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NEWS OF THE CAPITULATION OF PARIS --
JULY 7,1815
PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE
London, July 7.
The gloom which was occasioned throughout the whole of yesterday,
in consequence of unfavourable reports in circulation, of Prince
Blucher having been defeated, &c.&c. Has been completely
dispelled today, by the arrival of official dispatches from the
Duke of Wellington to Government, containing a copy of a military
convention, entered into for the capitulation of Paris, which was
immediately published in the Extraordinary Gazette.
After the Gazette had been generally perused by the public,
considerable dissatisfaction was expressed by many persons at the
too favourable terms granted to the enemy, and because no
provision had apparently been made for the restoration of King
Louis XVIII and for the punishment of all the Marshals and others
who have been considered incorrigible traitors. In due time,
however, it is believed, that these persons will be dealt with
according to the degree of crime they have been guilty of.
The letters which have accompanied the French papers of the 2nd
and 4th inst. from Paris, inform us, that it was not the
intention of the allies to interfere in the affairs of the French
government, but that every thing would be left to the will of the
King, who was expected at Paris in a day or two. Meanwhile his
Majesty's friends were preparing for the reassumption of the
reine of government. It was expected that the first act of the
King would be to abolish altogether the present government, if
they did not think it prudent themselves to separate, and seek
safety in flight. His Majesty would then establish a new
administration, and proceed without delay to enact new laws, or
to declare those in full force which were in existence during his
former restoration.
The next thing to be done, it was supposed, would be entirely to
disband the army who had fought in the cause of Bonaparte, and to
organize new armies amongst the tried friends of the Bourbons.
Matters thus far arranged, vigorous measures would be adopted to
bring to condign punishment the chief conspirators against his
Majesty's Government; but very few of them, we are given to
understand, would have the temerity to wait for the establishment
of the new order of things; some have already attempted their
escape from the country, but with what success we have still to
learn.
With respect to Bonaparte himself, there are various reports in
circulation, but we doubt whether the true one has been suffered
to transpire. On the 30th it is said he quitted Paris, with six
carriages and six, and was supposed to have taken the road to
Cherbourg or Rochfort, for the purpose of embarking. At Havre it
is stated that a large American ship was waiting there in
expectation of his arrival. Another account in the French papers
says, "It appears certain that Napoleon will embark at
Rochfort and not at Cherbourg -- three carriages of his suite,
and many covered wagons, heavily laden, passed through Chartres
on the 30th ult. on their route to Vendome."
To these accounts we can add another, communicated from Rouen,
under date of the 3rd inst. We had the perusal of the letter, and
it states to the following purport: "Bonaparte has been
arrested in his flight, and this will terminate the calamities of
Europe." Murat is noticed in the Paris papers, as follows:
"We learn from Marseilles that Murat quitted Antibes, to
take the waters of Greouls, in Savoy." It is also reported,
that he died at Lyons, in the house of the President of the
Imperial Court.
On Saturday and Sunday the museum of the Louvre was not opened to
the public. We are assured that the three allied Monarchs are
arrived at Nancy. The French funds, on the 4th inst. Were 65 1/4;
this rise was in consequence of all cause of war being considered
to have ceased by the immediate restoration of Louis XVIII.
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