Monticello, September 2nd, 1815 · The Shattered Congress
Richmond Enquirer
Former President Thomas Jefferson has hosted a grandiose banquet for the freshly arrived Emperor-in-exile at his estate in Monticello. Mr. Jefferson, a known Francophile, has long held the nation of France, the Revolution and, to a lesser extent, the Emperor in high regard.
The great banquet hosted many notable Republicans and Virginians, among them: Secretary of State James Monroe, Secretary of War William H. Crawford and Ambassador John Quincy Adams. All were reportedly most impressed by the great conqueror, although the more radical Republicans repudiated his tyrannical rule and militarism.
The Emperor, for his part, told our correspondent that the United States "is a grand nation" and that is shall "grow ever more powerful". In regards to his host, Mr. Jefferson's famously large library and his breadth of knowledge especially impressed the Emperor. At the end of the feast, a great offer was given and accepted: a large tract of land, estate and slaves for a meager price, if Bonaparte swears to partake in an invasion of Haiti and quell the racial revolution there.