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LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.
“ Infernal Machine,” of which I have already spoken.The only addition I shall add to what I have already said is,that Murat and his wife, having obtained the pardon of theconvicted and condemned Marquess de Riviere, and of PrincePolignac, evinced his repugnance to shedding blood inpolitical vengeance, so as actually to urge Napoleon to sparethe life of George Cadoudal. “George Cadoudal,”said heto Napoleon , “ is certainly guilty; but in the course ofcivil discords, previous to an evident final settlement, it isnot a crime to attempt a change. The result decides who isguilty , and who is not. Such crimes as Cadoudal’s arepolitical not juridical. You yourself, Napoleon , are aninstance to the point—you have committed a political crimein which I aided you. George Cadoudal, also, thought thecause in which he was engaged, the just one. Polignac andde Riviere, whom you have pardoned, were enjoyingthemselves in London , while George was exposing himselfto be shot in the Vendee ! Why not pardon George also?He has shown himself to be a man of great strength of mindand strict sense of duty. I like the man. He will be faith-ful to any one wlio-is his friend. If you pardon him, I willtake him for one of my Aides-de-Camp, and will answerfor his fidelity with my head.” Napoleon replied, “ No,—lcannot pardon George ! he is an assassin—has assassinatedmany—attempted to assassinate me—and would assassinateothers ! Assassination is not in the political code ! Impor-tune me no longer!” The efforts of Murat and his wifewere insufficient to save Cadoudal, but Polignac, and deRiviere, they did notoriously save. It was the latter whoset a price on the head of Murat when, in 1815, he soughtrefuge in France , a helpless, peaceable, unoffending fugitive.Of this, the particulars by and by.
Murat had nothing to do with the death of the Duked’Enghien , save and except that at the time of his execution