About the beginning of the year 1810 commenced the differences between Napoleon and his brother Louis, which, as I have already stated, ended in a complete rupture.  Napoleon’s object was to make himself master of the navigation of the Scheldt which Louis wished should remain free, and hence ensued the union of Holland with the French Empire.  Holland was the first province of the Grand Empire which Napoleon took the new Empress to visit.  This visit took place almost immediately after the marriage.  Napoleon first proceeded to Compiegne, where he remained a week.  He next set out for St. Quentin, and inspected the canal.  The Empress Maria Louisa then joined him, and they both proceeded to Belgium.  At Antwerp the Emperor inspected all the works which he had ordered, and to the execution of which he attached great importance.  He returned by way of Ostend, Lille, and Normandy to St. Cloud, where he arrived on the 1st of June 1810.  He there learned from my correspondence that the Hanse Towns-refused to advance money for the pay of the French troops.  The men were absolutely destitute.  I declared that it was urgent to put an end to this state of things.  The Hanse towns had been reduced from opulence to misery by taxation and exactions, and were no longer able to provide the funds.

During this year Napoleon, in a fit of madness, issued a decree which I cannot characterise by any other epithet than infernal.  I allude to the decree for burning all the English merchandise in France, Holland, the Grand Duchy of Berg, the Hanse Towns; in short, in all places subject to the disastrous dominion of Napoleon.  In the interior of France no idea could possibly be formed of the desolation caused by this measure in countries which existed by commerce; and what a spectacle was it to, the, destitute inhabitants of those countries to witness the destruction of property which, had it been distributed, would have assuaged their misery!

Among the emigrants whom I was ordered to watch was M. de Vergennes, who had always remained at or near Hamburg Since April 1808.  I informed the Minister that M. de Vergennes had presented himself to me at this time.  I even remember that M. de Vergennes gave me a letter from M. de Remusat, the First Chamberlain of the Emperor.  M. de Remusat strongly recommended to me his connection, who was called by matters of importance to Hamburg.  Residence in this town was, however, too expensive, and he decided to live at Neumuhl, a little village on the Elbe, rather to the west of Altona.  There he lived quietly in retirement with an opera dancer named Mademoiselle Ledoux, with whom he had become acquainted in Paris, and whom he had brought with him.  He seemed much taken with her.  His manner of living did not denote large means.