He remarked to the courtiers who stood around, that the American Minister's looks corresponded most strikingly with his great reputation as a statesman, and realized all previous conceptions of him.

Notwithstanding this civil deportment, however, the negotiation made no progress and Crawford's overtures were constantly postponed. The sinking fortunes of the Empire left Napoleon and his Minister no time to pursue the business for which Crawford had crossed the Atlantic. Indeed, the patience of the American Minister, never very great, was beginning fast to tire. In January, 1814, after having been in Paris more than six months, he writes to Mr. Monroe that he had only been able to effect one interview with the Duke of Bassano. This resulted in nothing. The communications of Crawford, touching the demands of his Government, were drawn with marked ability and skill; but the rush of startling events in Europe prevented the Duke from making any reply. At length, on the 25th the Emperor again left Paris for the armies, without having given any reason for the long concealment of the counter decree of 28th of April, 1811, or making any arrangement to satisfy the demands of the American Government. Crawford never saw him afterwards; and there the business rested during the whole winter.

which again distracted the entire business. Negotiations could scarcely be fixed on a treaty basis, before revolution unsettled the foundations. Napoleon escaped from Elba, landed safely in France, and, on the 20th of March, rode triumphantly into Paris. All Europe immediately declared war against him, and every other business gave way before the pressing necessity for preparation to maintain his throne.

The memorable Hundred Days followed. The few days that were allowed to Napoleon to remain in the capital were sedulously devoted to a resuscitation of the embarassed finances, to the raising of funds and provisions, to the levying of troops, and to the organization of armies. The forces of Austria and Prussia were already on the confines of France. The martial hordes of Russia were swarming on the banks of the Vistula. The British army had crossed over into Belgium, under command of the Duke of Wellington, and was forming rapidly for a march to Paris. The bristling bayonets of twenty banded nations were pointed against his single throne, and France, threatened on all sides, was looking to him as her only hope. Negotiations and treaties with transatlantic nations were not to be thought of at such a time, and, if thought of, there was no leisure to answer their demands. In fact, Napoleon left Paris for the armies so soon as his arrangements for prosecuting the campaign were completed, and his ministers were not clothed with authority to make any negotiation during his absence.

It is known that in less than two months from the time that he left Paris, Napoleon was beaten at all points. The allies, pressing their advantages, advanced rapidly on Paris, and forced the garrison to capitulate. King Joseph and the Empress fled at their The scenes of the eventful campaign approach, and, on the 31st of March, the which ensued are well known to all readers allied sovereigns, followed by their victori- of history. Napoleon lost the battle of Waous bands, made their entrance into the city. terloo on the 18th of June, and in a few The eighteenth Louis was restored to the weeks afterwards Paris once again opened inheritance of his ancestors, and Crawford her gates to the allied armies. The fierce received irstructions to press the demand for Prussian and the haughty Briton were biindemnity on the new government. But a vouacked on her promenades, and each serious obstacle was now presented. The day witnessed some appaling act of millitary King assumed the ground that his govern- power, or some scene of national degradament was not liable for the acts of the usurption. Treasured trophies of victory, and er. Crawford argued the point with great cherished monuments of glory and of archiforce, and clearly established the contrary tectural taste, were alike swept away and position. The negotiations were prolonged destroyed by the ruthless conquerors. No throughout the year, and, had the govern- houses were spared save those occupied by ment lasted, it is more than probable, we the foreign ambassadors, and, among these, incline to think, that our demands might none was so respected as that of Crawford. have been satisfied, The well-known banner of stars and stripes But an event was suddenly interposed | floated proudly above his door, and its broad

folds were a sure protection to all who came | failed to accomplish the object of his Govwithin their shadow. ernment; but the failure did not proceed from incapacity or negligence on his part, or from any causes within his control. Revolution had followed revolution too rapidly to admit of tardy diplomatic business. France was in a continual turmoil during the whole

archs and ministers and governments had been changed repeatedly within periods so short as to resemble more the flitting pageantry of the stage than the scenes of real life and form. He had been interrupted and impeded at every step of the negotiations; and what progress had been made to-day, was lost among the strifes and struggles of to-morrow's revolution. Projets of adjustment and of explanation would be scarcely formed under the imperial dynasty, before the storm would rise as the ancient régime swept onward with its foreign allies. The basis of a treaty recognized under one government, would be peremptorily disavowed by that which succeeded. Crawford's temperament was not suited to a mild endurance of such political tergiversations and fickleness on the part of the French nation, while his republican notions of popular rights were daily outraged as he beheld France groaning under the sway of a monarchy, not its choice, but imposed on it by allied despots. It is probable, therefore, that disgust rather than discouragement induced him to demand his recall.

During the occupancy of Paris by the allied armies, a public procession was ordered to celebrate the King's return. All the resident ambassadors from foreign governments were invited to participate, and as the occasion was to be made one of great at-period of his residence at her capital. Montraction and splendor, all were desired to appear in their court costumes. Crawford was, of course, especially invited, as both conquerors and conquered were agreed in a common admiration of the American government, and in the desire to court amicable relations through its representative in France. The day arrived, and was distinguished, among other things, by a mirthful incident in connection with Crawford, peculiarly characteristic of the man and of his habits. A forgetfulness of small matters, particularly in the way of etiquette, was not the least distinguishable trait of Crawford's character. He could never bring his mind to the little task of embracing all the minutiæ of ceremony. Accordingly, at the hour designated, Crawford presented himself on the promenade, but had utterly forgotten to don his court vestments. He appeared in the ordinary dress of a plain American citizen, and would have doubtless failed, in consequence of this fact, to receive the attention due to his rank, but for an act of artless selfpossession which eminently demonstrated his republican sense and simplicity, and which astonished the numerous, gaudilyapparelled spectators. It so happened that Crawford was intimately and favorably known to the Duke of Wellington, who was of course the lion of the day; and without pausing to calculate the amount of infringement on the stated rules of etiquette, he adroitly attached himself to the suite of His Grace, by whom he was received with genu-ably remain ever a mystery to the world, ine, unaffected English hospitality. This frank recognition on the part of the old Iron Duke, who had as little taste for mere peacock display as his blundering friend, produced a burst of applause from the assembled thousands around; and that which was, in fact, a great mistake on Crawford's part, was set down to his credit as a very harmless but apt exhibition of republican simplicity, designed to rebuke the glare and glitter of royalty.

In the August ensuing Crawford threw up his mission and returned home. He had

Thus was lost the last chance of ever obtaining a satisfactory solution of the secret history as concerned the famous counter decree of April, 1811. The final overthrow and banishment of Napoleon, the ostracism of his ministry, and the untimely death of Joel Barlow, closed all penetrable avenues to its elucidation; and it will prob

unless chance or some posthumous revelations, yet to be made public, shall unfold and explain its details. We may as well remark also, in closing this period of Crawford's political life; that our claim for spoliations of commerce under the decrees of Berlin and Milan was prosecuted, amidst vexatious delays and despondences, under many succeeding administrations both in this country and in France, until, at last, the impetuous, resolute course of President Jackson extorted justice and satisfaction at the point of the bayonet. The first instalment

was

paid by France in 1836, under the government of Louis Philippe.

The works of Cherbourg, the magnificent quays and bridges of the Seine, the spacious Crawford brought home with him, as we docks of Antwerp and of Flushing, the maare informed, not a very elevated opinion of ritime works of Venice, the passes of SimFrench character. He regarded the French plon, of Mont Cenis, and of Mont Genèvre, as an impulsive and restless people, governed which open up the Alps in four directions, less by judgment or reflection than by en- exceed in boldness, grandeur, and art any thusiasm. He esteemed highly the noble thing ever attempted by the Romans; yet qualities and genuine patriotism of Lafayette it is not going too far to say that these noand his compeers, and viewed with just sever-ble monuments of genius, as compared with ity the absence of like appreciative tastes on the glories of Austerlitz or of Jena, form not the part of their giddy-minded countrymen. a single cornice of the broad pedestal of afThe ascendency and great popularity of Bo- fection from which towers his adored image. naparte was founded, as he argued, not so It is not to be supposed that a man of Crawmuch in real attachment and healthful admi- ford's austere constitution and sound judgration, as in morbidly excited passion, and in ment could sympathize with a people thus pride unduly and fatally influenced by a supercilious and vain. He had no tolerance perverted longing for national glory and for that species of patriotism which springs aggrandizement. He denied to the French from man-worship, and which burns only at people the possession of the sound discrimi- the shrine of military renown. It was nating sense and sterling qualities of charac- enough to fix and settle his opinion, when ter which so eminently belong to the Eng- he had detected the extreme susceptibility lish and the Americans in their rational ca- of the French people on this point. Their pacity. This may be regarded, by many, as chivalry, their bravery, their learning, their a harsh and overwrought judgment. We numerous unequalled accomplishments were incline to think, however, that those who all powerless, in his view, to palliate such judge France by the sure test of its history fatal perversion of taste and of reason. On will yield a concurrence of sentiment. The the whole, we incline to acquiesce in the prestige of great military fame, and of mar- correctness and justice of his opinions; tial deeds, has ever allured and controlled though, at the same time, we have always the admiration and affections of the French cherished, and cherish still, a very high adpeople, from the days of Clovis and Charle-miration of French chivalry and generosity magne to the present time. It is unquestionable, we think, that the charge at Lodi, the battle of the Pyramids, the passage of the Alps, the victory of Marengo and its splendid results, did more to endear Napoleon to the ardent Frenchmen, than all the grand achievements of his civil administration.

of character, and must award to them the palm of excellence in all those beautiful accomplishments which so adorn the domestic circle, and constitute the charm of society.

Longwood, Miss.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

J. B. C.

JUNIUS.*

"Podagricus fit pugil."-HORACE.

EIGHTY years ago, Junius said-not with of their vengeance. Our considerations of strict veracity, we believe-"I am the sole the subject may not only afford us many depositary of my secret, and it shall perish important historic views, but an interesting with me" and ever since, the politicians insight into the phenomena of human charand literary men of this country and Eng-acter. Junius must always be an attractive land have been either trying from time to theme, till discovery shall do away with the time to come at it, or wondering nobody at mystery, and then he will be equally attractany time had been able to do so. This let- ive as a part of history; as he is, even tered Sphinx has set the wits of a great now, to those who recognize his lineaments many to work, without having found an and great life, and who know that, of his Edipus among them, or, which amounts to offspring, one was the pilot who weathered the same thing, one who has had his solu- the fiercest storm that ever threatened the tion allowed by the generality of people. monarchy of England, and that the other He has spoken, nevertheless, though his led, with distinction, a portion of her arannouncement has not been high enough to maments, in the midst of it. be heard satisfactorily among the louder guesses of the Davuses.

As in Lord Byron's "Vision of Judgment," the mysterious appearance of Junius has undergone a variety of interpretations, changing from one likeness to another, after the manner of objects in “dissolving views."

"One would swear

He was his father; upon which another
Was sure he was his mother's cousin's brother.
Another that he was a duke or knight,
An orator, a lawyer, or a priest,

A nabob or man-midwife; but the wight
Mysterious changed his countenance at least
As oft as they their minds,

Till guessing from a pleasure grew a task
At this epistolary Iron Mask."

This question of Junius is not merely a curious one. There is something more than idle curiosity to be gratified by it. The themes of Junius concerned not England and that age only, but America and posterity. His was an era when germs of mighty results were growing into life within the four seas of Great Britain. The expenses of Pitt's memorable war obliged the English ministry to try and get money by taxing the American colonies. This attempt led to rebellion and to the most propitious revolution the world has seen. Others more tremendous but less fortunate grew out of it; and the vibrations of these great changes are felt in the world to this day. The record of the opinions, controversies, principles out of which came such conse-tary,) Dunning, Lord Ashburton, John quences, must always be interesting to us; and no small portion of that belongs to the bold literature of Junius. We naturally desire to know something about that masked scribe who singly attempted to stem the torrent of royal despotism, taught a king and his courtiers to tremble at the power of the printing-press, and baffled every effort

Among those put forward to claim the substance of this shadow were Edmund Burke, Gibbon, Lord George Germaine, Charles Lloyd, (George Grenville's Secre

Wilkes, Sir W. Jones, John Horne Tooke, Henry Grattan, Lord Chesterfield, Sir Philip Francis, H. Macaulay Boyd, (called by Almon the bookseller, "a broken gentleman without a guinea in his pocket,") Henry Flood, (the Irish orator, famous for his cadaverous aspect and broken beak,) Sam. Dyer, (a member of Dr. Johnson's and Oliver

*JUNIUS: Including Letters by the same Writer, under other signatures; to which are added his Confidential Correspondence with Mr. Wilkes, and his Private Letters to Mr. H. S. Woodfall. A new and enlarged edition, with new evidence as to the Authorship. By John Wade. London: Henry G. Bohn. 1850. New-York: Bangs, Brothers and Co.

Goldsmith's Literary Club, and Burke's Dunning, Lord Ashburton, has been put particular friend,) Lord Temple, Lord Chat-forward. An edition of Junius, published ham, Col. Barré, the Earl of Shelbourne, in London, 1801, with the name Robert W. G. Hamilton, (called, by misnomer, Heron, Esq., asserts that this lawyer was the Single-speech,) Leonidas Glover, Rev. Philip author of the letters. Heron's name was Rosenhagen, Major-Gen. Lee, the American, apparently an assumed one, and his design Horace Walpole, Valentine Greatrakes, &c. seemed to be to mystify the reader, and Enough surely in a list of between thirty lead him from the track of the real writer. and forty persons-a round half dozen of But there are many reasons why Dunning whom were Irishmen-to demonstrate-if did not write them; the first of which is, demonstration on the matter were at all that he could not. This reminds us of a necessary-how widely men's conclusions saying of Henry the Fourth of France. can diverge from a common text, and what When he was on a journey through the proa small amount of proof and probability is vinces, the mayor of a little town, desiring sufficient to bring home conviction to the to excuse the omission of a public salute on minds of a great many of us! Time has his Majesty's arrival, said there were five quietly disposed of the majority of the fore-reasons for the same-the first of which was, going names; their pretensions were as the want of cannons. Whereupon the shadowy as Nominis Umbra himself was King, who considered this excuse strong considered to be, and they have made them- enough to stand alone, told the mayor pleasselves thin air, into which they have van-antly that the first reason was so good, he ished like Macbeth's witches. The claims would dispense with the four others. In made for them were feeble-mostly ridicu- the same way, we may pass over the other lous. Lord Germaine was suspected at the reasons for setting Dunning aside. We do time Junius first appeared, because his Lord- not lay any very great stress on the fact ship was known to feel animosity against that he was Solicitor-General at the time the Marquis of Granby for the disgrace of the Letters appeared, and for over a year Minden, and to hold the strong Whig opin- afterwards. We do not see why they might ions expressed by Junius. But Lord George not have been written by an official, if he could not have composed the Letters of the was a Whig. This test of ability is one man in the paper mask. His Lordship's which should be applied to all the claims; style was meagre and commonplace. His and one which, with one exception, none of power as a writer was, in fact, upon a par those persons named can bear for a moment. with his spirit as a soldier-which is saying The men of genius who have been spoken enough for the claims of authorship set up of-Burke and Gibbon-stand the test as for him. Those of the Earl of Chesterfield, badly as the feebler mob of the pretenders. Horace Walpole and W. Gerard Hamilton, Gibbon has no political character indicating have also been supported. But these four his age; no strong blood to boil in the warfastidious men were all alike incapable of fare of contemporaries. He seems to have the truculent vigor, the splendid ferocity belonged more to the reign of Justinian of Junius. Hamilton in particular was and the theological business of the Council horrified that any one could think him the of Chalcedon-to the bold Monophysites, man to perpetrate some of Junius's para- Nestorians, and so forth, than to the early graphs. "Had I written," he says, "such lustrums of George the Third, Wilkes and a sentence, (as that of a nobleman who had Liberty, and the Stamp Act. Burke's travelled through every sign of the Zodiac-genius and that of Junius would seem to from the scorpion in which he stung Lord Chatham, to the hopes of a virgin, &c.,) “I should have thought I had forfeited all pretensions to good taste in composition for ever." Posterity cheerfully absolves Singlespeech, the owner of the Raree Show at Strawberry Hill, his unready soldiership, and the polite letter-writer of the age, of any share in the guilty tastes or tendencies of Junius.

be decided contrasts. Burke never exhibited that asperity which belongs to the anonymous politician. Burke was a great generalizer. Junius dealt in particulars. The former carried out his meaning in a chain of reasoning. The latter is too impatient to reason; he strikes abruptly at his mark-" o'erleaps all else, to light upon the issue." It is told of Burke that his prolix oratory used very often to tire and thin