Just at the time Prince Andréy was living unoccupied at Drissa, Shishkóv, the Secretary of State and one of the chief representatives of this party, wrote a letter to the Emperor which Arakchéev and Balashëv agreed to sign. In this letter, availing himself of permission given him by the Emperor to discuss the general course of affairs, he respectfully suggested⁠—on the plea that it was necessary for the sovereign to arouse a warlike spirit in the people of the capital⁠—that the Emperor should leave the army.

That arousing of the people by their sovereign and his call to them to defend their country⁠—the very incitement which was the chief cause of Russia’s triumph in so far as it was produced by the Tsar’s personal presence in Moscow⁠—was suggested to the Emperor, and accepted by him, as a pretext for quitting the army.

This letter had not yet been presented to the Emperor when Barclay, one day at dinner, informed Bolkónski that the sovereign wished to see him personally, to question him about Turkey, and that Prince Andréy was to present himself at Bennigsen’s quarters at six that evening.