Napoléon Bonaparte - Importante lettre signée à Lazare Carnot - 1815

This is a state decision letter dictated and signed by Emperor Napoleon I, addressed to his Minister of the Interior, Lazare Carnot, dated May 10, 1815 (during the so-called Hundred Days).

Historical context
After his return from the island of Elba in the spring of 1815, Napoleon seeks to rapidly reorganize the territorial and prefectural administration to mobilize the country before the imminent military clash with the European coalition.

Key content of the letter
Political and prefectural appointments: Napoleon orders the appointment of key figures from the Revolution and the Empire (Charles de Lameth as Councillor of State, Nicolas-Marie Quinette as Prefect of the Somme, André Dumont as Prefect of the Pas-de-Calais).

Takeover of propaganda: He calls for ideological firmness from his prefects, notably reproaching the prefect of Calvados for being “too a man of society” and for not publishing enough writings to lively the public spirit.

Political discourse: He clearly formulates the line of opinion to be conveyed to the population, defining the imperial cause as that “of the people against the nobles, of peasants against the lords and of the French against the foreigner.”

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Mr. Count Carnot, present to me a decree appointing Charles Lameth as Councillor of State; — Quinette as Prefect of the Somme and André Dumont as Prefect of the Pas de Calais. — who calls Delaitre to other functions and appoints Nannel to the prefecture of Seine-et-Oise. — Rouveron, not knowing the North well enough, will be destined for another Prefecture. The departments of the Somme and the Pas-de-Calais need men who know the North perfectly and who cannot be deceived. — Girardin will be recalled to the Prince Joseph as First Stablemaster; we need someone very strong to replace him at Rouen. — make known

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to the Prefect of Calvados that it is noticed he is not advancing; that he is too man of Society; that we do not see any addresses from his department being published, that he does nothing to print to illuminate and stir public spirit, that this is not how one serves the homeland. — write to the Prefects of the North to make them feel the necessity of opposing writings to writings, and to clearly convey that the Cause at issue today is that of the people against the nobles; of the peasants against the Lords — and of the French against the foreigner. there must be an appeal everywhere to the honor and patriotism of the people.
The Prefect of Chartres is not faring well. Rouveron would be much better for this Prefecture. call the one who is there to other functions.
Paris, May 10, 1815.
(Signature / Napoléon Bonaparte)