NAPOLEONE BONAPARTE.

57

These men are bitter enemies to each other, and it has been fuppofed to be Bonaparte's policy to keep them fo.

In the winter of 1796, Bonaparte was united to Madame Beauharnois, a beautiful French-woman, who had experienced a variety of perfecutions during the time of Robefpierre. Her former husband had attained the rank of general in the fervice of the Republic, and had always conducted himself as a friend of liberty. On that memorable day, when Louis XVI. and his family repaired to Paris, M. de Beauharnois fat as prefident of the National Affembly, and exhibited great dignity of demeanour; notwithstanding this, he fell a victim to the terrorists, who, joining the narrow ideas of fectarifts to the ferocious character peculiar to themfelves, perfecuted all whofe opinions were. not exactly conformable to their own ftandard. M. Barras, at length, luckily for her, extended his protection to the widow, who afterwards became the wife of his friend.

Such is the character of this great and wonderful man, whose brilliant conquefts have aftonished the world; and who, from a state of obscurity, has, by bold and undaunted bravery, and a fertile genius, raised himself, at the age of thirty-three, to one of the moft confpicuous and elevated. stations on earth!

We shall here fubjoin the French People's Declaration of this truly WONDERFUL MAN being fully appointed FIRST CONSUL (in other words KING) of the French Republic for Life, together with BONAPARTE's Reply to the fame, as extracted from the Registers of the Confervative Senate of the 2d of August, 1802.

The Confervative Senate, confifting of the number of Members prefcribed by the 90th article of the constitution, deliberating upon the meffage of the Confuls of the Republic, of the 29th ult. after having heard the Report of VOL. I. No. 2.

I

the

the Special Committee, charged with the verification of the Registers of the Votes given by the French people, seeing the Proces Verbal prepared by the Special Committee, and which states, that 3,577,259 citizens have given their fuffrages, and that 3,568,885 citizens have voted, that Napoleone Bonaparte should be appointed First Conful for life; confidering that the Senate, established by the Constitution as the organ of the people, in every thing in which the focial compact is interested, ought to manifest in a fplendid manner the national gratitude towards the conquering and pacificating hero, and to proclaim folemnly that it is the will of the French people to give to the Government every neceffary ftability and independence, in order to enfure the profperity and glory of the Republic, decrees as follows:

Article I. The French People do appoint, and the Senate do proclaim, Napoleone Bonaparte First Conful for

life.

II. A Statue of Peace, holding in one hand the Laurel of Victory, and in the other the Decree of the Senate, thall attest to posterity the gratitude of the Nation.

III. The Senate fhall convey to the First Conful the expreffion of the confidence, the love, and the admiration of the French People.

(Signed)

BARTHELEMY, Prefident,

VAUBOIS and FARGUES, Secretaries.

By the Confervative Senate, the Secretary General,

(Signed)

The First Conful replied as follows:

"SENATORS,

CAUCHY.

"The life of a Citizen belongs to his country. The people of France with that the whole of mine fhould be con

fecrated

NAPOLEONE BONAPARTE.

59

fecrated to their fervice, and I obey.-In giving me this new, this permanent pledge of their confidence, they have imposed upon me the duty of maintaining the fyftem of the Laws and Inftitutions of the Republic. By my efforts, by your co-operation, Citizen Senators, and that of the Conftitutional Authorities, and by the confidence and will of this immenfe People, the Liberty, Equality, and Prosperity of the People of France will be fecured from all the accidents which arife from the uncertainty of futurity. The best people fhall, as they deserve, be the most happy, and their happiness fhall contribute to that of all Europe. Content with having been called by the order of those from whom every thing emanates, to bring back upon the earth Justice, Order, and Equality, I fhall hear my last hour found without regret, and without any uneafinefs about the opinion of future generations. Senators, receive my thanks for this folemn proceeding. The desire of the Senate has expreffed the wifh of the People of France, and is thereby more ftrongly connected with whatever remains to be done for the happiness of the People of France. It is very gratifying to me, to be affured of this by the speech of fo diftinguished a Prefident."

A Remarkable Narrative refpecting His Majefty's Ship RESISTANCE, (Captain E. PAKENHAM, Commander) from December, 1797, to the Time of her blowing up in the Straits of Banca, July 24th 1798; and the Wonderful Escape and Deliverance of Four of her Crew, the only Survivors of that Unaccountable Catastrophe.

IN confequence of certain intelligence brought from the eastward by Captain Shepherdson, of the Venus, that a part of the crew of an Englifh fhip of war (fuppofed to be his Majefty's fhip the Refiftance), which had the misfortune

to be blown up in the Straits of Banca fome months before, had been picked up by fome pirate prows and carried to Lingan, where the furvivors ftill exifted in a state of flavery, Major Taylor, commanding the garrison of Malacca, immediately dispatched a prow to that ifland, for the relief of those unfortunate men.

In this prow, fuitably appointed with supplies, he sent a fepoy, who, being well acquainted with the Malay tongue, was charged with a letter to the Sultan of Lingan; entreating that Prince to affift in the moft effectual measures for the recovery and release of such of the Refiftance's fhip's company as he might be able to difcover in this calamitous fituation.

On the 5th of December, 1798, the prow returned to Malacca, bringing with her one feaman, late of the Refiftance's crew, from the declaration of whom the following narrative is taken.

The detail given by this man appears entitled to the greater fhare of credence, as no deviation from the circumftances related in his story was to be found upon the several interrogatories put to him from time to time afterwards; as it comes very near to the floating report which Captain Shepherdson had of the Malays at Rhio; and as it coincides remarkably in many of its principal points with that which had already come round to Malacca from Pinang, as there related by his three comrades, who had not lefs providentially arrived in fafety at that fettlement.

Thomas Scott, feaman, aged 22 years, a native of Wexford in Ireland, relates on examination as follows:

That he formerly belonged to the Chesterfield South Sea Whaler; from which he remained at Timor Befar for three years in the Dutch employ, till the capture of that place, when he entered on board the Refiftance.

That she met with a heavy gale of wind on the laft December, which continued for four days unabated;

of

and

and in which the proved fo leaky that her chain pumps were kept conftantly at work, night and day; fo that in order to lighten her they were obliged to heave a number of her upper deck guns overboard. She then bore away for the Phillipines, intending, as he believes, afterwards to fail for Malacca. Being in want of wood, water, and provifions, Captain Pakenham tried the expedient of hoifting Spanish colours, as he cruifed along fhore, till he came to anchor nearly within reach of the guns of Antego. The Deputy Governor of this town, and the captain of a Spanish brig then lying at anchor in the bay, accordingly came off to them; but difcovering their mistake when too late, upon endeavouring to escape, were foon brought back and put aboard by a boat from the Refiftance. Upon their assurances that they would do their utmost to have the wants of Captain Pakenham amply supplied, he generously suffered them to return, however, the fame evening to the thore. No part of these fair promises being fulfilled, nor the likelihood of it, at five o'clock the next evening, Captain Pakenham fent his third Lieutenant, Mr. Cuthbert, in the cutter, with an armed party, to cut out the Spanish brig; in which attempt they fucceeded, though fired upon fmartly by the guns of the fort within range of which she had anchored. Scott remembers this event to have happened on Christmas Day.

The Refiftance and her prize failed from thence, immediately after, for Balambangan; at which place they arrived in four days. Having wooded and watered here, and gotten a partial fupply of rice and live ftock, the hip continuing leaky, with blowing weather, Captain Pakenham. and the prize fet fail from this place for the Celebes; and arrived in about eighteen days at Limby, near Munadoo, on that island. The fame evening that he anchored here he difpatched the brig to Amboyna, to fignify his diftrefs for fupplies; in confequence of which, the Bombay frigate

was