Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

XLVII.

1848.

Imperial Government the re-establishment of the statu CHAP. quo; and it was the influence of France which accelerated the pacific solution of that question. If the Roman and Tuscan people have obtained favourable conditions, and the arms necessary for their national guards, it is from France that they have received them. The uniform language of M. Guizot was that he accepted the Italian revolutions as accomplished facts, but that he would consider himself culpable if he impelled the Italians any farther on the fatal descent on which the revolutionists Ann. Hist. would drive them-prophetic words! of which the world 53. is even now beginning to feel the truth.” 1

1 Moniteur,

Jan. 23, 25,

26, 1848;

xxxi. 34,

of Louis

But whatever face the Finance Minister might put 39. upon the situation of the French finances, the official Last budget budgets proved that they were in the most deplorable Philippe. condition, and that whatever merit the Government of the Citizen King and the bourgeoisie may have possessed, economy is not to be reckoned among the number. Before the debate on the Address was concluded this was decisively proved. The budget brought forward by the Finance Minister, on 3d January 1848, presented a total of expenditure of 1,518,000,000 francs, while the income was only estimated at 1,192,000,000 francs, leav- Budget, ing a deficit of 326,000,000 francs; and the utmost niteur, Jan. economy contemplated for 1849 only proposed to reduce Ann. Hist. this deficit by 38,000,000 francs. This was more than Hist. of double the deficit existing in 1789, when the Revolution c. iii. '69. began, which was 100,000,000 francs yearly.2

2

1848; Mo

4, 1848;

xxxi. 334;

Europe,

the Address.

Such was the keenness on both sides, and the ardour 40. which the Liberals evinced in the attack on the Govern- Divisions on ment, that the debate was prolonged for twenty days, and Feb. 7. only terminated on 7th February. Several divisions took place, in all of which the Ministry had the majority, though it was by no means so considerable as it had been on former occasions. The amendment on the Address, proposed by the Liberals, was rejected by a majority of 33, the numbers being 222 to 189. Another amend

XLVII.

1848.

CHAP. ment, proposed by M. Desmousseaux de Gevré, was rejected by 228 to 185. The ministerial majority was, on a scrutiny, declared to be 43. These majorities could not be considered as very large, considering that the whole strength of the Government was put forth on the occasion, and that the division was felt on all sides to be a vital one; and in closing the debate M. Guizot announced that, as soon as the entire Conservative party concurred in demanding reform, he would concede it, but that assuredly that day had not yet arrived. The Liberals, however, felt the division as a decisive defeat, so far as xxxi. 91, the legislature was concerned, and they determined on tional, Feb. abandoning all attempts to move the Chamber, and to agitate out of doors for a revolution.

1 Regnault,

iii. 367, 370; Cas

sagnac, i.

164, 165;

Ann. Hist.

94; Na

9, 1848;

Regnault,

Gouv.

Prov., 34.

41.

on a banquet.

Feb. 14.

"The war of words," said the National on February 9th, "is at an end; that of deeds is now to commence.'

"1

Determined on vigorous and revolutionary action, the The Opposi- Liberal chiefs resolved on forcing on a banquet for the tion resolve 12th arrondissement of Paris, which had been originally fixed. for the 19th January, and postponed in consequence of an interdiction by the police. This was based on an old law passed on 24th August 1790, which had never been carried into execution excepting during the Empire, but seemed to contain words which justified such an interposition of authority. This interdict was at first acquiesced in; but on the day following the rejection of the amendment on the Address, the Liberal deputies met and determined to persevere in their design, holding the old law referred to as either inapplicable to the banquet proposed, or gone into desuetude. This determination, however, was not taken without very considerable difficulty ; Feb. 14, only 94 deputies voted for it in the meeting on the sub1848; Reject, though the whole strength of the Opposition was 377; Cas assembled on the occasion.2 This was a great falling-off from the 189 who had supported the amendment to the Address; and it indicated on what dangerous ground they were adventuring when they announced their resolution

* Journal

des Débats,

sagnac, i.

165; Hist.

du Gouv.

Prov., 34.

XLVII.

1848.

openly to brave the authority of Government.* They CHAP. remitted to a committee, accordingly, to prepare an address to the public, announcing their determination to go on with the proposed banquet, which was fixed for the 22d February, and published in all the Opposition journals on the 14th of that month.†

Having thus resolved openly to defy the Government, the Radicals immediately began to increase the agitation. by sounding the alarm in all their journals in the strongest terms. That object was soon gained. Terror spread imme

The Radicals had enough to do to keep together their troops, who were not a little shaken. The prodigious agitation of men's minds kept at a distance the timid, and caused the audacious themselves to hesitate.-REGNAULT, Hist. du Gouv. Prov., 34.

† “Une réunion de plus de cent députés appartenant aux diverses fonctions de l'opposition a eu lieu ce matin, pour décider en commun quelle ligne de conduite il convient de suivre après le vote du dernier paragraphe de l'adresse.

"La réunion s'est d'abord occupée de la situation politique que lui fait ce paragraphe. Elle a reconnu que l'adresse qui a été votée, constitue, de la part de la majorité, une violation flagrante, audacieuse des droits de la minorité, et que le Ministère, en entraînant son parti dans un acte aussi exorbitant, a tout à la fois méconnu un des principes les plus sacrés de la constitution, violé dans la personne de leurs représentants l'un des droits les plus essentiels des citoyens, et, par une mesure de salut ministérielle, jeté dans le pays de funestes ferments de division et de désordre. Dans de telles circonstances, il lui a paru que ses devoirs devenaient plus graves, plus impérieux, et qu'au milieu des événements qui agitent l'Europe et qui préoccupent la France il ne lui était pas permis d'abandonner un seul instant la garde et la défense des intérêts nationaux. L'opposition restera à son poste, pour surveiller et combattre constamment la politique contre-révolutionnaire dont les entreprises inquiètent aujourd'h i le pays tout entier.

Quant au droit de réunion des citoyens, droit que les ministère prétend subordonner à son bon plaisir et confisquer à son profit, l'assemblée unanimement convaincue que ce droit, inhérent à toute constitution libre, est d'ailleurs formellement établi par nos lois, a résolu d'en poursuivre le maintien et la conservation par tous les moyens légaux et constitutionnels. En conséquence, une commission a été nommée pour s'entendre avec les électeurs de Paris et pour régler de concert le concours des députés au banquet qui se prépare à titre de protestation contre les prétentions de l'arbitraire.

"Cette décision a été prise sans préjudice des appels que, sous d'autres formes, les députés de l'opposition se réservent d'adresser au corps électoral et à l'opinion publique. La réunion a pensé enfin que le cabinet, en dénaturant le véritable caractère du discours de la couronne et de l'adresse, pour en faire un acte attentatoire aux droits des députés, mettait l'opposition dans la nécessité d'exprimer, en toute occasion, sa réprobation contre un tel excès de pouvoir. Elle a donc résolu à l'unanimité, qu'aucun de ses membres, même ceux que le sort désignerait pour faire partie de la grande députation, ne participerait à la présentation de l'adresse."-Journal des Débats, 14th February 1848.

XLVII.

1848. 42.

tation in

Paris on

the an

nounce

ment.

CHAP. diately, and ere long became universal. All business was suspended. Before two days were over, every one whispered to his neighbour, "They will soon be fighting in the Great agi- streets." The Journal des Débats, which had become the organ of the conservative section of the Opposition, upon this strongly counselled moderation to both parties, and even went so far as to announce that a conciliatory policy would be adopted by Government, and concessions made sufficient to satisfy all reasonable demands of the Opposition. But matters had now gone too far for the counsels of moderation to be heard on either side; and the King, in particular, whose obstinacy, when danger was approaching, had increased as much as his resolution, when it was present, had diminished, was determined against any concession. Every one," said he, " appears to be for reform; some demand it, others promise it. For my own part, I will never be a party to such weakness. Reform is another word for the advent of the Opposition to power, and that lippe, 24; is another word for war; it is the beginning of the end. When the Opposition succeed to power, I shall take my departure."1

1 L'Abdi

cation de Louis Phi

Regnault, iii. 382.

43.

Death of the Princess

66

Unfortunately, the King, during the most critical period of his life, was deprived of the intrepid counsellor who had, Adelaide. by her resolution and abilities, so often brought him in safety through the most perilous crises of his fate. The Princess Adelaide, his sister, who had long been in a declining state of health, expired at Paris on 21st January 1848. No bereavement could at this moment have been more calamitous to the King. To more than masculine intrepidity and firmness she united the still rarer qualities of strong sagacity and sound sense, with a practical know

xxxi. 327.

ledge of men surprising in one born in so elevated a sphere. 2 Ann. Hist. Probably she owed it to the extraordinary vicissitudes of Moniteur, her own and her brother's career, which had brought her 1818. into contact with classes the most distant, changes the

Jan. 22,

most surprising, catastrophes the most terrible.2 It was

XLVII.

1848.

mainly owing to her moral courage that the vacillation was CHAP. surmounted which led him so long to hesitate in accepting the proffered crown. Had she lived two months longer, there would probably have been no exhibition of the irresolution which caused him to lose it.

44.

tions for

quet.

Meanwhile the committee to whom it had been remitted to choose a place for the proposed banquet, without having Preparaas yet selected a place, fixed upon the 22d February. the banShortly after, a place was discovered in a street nearly Feb. 21. deserted, in the Champs Elysées, named the Chemin de Versailles. This was a large open space enclosed by four walls, over which, as over the Roman amphitheatres, it was proposed to stretch a huge canvass covering, so as to convert it into an apartment capable of holding 6000 persons at table. This space was hired by the committee on the 20th, and on the 21st the preparations for stretching the canvass were commenced. But meanwhile the leaders of the Opposition, seeing matters approaching a crisis, felt anxious to avoid a collision, and gladly lent an ear to a compromise proposed by the Government, which promised the means of bringing matters to a judicial determination, without running the fearful risks of a conflict between the people and the military. The arrangement proposed was, that the company were all to be allowed to assemble without impediment or molestation in the place fixed on for the banquet, but that when there, they were to be invited to disperse by the officers of police, and the president M. Boissel, with M. Odillon Barrot and a few of the other leaders, should be summoned before the law-courts to answer for the alleged breach of the interdict. This proposal, it is true, would render abortive the whole objects for which 1 Regnault, the banquet had been projected, but such was the sense of 375, 377, responsibility entertained by the leaders of the movement, Hist. du and the general consciousness of the impending danger if Prov., 30, the banquet were either dispersed by force,' or permitted gnac, i. 168. to go on without impediment, that it was agreed to by the

ii.

386, 387;

33; Cassa

« ForrigeFortsett »