Altona.  Having executed this order, he went to General Dupas, whom he found in a furious fit of passion, breaking and destroying everything within his reach.  In the presence of the officer he broke more than two dozen plates which were on the table before him:  these plates, of course, had cost him very little!

On the day after the disturbance which had so fatal a termination I wrote to inform the Prince of Porte-Corvo of what had taken place; and in my letter I solicited the suppression of an extraordinary tribunal which had been created by General Dupas.  He returned me an immediate answer, complying with my request.  His letter was as follows: 

I have received your letter, my dear Minister:  it forcibly conveys the expression of your right feeling, which revolts against oppression, severity, and the abase of power.  I entirely concur in your view of the subject, and I am distressed whenever I see such acts of injustice committed.  On an examination of the events which took place on the 19th it is impossible to deny that the officer who ordered the gates to be closed so soon was in the wrong; and next, it may be asked, why were not the gates opened instead of the, military being ordered to fire on the people?  But, on the other hand, did not the people evince decided obstinacy and insubordination? were they not to blame in throwing stones at the guard, forcing the palisades, and even refusing to listen to the voice of the magistrates?  It is melancholy that they should have fallen into these excesses, from which, doubtless, they would have refrained had they listened to the civil chiefs, who ought to be their first directors.  Finally, my dear Minister, the Senator who distributed money at the gate of Altona to appease the multitude would have done better had he advised them to wait