“WELLINGTON. “Given at head-quarters, MALPLAQUET, “June 22d, 1815.” Whilst the Duke was addressing this language to the French people, the fallen usurper, having awakened from his short dream of empire and spoliation, made a last but fruitless effort to continue to delude his discomfited partisans. On the very same day that Wellington’s proclamation went forth from Malplaquet, Napoleon issued the following declaration: “PALACE OF THE ÉLYSÉE, June 22d, 1815. “FRENCH PEOPLE! “In commencing hostilities to uphold your national independance, I relied upon the combined efforts and good will of all classes, as well as the cooperation of all official persons in the country. Hence sprang my hopes of success, and willingness to set at defiance all the proclamations of the powers against me. “Circumstances appear to me to be altered. I tender myself in sacrifice to the hatred of the enemies of France. May they be sincere in their declarations! May their hostility really aim at nothing but me personally! “My political life is at an end; and I proclaim my son, under the name of Napoleon the Second, Emperor of the French. “The present ministers will constitute provisionally the council of state. “My interest in my son’s well-being leads me to invite the Chambers to proceed without delay to provide a regency by an enactment for this purpose. “Make united efforts to preserve the public peace and your national independence. “NAPOLEON.” This production neither aroused the French to make fresh sacrifices for his sake, nor stayed the victorious march of the allies upon Paris. On the 24th of June we took Cambray, which was given up on the following day to Louis XVIII. This was the last occasion on which I saw a shot fired in a hostile manner. Our first brigade of guards took Péronne on the 26th. The Duke on this occasion had a narrow escape. After directing his staff to get under shelter in the ditch of an outwork, he posted himself in a sally-port of the glacis. A staff officer, having a communication to make to his Grace, came suddenly upon him and drew the attention of the enemy, who treacherously discharged a howitzer loaded with grape at the point; it shattered the wall against which the Duke was standing, and made (to use the words of one who saw him immediately afterwards,) “his blue coat completely _red_.” Meanwhile Grouchy, who was at Wavre, having heard of the utter failure of his Imperial master at Waterloo, commenced a retreat on Paris, vigorously followed by the two Prussian corps under Thielmann and Pirch. During this retreat, Grouchy displayed more skill, energy and decision, than in his pursuit of the Prussians, on the 17th and 18th.