You know, I suppose, that the bank of France has never issued but two sorts of notes; those of one thousand livres, (42/.) and those of five hundred livres (217.) At the day of its stoppage, sixty millions of livres (2,500,000/.) of the former, and fifteen millions of livres (625,000l.) of the latter, were in circulation; and I have heard a banker assert, that the bank had not then six millions of livres, (250,0007.) in money and bullion, to satisfy the claims of its creditors, or to honour its bills.

The shock given to the credit of the bank by this last requisition of Buonaparte, will be felt for a long time, and will, with difficulty, ever be repaired under his despotic government.Even now, when the bank pays in cash, our merchants make a difference from five to ten per cent, between purchasing for specie or paying in bank notes and this mistrust will not be lessened hereafter. You may, perhaps, object, that as long as the bank pays, it is absurd for any one possessing its bills to pay dearer than with cash, which might so easily be obtained. This objection would stand with regard to your, or any other free country, but here, where no payments are made in gold, but always in silver or copper, it requires a cart to carry away forty, thirty, or twenty thousand livres, in coin of these metals; and would immediately excite suspicion, that a bearer of these bills was an emissary of our enemies, or an enemy of our governWith us, unfortunately, suspicion is the same as conviction, and chastisement follows it as its shadow.

ment.

A manufacturer of the name of Debrais established in the Rue St. Martin, where he had for years, carried on business in the woollen line, went to the bank, two days after it had began to pay. He demanded, and obtained exchange, for twenty-four thousand livres (1,000l.) in notes, necessary for him to pay what was due by him to his workmen. The same afternoon, six of our custom-house officers, accompanied by police agents and Gens-d'Armes, paid him a domiciliary visit, under pretence of searching for English goods. Several bales, as being of that description, were seized, and Debrais was carried a prisoner to La Foree. On being examined by Fouche, he offered to prove, by the very men who had fabricated the suspected goods, that they were not English. The minister silenced him by saying, that government had not only evidence of the contrary, but was

convinced that he was employed as an English agent, to hurt the credit of the bank, and, therefore, if he did not give up his accomplices or employers, had condemned him to transportation. In vain did his wife and daughters petition to Madame Buonaparte; Debrais is now at Rochefort, if not already embarked for our colonies.

When he was arrested, a seal, as usual, was put on his house; from which his wife and family were turned out, until the police should have time to take an inventory of his effects, and had decided on, his fate. When Madame Debrais, after much trouble, and many pecuniary sacrifices, at last obtained permission to have the seals removed and re-enter her house, she found that all her plate, and more than half her goods and furniture, had been stolen and carried away. Upon her complaint of of this theft, she was thrown into prison for not being able to support her complaint with proofs, and for attempting to vilify the characters of the agents of our government. She is still in prison, but her daughters are, by her orders, disposing of the remainder of their parents' property, and intend to join their father, as soon as their mother has recovered her liberty.

The same tyranny that supports the credit of our bank, also keeps up the price of our stocks. Any of our great stockholders, who sell out to any large amount, if they are unable to account for, or unwilling to declare the manner in which they intend to employ their money, are immediately arrested; sometimes transported to the colonies; but more frequently exiled into the country, to remain under the inspection of some police agent ; and are not allowed to return here, without the previous permission of our government. Those of them who are upstarts, and have made their fortunes since the revolution, by plunder, or as contractors, are still more severely treated ; and are often obliged to renounce part of their ill-gotten wealth to save the remainder; or to preserve their liberty or lives. A revisal of their former accounts, or an inspection of their past transactions, arę certain and efficacious threats, to keep them in silent submission, as they all well understand the meaning of them.

Even foreigners, whom our numerous national bankruptcies have not yet disheartened, are subject to these measures of rigour or vigour requisite to preserve our public credit. In the au

tumn, last year, a Dutchman of the name of Vander Winkle, sold out, by his agent, for three millions of livres (125,000/.) in our stock on one day, for which he bought up bills upon Hamburgh and London. He lodged in the hotel des quatre nations, Rue Grenelle, where the landlord, who is a patriot, introduced some police agents into his apartment, during his absence.— These broke open all his trunks, drawers, and even his writingdesk, and, when he entered, seized his person, and carried him to the Temple. By his correspondence it was discovered, that all his money was to be brought over to England; a reason more than sufficient to incur the suspicion of our government. Vander Winkel spoke very little French, and he continued, therefore, in confinement three weeks, before he was examined, as our secret police had not at Paris, any of its agents, who spoke Dutch. Carried before Fouche, he avowed that the money was destined for England, there to pay for some plantations which he desired to purchase in Surinam and Berbice. His interpreter advised him, by the orders of Fouche, to alter his mind; and as he was fond of colonial property, lay out his money in plantations at Cayenne, which was in the vicinity of Surinam, and where government would recommend him advantageous purchases. It was hinted to him also, that this was a particular favour, and a proof of the generosity of our government; as his papers contained many matters, that easily might be construed to be of a treasonable nature. After consulting with Schimmelpenninck, the ambassador of his country, he wrote for his wife and children, and was seen safe with them to Bordeaux, by our police agents, who had hired an American vessel to carry them all to Cayenne. This certainly is a new method to populate our colonies with capitalists.

MY LORD,

LETTER XLIII.

Paris, September, 1805.

HANOVER has been a mine of gold to our government, to its generals, to its commissaries, and to its favourites. According to the boasts of Talleyrand, and avowal of Berthier, we have

drawn from it, within two years, more wealth than has been paid in contributions to the Electors of Hanover for this century past; and more than half a century of peace can restore to that unfortunate country. It is reported here, that each person employ ed in a situation to make his fortune, in the continental states of the King of England (a name given here to Hanover, in courtesy to Buonaparte) was laid under contribution, and expected to make certain douceurs to Madame Buonaparte; and it is said that she has received from Mortier, three hundred thousand livres, and from Bernadotte two hundred and fifty thousand livres, besides other large sums from our military commissaries, treasurers, and other agents in the Electorate.

General Mortier is one of the few favourite officers of Buonaparte, who have distinguished themselves under his rivals, Pichegru and Moreau, without ever serving under him. Edward Adolph Casimer Mortier, is the son of a shopkeeper, and was born at Cambray, in 1768. He was a shopman with his father until 1791, when he obtained a commission, first as lieutenant of Carabiniers, and afterwards, as captain of the first battalion of volunteers of the department of the North. His first sight of an enemy, was on the 30th of April, 1792, near Quiverain, where he had a horse killed under him. He was present in the battles of Jemappes, of Nerwinde, and of Pellenberg. At the battle of Houdscoote, he distinguished himself so much, as to be promoted to an adjutant-general. He was wounded at the battle of Fleures, and again at the passage of the Rhine, in 1795, under general Moreau. During 1796 and 1797, he continued to serve in Germany, but in 1798 and in 1799, he headed a division in Switzerland; from which Buonaparte recalled him in 1800, to command the troops in the capital and its environs. His addresses to Buonaparte, announcing the votes of the troops under him, respecting the consulate for life, and the elevation to the Imperial throne, contain such mean and abject flattery, that, for a true soldier, it must have required more self-command, and more courage to pronounce them, than to brave the fire of a hundred cannons; but these very addresses, contemptible as their contents are, procured him the field-marshal's staff. Mortier well knew his man, and that his cringing in anti-chambers would be better rewarded, than his services in the field. I was not present when

Mortier spoke so shamefully! but I have heard from persons who witnessed this farce, that he had his eyes the whole time fixed on the ground, as if to say; "I grant that I speak as a despicable being, and I grant that I am so; but what shall I do, tormented as I am by ambition, to figure among the great, and to riot among the wealthy. Have compassion on my weakness, or, if you have not, I will console myself with the idea, that my meanness is only of the duration of half an hour, while its recompence-my rank-will be permanent.

Mortier married, in 1799, the daughter of the landlord of the Belle Sauvage inn, at Coblentz, who was pregnant by him, or some other guest of her father. She is pretty but not handsome ; and she takes advantage of her husband's complaisance, to console herself both for his absence and infidelities. When she was delivered of her last child, Mortier positively declared, that he had not slept with her for twelve months, and the babe has, indeed, less resemblance of him, than of his valet de chambre. The child was baptized with great splendour; the Emperor and Empress were the sponsors, and it was christened by cardinal Fesch. Buonaparte presented Madame Mortier, on this occasion, with a diamond necklace, valued at one hundred and fifty thousand livres (6,000)

During his different campaigns, and particularly, during his glorious campaign in Hanover, he has collected property to the amount of seven millions of livres, laid out in estates and lands. He is considered by other generals, as a brave captain, but an indifferent chief; and among our fashionables and other courtiers, he is held up as a model of connubial fidelity; satisfying himself with keeping three mistresses only.

There was no truth in the report, that his recall from Hanover was in consequence of any disgrace; on the contrary, it was a new proof Buonaparte's confidence and attachment. He was recalled to take the command of the artillery of Buonaparte's household troops, the moment Pichegru, Georges and Moreau, were arrested, and when the Imperial title had been resolved on. More resistance against this innovation, was, at that time expect ed than experienced.

Bernadotte, who succeeded Mortier in the command ofour army in Hanover, is a man of a different stamp. His father