He records
in his diary, with gratitude, the friendly attentions of Volney,
Denon, and the Duc de Bassano; but, with these exceptions, he seems to
have been treated with great coolness, even by those to whom his
hospitality had been freely tendered in America. He always suspected
that the alienation and immutable discountenance of the emperor were
to be ascribed to the representations of _Talleyrand_ and the
representatives of the United States in France.
Several months neglect and inattention at length discouraged him, and
he resolved to return home; but, on applying for a passport to the
United States, he was informed by the police that he could not have a
passport to go out of the empire. "Me voila [he writes in his
journal], prisonier d'Etat! et presque sans sous." This event changed
the course of his solicitations; and for the next year we find him,
having abandoned all projects of ambition, limiting himself to
solicitation for permission to go home, and without success. A
memorial which he addressed to Napoleon sets forth in these manly
terms the harshness and injustice of his treatment.
"While in Germany last winter I saw in the _Moniteur_ an expression of
your majesty's assent to the independence of the Spanish American
colonies. Believing that I could be useful in the execution of that
object, I hastened to Frankfort, and there addressed myself to your
majesty's minister, Monsieur Hedouville, who, at my request, wrote to
the minister of exterior relations, stating my views, and asking a
passport if those views should be deemed worthy of your majesty's
attention.
Pages:
1057
1058
1059
1060
1061
1062
1063
1064
1065
1066
1067
1068
1069
1070
1071
1072
1073
1074
1075
1076
1077
1078
1079
1080
1081