In any case the final act of signature was distinctly the act, not of the British Government, but of its plenipotentiary.
That fact is confirmed by his admission, on March 28th, that he had yielded where he was ordered to remain inflexible.

At St.Helena, Napoleon also averred that after Cornwallis had definitely pledged himself to sign the treaty as it stood on the night of March 24th, he received instructions in a contrary sense from Downing Street; that nevertheless he held himself bound by his promise and signed the treaty on the following day, observing that his Government, if dissatisfied, might refuse to ratify it, but that, having pledged his word, he felt bound to abide by it.

This story seems consonant with the whole behaviour of Cornwallis, so creditable to him as a man, so damaging to him as a diplomatist.

The later events of the negotiation aroused much annoyance at Downing Street, and the conduct of Cornwallis met with chilling disapproval.
The First Consul, on the other hand, showed his appreciation of his brother's skill with unusual warmth; for when they appeared together at the opera in Paris, he affectionately thrust his elder brother to the front of the State box to receive the plaudits of the audience at the advent of a definite peace.

That was surely the purest and noblest joy which the brothers ever tasted.
With what feelings of pride, not unmixed with awe, must the brothers have surveyed their career.