I must acknowledge that I was under much apprehension as to this event.  At the intelligence of the approach of the French army consternation was great and universal in Hamburg, which was anxious to maintain its neutrality unimpaired.  At the urgent request of the magistrates of the city I assumed functions more than diplomatic, and became, in some respects, the first magistrate of the town.  I went to meet Marshal Mortier to endeavour to dissuade him from entering.  I thought I should by this means better serve the interests of France than by favouring the occupation of a neutral town by our troops.  But all my remonstrances were useless.  Marshal Mortier had received formal orders from the Emperor.

No preparations having been made at Hamburg for the reception of Marshal Mortier, he quartered himself and his whole staff upon me.  The few troops he had with him were disposed of in my courtyard, so that the residence of a Minister of peace was all at once converted into headquarters.  This state of things continued until a house was got ready for the Marshal.

Marshal Mortier had to make very rigorous exactions, but my representations suspended for a while Napoleon’s orders for taking possession of the Bank of Hamburg.  I am here bound to bear testimony to the Marshal’s honourable principles and integrity of character.  The representations which I had sent to Marshal Mortier were transmitted by the latter to the Emperor at Berlin; and Mortier stated that he had suspended the execution of the orders until he should receive others.  The Emperor approved of this.  It was, indeed, a happy event for France and for Europe, even more so than for Hamburg.  Those who suggested to the Emperor the idea of pillaging that fine establishment must have been profoundly ignorant of its importance.  They thought only of the 90,000,000 of marks banco deposited in its cellars.

By the famous decree of Berlin, dated 21st November 1806, Mortier was compelled to order the seizure of all English merchandise in the Hanse Towns, but he enforced the decree only so far as to preserve the appearance of having obeyed his orders.

Mortier, on leaving Hamburg for Mecklenburg, was succeeded by General Michaud, who in his turn was succeeded by Marshal Brune in the beginning of 1807.  I am very glad to take the present opportunity of correcting the misconceptions which arose through the execution of certain acts of Imperial tyranny.  The truth is, Marshal Brune, during his government, constantly endeavoured to moderate, as far as he could, the severity of the orders he received.  Bernadotte became Governor of Hamburg when the battle of Jena rendered Napoleon master of Prussia and the north of Germany.