Gillray, of course (November 21, 1799), touched on it, but not very effectively, his picture ‘Exit Libertè a la Francais!--or--Buonaparte closing the Farce of Égalité, at Saint Cloud, near Paris, November 10, 1799,’ being the weakest caricature of any on this subject. Napoleon is directing his troops, who are charging the Council with fixed bayonets.
The Council met again at night, but simply to do as they were bid. Thorne, the grenadier with the torn coat, was decreed to have deserved well of his country, as were also Napoleon, Lefebvre, Murat, Berthier, and many others. Sixty-one members of the Council were expelled, and Article two of the Resolution, passed that night, says,--
‘The Legislative Body creates provisionally an Executive Consular Committee, composed of Citizens Syeyes and Roger Ducos, Ex-Directors, and Buonaparte, General. They shall bear the name of Consuls of the French Republic.’
NAPOLEON TAKES THE LEAD--SIÈYES AND DUCOS ARE DEPOSED--CAMBACÉRÈS AND LEBRUN NAMED SECOND AND THIRD CONSULS--NAPOLEON’S LETTER TO GEORGE THE THIRD--REPLY TO SAME.
Napoleon had now got his foot fairly on the ladder, but it was he alone who was to mount it. At the first meeting of the Consuls, Sièyes asked, ‘Which of us is to preside?’ Ducos had grasped the position, and replied, ‘Do you not see that the General presides?’
There is a caricature by Cawse (November 30, 1799) of ‘Satan’s return from Egypt/Earth. Discovered in Council with Belzebub and Belial--a Sketch after Fuseli[53]!!!’ Here Napoleon forms the centre figure, one foot resting on a skull, the other on the Marseillaise hymn and the Council of Five Hundred. Behind him is a glory, with a trinity formed of three daggers--Sièyes, Ducos, and Buonaparte. Devils surround him, and, at his feet, is a howling French mob.
Our hero, now, the people guided, And a new government provided. First Consul, _modestly_ he claim’d, Two others were Sub-Consuls named; But these were not in Boney’s way, For the first Consul had full sway. And now these Consuls took an oath, For Nap to swear was never loth. Thus elevated, Josephine Imagin’d she would be a queen; But she by Nap was harshly told, That six and forty was too old; His mother, who the lady hated, Advised him to be separated; By her persuasions, Nap, of course Began to think of a divorce. He ponder’d ev’ry afternoon, And rubbing once his forehead, soon The lady’s banishment decreed, Because--their tempers disagreed. In fact, her faults he recollected, And her caresses now rejected. But, as ’twill not improve our morals, We’ll pass these matrimonial quarrels. As Nap a love of pow’r betray’d, He great munificence display’d; For he rewarded with donations, His friends, especially relations. He to his mother acted handsome, As he bestowed on her a grand sum; For Joe, and Lucien, he provided, Who, at this time, in France resided-- How suddenly success awaits men! Both Joe, and Lucien, he made Statesmen.