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IX.

1820.

era of unexampled social wellbeing was precisely the CHAP. one which they selected for most violently agitating the public mind for an overthrow of the monarchy and change of the dynasty, by whom alone those blessings had been introduced.*

79.

conspiracy,

Lafayette.

Convinced, from the unsuccessful issue of this attempt, that they had no chance of success in their attempts to Military overthrow the Government, unless they could enlist the headed by' military on their side, the Liberal leaders, after the prorogation of the Chamber, bent their whole efforts to that object. It is now known who they were; subsequent success has made them boast of their attempts; they are no longer afraid to admit their treason.

"M. Lafayette,"

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From a statement laid before the Chamber by the Minister of Finances, it appeared that the produce of the sinking fund, which, in 1816, was 20,000,000,

IX.

1820.

CHAP. says Lamartine, "declared to his friends that open force could now alone overturn the Government, which had declared war against the equality of classes." Emissaries despatched from this centre set out to sound the departments and the troops. The parliamentary opposition of M. Lafitte and Casimir Perier unconsciously aided the conspirators, who were grouped around Lafayette, d'Argenson, Manuel, Corcelles, Roy, and Merilhou. That conspiracy found innumerable accomplices, without the need of affiliating them, in the half-pay officers, the remains of Napoleon's army, in the small number of Republicans, in the Buonapartists-as numerous as the discontented-in the holders of the domains of the emigrants, who were every day more apprehensive of the loss of their heritages, and of the influence of those who were now protected by the Government.1

1 Lam, vi. 328.

and in 1817 was increased to 40,000,000, had been highly gratifying. It was as follows:

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And from a statement laid before the Chamber by the celebrated economist M. Ganihl, it appeared that before the Revolution the public burdens stood thus:

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So that the taxes on land, industry, and fixed capital had increased a third, and those on consumption had remained the same, though their amount per head diminished, from the increase of population, in the intervening period, from 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 souls.-Ann. Hist., iii. 175, 198, 200; and iv. 601, 603.

IX.

1820.

80.

signs, and

troops.

Numerous as this band of conspirators was, it was not CHAP. on them alone that their leaders totally, or even chiefly, rested. The great object was to seduce the military actually in arms; for long experience had taught the Their de French that it is by them that all social convulsions in efforts to their country are, in the last resort, determined. They corrupt the were not long in finding a few desperadoes who were willing to execute their designs. A captain in the Legion de la Meurthe, in garrison at Paris, named Nantil, a halfpay colonel, named Sauzet, and a colonel of the disbanded Imperial Guard, named Maziare, agreed to act as leaders. Their plan was to surprise the fortress of Vincennes, to corrupt the regiments in Paris, to rouse the faubourgs and the schools, and with the united forces march on the Tuileries. A great number of the half-pay generals of the Empire-in particular, Generals Pajol, Bacheluz, Merten, Maransin, Lafitte, and superior officers in retirement were engaged in the conspiracy, the object of which was to dethrone the Bourbons. On that they were all agreed, but on ulterior measures there was great difference of opinion. Lafayette desired to proclaim a republic or a constitutional monarchy, whose interests were identical with those of the Revolution, and who might be "fettered by the bonds of a representative democracy." The great majority wished to proclaim Napoleon II., hoping to restore with him the days of glory, of promotion, and plunder. Lafayette indulged a sanguine hope that, as Napoleon's son was in the hands of the Austrians, who would not allow him to accept the proffered crown, it would become a matter of necessity to bestow on him the dictatorship, of which he had enjoyed a foretaste in 1790, and of which he had dreamed in 1815. The day of rising was fixed for 19th August: Nantil was to raise his legion, and head the attack; Lafayette went to his 1Lam. vi. château of Lagrange to rouse his department, and aid in Cap. vii. the assault on Vincennes; M. d'Argenson went to Alsace iii. 6-9, 429. to array in arms its numerous republicans; and M. de

328, 330;

62, 63; Lac.

CHAP. Corcelles was charged with organising the revolt in the great and populous city of Lyons.

IX.

1820. 81.

Aug. 19.

An accidental circumstance prevented this deeply laid Which fails design from being carried into effect. On the day before by accident. it was to have taken place, an explosion of powder, from fortuitous causes, took place in the castle of Vincennes, and this led to the military and police being assembled in considerable numbers in that important fortress. Their presence led the conspirators to suppose that their designs were discovered, which was really not the case, for they were not fully developed till long afterwards. Information had, however, been given to Government, by some of the officers upon whom unsuccessful attempts had been made, of a plot to overturn the Government, and the whole Ministers, in consequence, were summoned to the Duke de Richelieu's on the morning of the 19th. From the information there laid before them, it was resolved to remove the Legion de la Meurthe, which was most disaffected, from Paris to the frontiers, and the suspected officers were arrested in their barracks early in the forenoon by officers of the police. M. de Latour Maubourg, the War Minister, was himself present when this was done. No resistance was attempted; the common soldiers were astonished, not irritated; it was their officers, not themselves, who were privy to the conspiracy. Before night, the Legion de la Meurthe marched out for Landrecies in a state of tumult and indiscipline, which recalled the description given by Tacitus of the Roman legions 1 Lam. vi. in the mutiny which Germanicus repressed. Several of their officers were arrested on the march. Nantil, and the principal leaders of the conspiracy, however, made their escape.1

329, 331; Cap. vii.

66,67; Lac. iii. 8, 9.

82. Lenity shown in

Government acted with the utmost lenity in the prosecutions consequent on this abortive revolt. Lists of the the prose persons implicated in it had been furnished to the Ministry, and they comprised most of the leaders of the Liberal party in Paris. M. Lafayette and M. Manuel

cutions.

IX.

1820.

were at its head. Ministers, however, recoiled from the CHAP. idea of openly coming to a rupture of an irreconcilable kind with the chiefs of a party strong in the Chambers, strong in popular support, strong, as had recently appeared, in the affections of a part at least of the army. It was doubtful how far-however clear the moral evidence might be the complete measure of legal proof could be obtained against the real but half-veiled leaders of the conspiracy. It was deemed more expedient, therefore, to proceed only against the inferior agents, and even against them in the most lenient manner. They were sent for trial to the Chamber of Peers, by whom a few, after a long interval, were convicted, and sentenced to secondary punishments, and several acquitted. But ten years after- 1 Lac. iii. wards, the real leaders were revealed in those who received the rewards of treason, at a time when none dared call it by its right name.1

9, 12; Cap.

vii. 67,

Lam, vi

330, 333.

83.

Duke of

Sept. 20.

While conspiracies so serious and widespread were in progress to overthrow the dynasty of the Bourbons, Pro- Birth of the vidence appeared in an extraordinary manner to have Bordeaux. interposed in their behalf; and an event occurred which, beyond any which had yet occurred, elevated the hopes of their partisans throughout the country. The Duchess de Berri, notwithstanding the dreadful shock received from the murder of her husband, went successfully through the whole period of her pregnancy, and on the night of the 20th September was safely delivered of a son, who was christened Henry Duke of Bordeaux. As by the Salic Law males only can succeed to the throne of France, and the infant which the duchess bore was the last hope of continuing the direct line of succession, the utmost pains were taken to secure decisive evidence of the child really being of the royal line. The moment the duchess was seized with her pains, she desired that Marshal the Duke of Albufera (Suchet) should be sent for, and she had the courage and presence of mind, after the delivery was over, to insist that the umbilical cord should not be cut till the

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