This vulgar train of conspiracies, which we encounter in all the affairs of life, was very distasteful to me, and I was glad to seek flight in the mountains. The council of the town of Sion wrote to me. The simplicity of this despatch has made a document of it to me; I was entering politics through religion: the _Génie du Christianisme_ had opened the doors for me. [Sidenote: I am promoted.] "REPUBLIC OF THE VALAIS. "SION, 20 _February_ 1804. "COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF SION. "_To Monsieur Chateaubriand, Secretary of Legation of the French Republic in Rome._ "SIR, "An official letter from our High Bailiff apprizes us of your nomination to the post of French Minister to our Republic. We hasten to express to you the very complete satisfaction which this choice gives us. We see in this nomination a precious token of the good-will of the First Consul towards our Republic, and we congratulate ourselves on the honour of having you within our walls: we draw from it the happiest auguries for the welfare of our country and of our town. In order to give you a proof of these sentiments, we have resolved to have a provisional lodging prepared for you, worthy to receive you, fitted with furniture and effects suited for your use, in so far as the locality and our circumstances permit, pending the time when you will yourself have been able to make arrangements to your own convenience. "Pray, sir, accept this offer as a proof of our sincere inclination to honour the French Government in the person of its envoy, the choice of whom must needs be peculiarly pleasing to a religious people. We beg you to be so good as to acquaint us with the date of your arrival in this town. "Accept, sir, the assurances of our respectful consideration. "DE RIEDMATTEN, "President of the Town Council of Sion. "By order of the Town Council: "DE TORRENTÉ, "Secretary to the Council."