Napoléon Ier (1769-1821)

Napoléon Ier (1769-1821)
7 L.S. "Napoleon" and "Napol", Troyes, Semur, Mâcon and Bourg 13-20 germinal XIII (April 3-10, 1805), to the Archchancellor
CAMBACÉRÈS| the letters are written by Méneval| 3 pages and 3 half pages in-4. [182-188]
On the way to Milan where he will be crowned king of Italy.
Troyes 13 germinal. "My cousin, I arrived at Troyes yesterday at 4 p.m. I was very happy, with the roads, the agriculture, and especially with the spirit of the people. It is one of the departments I have crossed that I am most satisfied with. I have already seen this morning all that I wished to see. I will leave at 2 p.m. for Brienne where I will sleep. I will return tomorrow to Troyes to attend a small party that is being given to me there. I will set out the day after tomorrow. - If you want to go to
Bordeaux on my return, make sure that the Judicial Code is completely finished. There are several matters at the Conseil d'Etat for which M. Lacuée is rapporteur and which I wish to see completed promptly. There is a project relating to the call of some velites for the Cavalry which I wished to see discussed before me"
Troyes 14 germinal. "My Cousin, I went yesterday to Brienne| I returned today at two o'clock. I will go just now to a ball that the city is giving. Tomorrow early in the morning, I will hear mass before leaving & I will go to sleep at Semur"...It is necessary to send to Milan "two engineers who know well the movement of the ports"..." You will be able to say in the conversation without writing it, without saying it too openly, that the King of Prussia, the Elector archchancellor, the Electors of Bavaria, of Hesse, of Saxony, of Baden, made known to me that they recognized me as king of Italy"...
Troyes 14 germinal: "the King of Prussia has just notified me of the death of the Dowager Queen [Frederique-Louise, widow of Frederick-Guillaume
II]| it is thus necessary to take the mourning. It is taken in Berlin for three weeks. I do not know what the Court of Versailles did in such circumstances, and I want to follow its practice. He wants a prompt decision, "so that the mourning is finished before my arrival in Milan".
He asks for "a project on the manner in which I must carry the mourning, and on that which must take the great officers, the Empress, the ladies &c. [...] Being in the process of mourning, the Empress will be able to make a decision. [...] Being in the habit of wearing the uniform, I do not believe that I should change my clothes"...
Semur, 15 Germinal: "I arrived in this city today at 7 o'clock in the evening. I will leave tomorrow at 7 a.m. for Chalons on
Saône. I was very pleased with the spirit of the country that I crossed & without distinction of classes. I arrived from Troyes here always under triumphal arches and the flags of the surrounding villages coming to line up on the main road. This evening it made here a little melted snow "...
Macon 18 germinal. About the conflict between Cardinal CAMBACÉRÈS, archbishop of Rouen, and the prefect Beugnot. "Try to reconcile them.
One gains nothing by bitterness and the Church always gained everything by softness and the ménagemens"...
Macon 19 germinal. "My Cousin, we have been in mourning since the 15th| so it will end on the 7th of February. He worries about the "project for the call of the velites for the Guard"...
Bourg 20 germinal. Request for information on RIVAUD who was employed in the Cisalpine Republic, is he suitable for an administrative position?