Napoléon Ier (1769-1821)

Napoléon Ier (1769-1821)
11 L.S. "Napol," "Nap" or "NP," January 8-August 25, 1811, to Archchancellor CAMBACÉRÈS| most letters are written by Méneval, 2 by Fain| 12 pages and 5 half-pages in-4. [584-594]
Paris January 8. On Holland. "All the decrees of the King [...which raise individuals to the nobility of Holland must be considered as non-avenged. The decree numbered 49 must exist in the sense that it gives the right to General Dumonceau to bear the title of count| but he will be called Count Dumonceau, & not Count de Begerduin"... Etc.
Rambouillet May 15. "My Cousin, the opening of the Legislative Body will not take place until after June 9. However the ceremony of the baptism of the King of
Rome having taken place this day, the Deputies to the Legislative Body will be able to meet among them to attend it "...
Caen May 25. "My Cousin, I am extremely satisfied with Normandy and the city of Caen. Tomorrow I intend to leave for Cherbourg. I think I will not go to Granville, that would take me too far away. I hope to still be back at the end of the month. - I took a decree to adjourn the Legislative Body
, as it was done at the time of the Coronation"...
Trianon July 17. "My Cousin, I send you a report of the Great Judge.
I beg you to make known to me your observations"...
Saint-Cloud August 3. About the order of the Union (Dutch decoration created by Louis Bonaparte): "It is time to determine what one will do with this order. The coat of arms and the motto are not suitable for me. A Great State cannot take as its motto: Do what you must, come what may.
That is the motto of a Preux. We should look for a motto that would make us feel the advantage of the union of the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Ocean. This great event which really characterizes the Empire could motivate the order of the Union"...
Saint-Cloud August 6. "The project of the Council of State on the French abroad does not please me. I am sending you a new draft, on which I want you to let me know your opinion. [I do not like the word 'civil death'. [...] I don't want any rigor for those whose naturalization I have authorized. Every Frenchman who acts in accordance with his right must retain a privilege, even in countries where the right of bargain exists. It is a respect that I want to have for French blood, when the subject in question is in good standing and has my permission: to allow and to punish seem to me to be a contradictory thing"... Etc. Then he comments on a decree relating to the Belgians who submitted to the Austrians: "It must be said that the state of exception by which I make these Frenchmen even more foreign to France than the Austrians themselves, must cease with death, and that their children, who will be then regarded as Austrians, will be able with this title to inherit in France like all the Austrians, except all times, of the inheritances which would return to them by the rights which their fathers lost"...
Rambouillet August 12. About the "project on the order of the Union. [...] I wish that the number of commanders be increased to 500, and that of knights to five thousand. This will give the means to relieve the Legion of Honor which will otherwise increase infinitely. It would also be necessary to change something to the plaque, which has the same shape as the eagle of the Legion of Honor. The reunion consists in the reunion of Holland, the Andean countries,
Rome and Tuscany. If one could include in the decoration some sign that recalls these three great meetings, it would be a good effect. The eagle could support the medallion, for example, finally it is necessary to imagine another plate than the eagle alone which forms the type of the Legion of Honor. The number of departments combined is, I believe, 19, including those of Rome and Tuscany. It is probable that Piedmont & Genoa would be well pleased to find some memories in there"...
Saint-Cloud August 19. "My Cousin, every day we find ourselves embarrassed for the titles of the Romans and the inhabitants of the Departments of Lippe, Hanover and Hamburg. I would like you to present me without delay with a project on this subject. I think that there is no use in displeasing the entire nobility of the newly united countries. It seems simpler to reconstitute it and to oblige those who have titles to request their confirmation. One would determine their coats of arms, their livery, their titles, and, thus, that of Prince and Duke would no longer be so common.
This provision could be applied to the Tuscan nobles. Genoa,
Piedmont and Holland have been revolutionized| they will continue to follow our principles...
Saint-Cloud August 22. "The first official in Genoa is the Prefect who has a rank inferior to the Major General and to the Imperial Court, which leads me to desire to have a Governor there to whom one could give the command of the Division. He has