Proclamation, in which the authority of Parliament is assumed by the Governor of St. Helena.

(Referred to in Vol. II. p. 180.)

PROCLAMATION by Lieut.-General Sir Hudson Lowe, K. C. B. Governor and Commander in Chief, for the Honourable East India Company, of the Island of St. Helena, and commanding His Majesty's Forces on the said Island.

By virtue of the powers and authority vested in me by a warrant in the king's majesty's name, bearing date the 12th day of April, in the present year, and in the fifty-sixth year of his majesty's reign, authorizing and commanding me to detain in custody Napoleon Bonaparte, and him to deal with and treat as a prisoner of war, under such restrictions, and in such manner as shall have been, or shall be from time to time signified to me under the hand of one of his majesty's principal secretaries of state, and to prevent the rescue or escape of the said Napoleon Bonaparte; in the due execution whereof all his majesty's officers, civil, naval, and military, and all his loving subjects, whom it may concern, are required to be aiding and assisting as occasion there may be ; public notice is hereby given, that two acts have been passed in the present session of the British parliament, the one for detaining in custody the said Napoleon Bonaparte, and adjudging capital punishment on those who may be assisting in his escape; and the other for regulating the intercourse of shipping with the island of St. Helena, during the time Napoleon Bonaparte shall be detained in custody.

Copies of these two acts are hereunto annexed.

In furtherance of the objects for which these acts have been passed, it is hereby publickly made known, the various regulations hitherto issued on this island, in regard to the safe custody of the said Napoleon

aparte, and of the prevention of any undue

correspondence or communication with him, his followers, and attendants, are to remain in full force.

It is farther made known, that if, after this notice, any person or persons whatever shall infringe the regulations established for his custody, or shall hold correspondence or communication with him, his followers, or attendants, who are, by their own acquiescence, placed under the same restrictions as himself, or shall receive from or deliver any letters or communications to him or them, without the express authorization of the governor, or the officer commanding on the island for the time being, signified to them in writing under his hand; such person or persons will be considered as having acted against the provisions and express objects of the said acts of parliament, and be proceeded against accordingly. And should, from any infraction of the rules established for his custody, or from any correspondence or communication with either him, his followers, or attendants, the escape or rescue of the said Napoleon Bonaparte be effected, such person or persons will, after this notice, be considered as having been knowingly instrumental to, and assisting in the same, and be prosecuted with all the rigour which the law enacts.

It is farther declared, that if any person or persons shall have any information of any attempted rescue or means of escape, and shall not make an immediate com. munication of the same to the governor, or officer commanding for the time being, or shall not do his or their utmost to prevent the same taking effect, they will be regarded as having connived at, and assisted in the said rescue or escape, and his or their offence be judged by the laws.

Any person or persons who may receive letters or communications for the said Napoleon Bonaparte, his followers, or attendants, and shall not immediately deliver or make known the same to the governor, or officer commanding for the time being; or who shall furnish the said Napoleon Bonaparte, his followers, or attendants, with money, or any other means whatever, whereby his escape might be furthered, will be considered in

like manner to have been assisting in the same, and will be proceeded against accordingly.

All letters or communications for or from the said Napoleon, any of his followers, or attendants, whether sealed or open, are to be forwarded to the governor without loss of time, in the same state in which they may have been received.

And whereas it is not the object of the regulation hereby promulgated, to induce any unusual or unnecessary rigour, but to enforce the due execution of the rules heretofore established, and to prevent the ill effects which might result from ignorance and inconsiderateness, as well as design; it is in consequence made known to all those persons, whose duty calls upon them to attend near the place where the said Napoleon Bonaparte, his followers, or attendants, reside, or who have business which has any relation to them, that they will be furnished, upon due application, with regular licences and authorities from the governor of the island, signed with his hand. And nothing is to be construed from the acts of parliament, or these regulations, as warranting any violent or improper demeanour against him or them, so long as he or they observe the restrictions under which the laws and the instructions of his majes ty's government has placed them.

Given under my hand in James' Town, in the island of St. Helena, the 28th day of June, 1816.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

NOT NOMINATIVELY REFERRED TO, BUT WHICH ARE OF IMPORTANCE TO ILLUSTRATE THE WORK.

Terms of the Capitulation of El-Arish, for the violation of which, part of the Garrison of Jaffa were shot:

The commandant of the Fort of El-Arish, and the other three commandants of the troops, to the general in chief.

We have received the capitulation which you have addressed to us; we consent to deliver the Fort of ElArish into your hands. We will return to Bagdat by the desert. We send you the list of the Agas of the Fort, who promise upon oath, for themselves and their troops, not to serve in Djezzar's army, and not to return to Syria for the space of one year, reckoning from this day. We will receive a pass and colours from you. We will leave in the castle all the supplies which are found there. The whole of the Agas in the Fort solemnly swear by our Lord, Moses, Abraham, and by the PROPHET, to whom may God be propitious, and by the Koran, to execute faithfully all these articles, and above all, not to serve Djezzar. The MOST HIGH and HIS PROPHET are witnesses of our good faith. (Signed) IBRAHIM NIRAN, Commandant of the Fort of El-Arish.

EL. H. HADJEZ MOHAMMED, Colonel of the Maugrebins.

EL. H. HADJY ZADYR, Aga of the Ar

nauts.

MOHAMMED AGA, Chief of the Commis saries.

Lettre de L'Empereur Napoléon, addressée au Comte de Las-Cases, après son enlèvement de Longwood.

Mon cher Comte Las Cases,-Mon cœur sent vivement ce que vous éprouvez; arraché, il y a quatorze ou quinze jours d'auprès de moi, vous êtes enfermé au secret, sans que j'aie pu recevoir ni vous donner aucune nouvelle, sans que vous ayez communiqué avec qui que ce soit, Français ou Anglais; privé même d'un domestique de votre choix.

Votre conduite à Sainte-Hélène a été, comme votre vie, honorable et sans reproche; j'aime à vous le dire. Votre lettre à votre amie de Londres n'avait rien de répréhensible; vous y épanchiez votre cœur dans le sein de l'amitié. Cette lettre est comme les huit ou dix autres que vous avez écrites à la même personne, et que vous avez envoyées ouvertes. Le commandant de cette île ayant eu l'indélicatesse de scruter les expressions que vous confiez à l'amitié, vous les a reprochées. Dernièrement il vous a menacé de vous renvoyer de l'île, si vos lettres contenaent encore quelques plaintes. En agissant ainsi, il a violé le premier devoir de sa place, le premier article de ses restrictions, et le premier sentiment de l'honneur. Il vous a ainsi autorisé à chercher les moyens de répandre, par effusion, vos sentimens dans le sein de vos amis, et de leur faire connaître la conduite coupable de ce commandant; mais vous êtes sans artifices; il a été bien facile de surprendre votre confiance!

On cherchait un prétexte de saisir vos papiers. Une lettre à votre amie de Londres ne pouvait autoriser une visite de la police chez vous; car elle ne contient aucun complot, aucun mystère : elle n'est que l'expression des sentimens d'un cœur noble et franc. La conduite illégale et précipitée que l'on a tenue en cette occasion. porte le caractère d'une haine basse et personnelle.

Dans les contrées les moins civilisées, les exilés, les prisonniers, et même les criminels, sont sous la protection des lois et des magistrats. Les personnes nommées pour les garder ont des chefs, soit dans l'administration, soit dans l'ordre judiciaire, pour les surveiller.