Lot n° 194
Estimation :
10000 - 12000
EUR
Result with fees
Result
: 18 284EUR
Napoléon Ier (1769-1821)
autograph manuscript, III. Sisteme de bascule; 3 and a half pages infol., with erasures and corrections, on a bifeuillet (watermark: W 1815 and the "Britannia"; some slight cracks); in red morocco slipcase.
Unpublished manuscript of a chapter on the Directory for his Memoirs.
"4 parties divided the Republic, the 1 had confidence in the constitution of 1795 adapted. The second wanted a president at the head of the state. The 3rd was that of the constitution of 1793 which one named the terrorists.
The 4th the partisans of the Bourbons and of the counter-revolution. This last one counted only some families and some priests it is on him that the terror had weighed it had been destroyed. Its own followers who were still living were emigrated and perished of misery and contempt abroad.
The first three parties comprised the whole population of France.
A great number of individuals who approved of the constitution adopted had a decided dislike for the conventionists and would have liked to have been called to the directoire or patriots who had not participated in the government of the Convention or at least not to have been called voters. The five directors had all voted for the death of the king. It was expected that they would use all the conventioneers, their colleagues who were no longer part of the council, and above all that they would show confidence in the voters, and in the end, quite differently, the directors allowed themselves to be dominated by the spirit of persecution that each had taken on during the long and turbulent reign of the convention, to the great astonishment of observers. It may be said that the title of Conventional, and that of Voter especially, became a title of exclusion from the employees and soon a title of proscription. As the latter showed indignation at this conduct they were by a measure of high police driven out of Paris and obliged to return to their homes. The supporters of the government of a president were easy to rally to the new system. Many of them were educated men. They had appeared in the Constituent Assembly, in public affairs the director to be dismissed allying themselves forever they became for them from the constitution which was founded on self-esteem but directors. The terrorists or the partisans of the constitution of 1793 were at first few in number or at least inactive: they were inclined to rally in good faith to the government composed of 5 hot conventionals who had been to various Jacobin groups [...] these 5 directors were moreover of the party wanted at the 13 vendemiaire and the terrorists gloried in having contributed to the success of this day but the great court with which the 5 directors surrounded themselves, the title of representative, the etiquette efaroucha them at first [...] The war was soon declared this party put itself in war and soon conspired for the salvation of the fatherland and for the deliverance of the tyranny of the 5 lords of
Luxembourg [...] Carnot alone was of theirs and enjoyed their confidence.
The Bourbonians hated the directors as republicans, as conventionals, as voters, and as the men of 13 Vendémiaire.
It was to please, to capture, and to rally this party that the Directory worked [...] it was Carnot who soon became the object of the hatred and fear of all the terrorists, all the more so because they had hoped for more from him. The armies rallied in good faith to the government which, by preserving the principles for which they had fought, promised them more stability in their employment and more consideration. Thus the Directory by the strangest of illusions worsened its position every day"... Etc.
On the last page, autograph note signed in pencil by MONTHOLON: "Writing of the Emperor Napoleon at St Helena".
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