On the 14th of April 1816 Sir Hudson Lowe, the new Governor, arrived at St. Helena.  This epoch is important, as making the beginning of a continued series of accusations, and counter-accusations, by which the last five years of Napoleon’s life were constantly occupied, to the great annoyance of himself and all connected with him, and possibly to the shortening of his own existence.

It would be tedious to detail the progress of this petty war, but, as a subject which has formed so great a portion of the life of Napoleon, it must not be omitted.  To avoid anything which may appear like a bias against Napoleon, the details, unless when otherwise mentioned, will be derived from Las Cases, his devoted admirer.

On the first visit of the new Governor; which was the 16th of April, Napoleon refused to admit him, because he himself was ill, and also because the Governor had not asked beforehand for an audience.  On the second visit the Governor, was admitted to an audience, and Napoleon seems to have taken a prejudice at first sight, as he remarked to his suite that the Governor was “hideous, and had a most ugly countenance,” though he allowed he ought not to judge too hastily.  The spirit of the party was shown by a remark made, that the first two days had been days of battle.

The Governor saw Napoleon again on the 30th April, and the interview was stormy.  Napoleon argued with the Governor on the conduct of the Allies towards him, said they had no right to dispose of him, who was their equal and sometimes their master.  He then declaimed on the eternal disgrace the English had inflicted on themselves by sending him to St. Helena; they wished to kill him by a lingering death:  their conduct was worse than that of the Calabrians in shooting Murat.  He talked of the cowardliness of suicide, complained of the small extent and horrid climate of St. Helena, and said it would be an act of kindness to deprive him of life at once.  Sir H. Lowe said that a house of wood, fitted up with every possible accommodation, was then on its way from England for his use.  Napoleon refused it at once, and exclaimed that it was not a house but an executioner and a coffin that he wanted; the house was a mockery, death would be a favour.  A few minutes after Napoleon took up some reports of the campaigns of 1814, which lay on the table, and asked Sir H. Lowe if he had written them.  Las Cases, after saying that the Governor replied in the affirmative, finishes his account of the interview, but according to O’Meara, Napoleon said they were full of folly and falsehood.  The Governor, with a much milder reply than most men would have given, retired, and Napoleon harangued upon the sinister expression of his countenance, abused him in the coarsest manner, and made his servant throw a cup of coffee out of the window because it had stood a moment on a table near the Governor.

It was required that all persons who visited at Longwood or at Hut’s Gate should make a report to the Governor, or to Sir Thomas Reade, of the conversations they had held with the French.  Several additional sentinels were posted around Longwood House and grounds.