"Frenchmen!
"The Foreign Powers proclaimed, in the face of Europe, that they were only armed against Napoleon; and that they wished to respect our independence, and the right which belongs to every Nation to choose a Government suitable to its habits and its interests.
"Napoleon is no longer the Chief of the State. He has renounced the Throne, and his Abdication has been accepted by your Representatives. He is removed from us. His son is called to the Empire by the Constitution of the State. The coalesced Sovereigns are informed of this; and the War ought to be terminated, if the promises of Kings have any foundation in truth.
"While Plenipotentiaries have been sent to the Allied Powers to treat for peace in the name of France; the Generals of two of those Powers have refused any Suspension of Arms. Their troops have accelerated their marches under favour of a moment of hesitation and trouble. They are now at the very gates of the capital, and no communication has stated for what object the War is continued. Our Plenipotentiaries will soon declare whether we must renounce Peace. In the mean time, resistance is not only legitimate, but necessary: and humanity, in requiring an account of the blood uselessly shed, will not accuse those brave men who only combat to repel from their houses the scourges of war, murder, and pillage; and to defend with their lives the cause of Liberty, and of that Independence the imprescriptible right of which has been guaranteed to them even by the Manifestoes of their Enemies.
"Amidst these circumstances, your Representatives cannot forget that they were not chosen to stipulate for the interests of any individual Party, but for the whole Nation. Every act of weakness will dishonour them, and will only tend to endanger the future tranquillity of France. While the Government is employing all the means in its power to obtain a solid Peace; or, should that not be obtained without compromising our honour, to repel the Battalions of Foreigners: what more advantages to the Nation can be done than to collect and establish the fundamental rules of a Monarchical and Representative Government, destined to secure to all citizens the free enjoyment of those sacred rights which sacrifices so numerous and so great have purchased; and to rally for ever, under the National Colours, that great body of Frenchmen who have no other interest, and no other wish, than an honourable repose and a just independence.
"Meanwhile the Chambers conceive that their duty and their dignity require them to declare that they will never acknowledge, as legitimate Chief of the State, him who, on ascending the Throne, shall refuse to acknowledge the Rights of the Nation, and to consecrate them by a solemn Compact. The Constitutional Charter is drawn up; and if the force of arms should succeed in temporarily imposing upon us a Master—if the destinies of a great Nation are again to be delivered up to the caprice and arbitrary will of a small number of privileged persons—then, in yielding to force, the National Representation will protest in the face of the whole World against the oppression of the French People.
"Your Representatives will appeal to the energy of the present and future generations to renew their claim both to National Independence, and the Rights of Civil and Religious Liberty. For these Rights they now appeal to the reason and the justice of all civilized Nations."
Notwithstanding the continued endeavours, on the part of the French Commissioners appointed by the Chambers, to induce the Allied Generals to enter upon an Armistice; the military operations were not for a moment interrupted.
On the morning of the 1st of July, Bülow's Corps d' Armée (the Fourth) moved off to its right, towards Argenteuil. During the movement, however; the Enemy, as if at length aware, or desirous of ascertaining the nature, of Blücher's operation, attacked the Village of Aubervilliers in front, from the Canal of St Denis, and penetrated as far as the Church situated in the centre of the place. The French were here met by the Prussian Support; and two Battalions from the main position arriving immediately afterwards, they were prevented from making any further progress. Nevertheless, a prolonged tiraillade, as well as a howitzer fire, on the part of the French, were maintained; during which the march of Bülow's Corps continued in operation, the Fourteenth Brigade being left in support to the Advanced Posts until the arrival of the Anglo-Allied troops.
In the afternoon, the Duke of Wellington's Army reached Le Bourget; and took up the position vacated by Prince Blücher, whose Advanced Posts it immediately relieved. Three Companies of Light Infantry from Colville's Division were thrown into Aubervilliers. The Prussians who had hitherto been stationed for the purpose of masking as much as possible the general movement of their Army to the right, had kept up a desultory fire from that portion of the Village which was in their possession; abstaining from making any direct attack, since this might have led to the advance of the French in great force at the moment the former were no longer supported by the main Army, and before the Anglo-Allied troops had arrived.
The British Light Companies, mentioned as having been thrown into Aubervilliers, were under no restraint of this kind; and Lieutenant Colonel Sir Neil Campbell, who commanded them, determined to push forward, and possess himself, if possible, of the entire Village. Having first gained two or three of the highest houses, he broke from the top of these into some that were lower; and thence forcing his way through the partition walls of others, without much firing, since the French did not appear disposed to make an obstinate resistance (being by that time probably aware of the Prussian movement to the right, and of the arrival of the Anglo-Allied Army), he succeeded in obtaining possession of one side of a whole street, and of the greater portion of the Village. The French Officer in command then proposed a truce; which was accepted, since the Post he occupied lay between the British and a Battery upon the Canal. The remaining Outposts were taken up from the Prussians without any molestation on the part of the Enemy; and the main Anglo-Allied Army occupied a position, having its Right upon the Height of Richebourg, and its Left upon the Wood of Bondy.
It will be recollected that Lieutenant Colonel Sohr, of the Prussian Light Cavalry, was directed to pass the Bridge of St Germain on the morning of the 30th of June, and to show himself on the Orleans road upon the 1st of July. Starting at daybreak of the 30th, the Brigade passed through Montmorency and Argenteuil, towards St Germain; where it fell in with Major Colomb's Detachment, consisting of the 8th Hussars and two Battalions of Infantry. It then moved on about a league further, to Marly, upon the Versailles road; which it reached at nightfall, and where it bivouacked. On the morning of the 1st of July, Lieutenant Colonel Sohr resumed his march, and took the direction of Versailles, which place, however, he did not reach until noon; much delay having occurred whilst passing through the intersected ground in that quarter, and in awaiting the Reports from the Detachments sent out in different directions to gain intelligence of the Enemy.
This bold and hazardous movement of Lieutenant Colonel Sohr's Brigade, which was acting independently as a Free Corps for the time, did not escape the Enemy's observation. General Excelmans, who commanded the French Cavalry on the south side of Paris, on receiving information that two Regiments of Prussian Hussars were advancing by Marly upon Versailles, resolved to attack them.
For this purpose he proceeded himself with the 5th, 15th, and 20th Dragoons, and the 6th Hussars, comprising a force of three thousand men, along the road from Montrouge towards Plessis Piquet, against the front of the Prussian Brigade. At the same time, the Light Cavalry Division of General Piré, together with the 33rd Regiment of Infantry, consisting of three Battalions, were detached against the flank and rear of the Prussian Brigade. The 5th and 6th Lancers marched by the Sèvres road upon Viroflay; the 6th Chasseurs proceeded to occupy the cross roads connecting Sèvres with the northern portion of Versailles; the 1st Chasseurs moved by Sèvres towards Rocquencourt, about three miles from Versailles, on the road to St Germain; in which direction the 33rd Infantry followed. Both the latter Regiments were destined to cut off the retreat of the Prussian Cavalry, should it be driven back by Excelmans. An exceedingly well planned ambush was now laid in and about Rocquencourt, and every precaution taken by the detaching of small parties on the look out.