both of Drake and Spencer Smith had been regularly transmitted, as fast as it took place, to the police of Paris, and that their principal corresponded in that city, M. Mehu de la Tonche, was himself an agent of the police, employed to tempt the British envoys into this perilous enterprise."]—­

At the same time that Bonaparte communicated to the Senate the report of the Grand Judge, the Minister for Foreign Affairs addressed the following circular letter to the members of the Diplomatic Body: 

The First Consul has commanded me to forward to your Excellency a copy of a report which has been presented to him, respecting a conspiracy formed in France by Mr. Drake, his Britannic Majesty’s Minister at the Court of Munich, which, by its object as well as its date, is evidently connected with the infamous plot now in the course of investigation.

   The printed copy of Mr. Drake’s letters and authentic documents is
   annexed to the report.  The originals will be immediately sent, by
   order of the First Consul, to the Elector of Bavaria.

Such a prostitution of the most honourable function which can be intrusted to a man is unexampled in the history of civilised nations.  It will astonish and afflict Europe as an unheard of crime, which hitherto the most perverse Governments have not dared to meditate.  The First Consul is too well acquainted with sentiments of the Diplomatic Body accredited to him not to be fully convinced that every one of its members will behold, with profound regret, the profanation of the sacred character of Ambassador, basely transformed into a minister of plots, snares, and corruption.

All the ambassadors, ministers, plenipotentiaries, envoys, ordinary or extraordinary, whatever might be their denomination, addressed answers to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in which they expressed horror and indignation at the conduct of England and Drake’s machinations.  These answers were returned only five days after the Duc d’Enghien’s death; and here one cannot help admiring the adroitness of Bonaparte, who thus compelled all the representatives of the European Governments to give official testimonies of regard for his person and Government.

CHAPTER XXYI.

1804.

Trial of Moreau, Georges, and others—­Public interest excited by Moreau—­Arraignment of the prisoners—­Moreau’s letter to Bonaparte—­ Violence of the President of the Court towards the prisoners—­ Lajolais and Rolland—­Examinations intended to criminate Moreau—­ Remarkable observations—­Speech written by M. Garat—­Bonaparte’s opinion of Garat’s eloquence—­General Lecourbe and Moreau’s son—­ Respect shown to Moreau by the military—­Different sentiments excited by Georges and Moreau—­Thoriot and ‘Tui-roi’—­Georges’ answers to the interrogatories—­He refuses an offer of pardon—­ Coster St. Victor—­Napoleon