Early in the following year, whilst a congress was sitting at Vienna to regulate the affairs of Europe, news was brought that Napoleon had made his escape from Elba. Louis XVIII, the restored Bourbon king, who had already become unpopular, fled to Lille, and Napoleon became once more emperor of the French. His reign was, however, cut short on the field of Waterloo (18 June). The allies entered Paris in triumph (7 July), Napoleon took refuge on board the "Bellerophon," a British man-of-war, and claimed the hospitality of the Prince Regent. It was, however, only too clear that the peace of Europe would be constantly menaced were he to be allowed his liberty. He was, therefore, removed to St. Helena, and kept under guard. Louis XVIII was again restored, and negotiations were resumed, which resulted in a second treaty of Paris (20 Nov.). Once more the City offered congratulations to the Regent,[716] and as the swords of honour, voted last year to Blucher and other distinguished foreign officers, had not yet been presented, the lord mayor (Samuel Birch) proposed going to Paris himself, with a small deputation of the Common Council, and making the presentation--as he said--"in the face of the world." Although he had received assurances that every possible respect would be shown him, he eventually abandoned the idea, and contented himself with despatching the swords to the Duke of Wellington for delivery to their respective owners.[717] FOOTNOTES: [642] Journal 81, fo. 142 [643] Parliamentary History xxxvi, 1,661, 1,662. [644] Journal 81, fos. 166-167. [645] _Id._, fos. 171-172, 204. [646] _Id._, fos. 219b, 231b. [647] Journal 81, fos. 345-345b. [648] Journal 82, fos. 54-55. [649] Journal 82, fos. 97-98. [650] _Id._, fos. 181-182. [651] See Appendix to Stanhope's Life of Pitt, Vol. iv, pp. iv-xiii. [652] Journal 82, fos. 27-28. [653] Journal 82, fos. 34b-36. [654] Journal 82, fos. 33-34. [655] Journal House of Commons, lix, 406-422. [656] Journal 82, fos. 44, 69b. [657] Repertory 210, fos. 375-376. [658] Journal 82, fo. 253. [659] Journal 82, fos. 368-368b. [660] _Id._, fos. 381-382. [661] Repertory 210, fos. 54-62, 65, 102-168; Journal 82, fo. 393b; Journal 83, fos. 12Ob-128b. [662] Journal 82, fo. 380; Journal 83 fos. 117-118b, 144-144b. [663] Stanhope "Life of Pitt," iv, 345, 346. [664] Repertory 210, fos. 373-375. [665] Journal 83, fos. 11b-12, 45b-46, 225-226. [666] Journal 83, fo. 16. [667] Journal 83, fos. 154, 233-4. [668] _Id._, fo. 234. [669] Journal 83, fo. 352b. [670] _Id._, fos. 382, 384b, 388. [671] _Id._, fos. 67, 151, 170-170b, 171b. Journal 84, fo. 96b. [672] Journal 84, fos. 197b-198b, 201. [673] Upon the lord mayor (Ansley) quitting office a vote of thanks was moved for the hospitality he had shown the Spanish envoys, but the motion was negatived. Affairs had not gone so well in Spain as the City had hoped.--Journal 84, fo. 357b. [674] Journal 84, fo. 294b. [675] _Id._, fos. 333, 336b.