The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-20 00:00:00

FRANCE.

REPORT OF THE MAYOR OF PARIS
ON THE LATE INSURRECTION.

PROPOSED UNION OF LOMBARDY
WITH PIEDMONT.

PARIS, FRIDAY, HALF•PAST 11 A Y.
That the present executive government will cause
orpeimit to be instituted a real investigation, with the
view of discovering and making public all the agents
and accomplices of the plot of Monday last, is what
no one here seriously believes. In a proclamation
proposed by M. Berard yesterday, to be addressed by
the assembly to the nation the misgiving of the
assembly itself respecting the good faith of the execu-
tive government iu this matter, is net attempted to
be disguised, and although the terms which express
this misgiving may, from comiderations of conrenance,
be modified or omitted, the sentiments of the great
majority of the assembly will not be the less certain.
Every day brings to light new evidence of the
character of the plot which fortunately was frus-
trated by the national guard, on Monday, in spite of
the supine inertness of the governmental authorities.
We have to-day a mass of documents and a narrative
of facts of the highest interest. I will endeavour to
reduce them to as concise a form as will be consistent
with clearness.
M. Armand Marrast, the Mayor of Paris, has
made the following report to the commission of the
executive government:
RRPORT OP THE MAYOR OF PARIS.
TO THIS YllOlll2llll OT THIS comurrss or Tea EXACC-

TIRE POWER.
Citizene,—According to your desire, I think it my duty
to present in writing the verbal rep.irts I have already re-
turned in to you concerning the (nets which occurred at the
116tel-dc.Ville on the 15th inst. By so doing I shall rectify
the numerous errors which have been spread abroad.
At the moment the tribune was invaded by the
authors of a criminal attempt against the sove-
reignly of the people, I was informed they intended to
direct their steps towards the Hotel.de-Ville, in order to
establisb therein a provisional government. My duty called
me to my post, and I n paired thither immediately. I
mashed that spot two hours before the rebels, and I in-
stantly gave orders that all actuary measures should be
taken to prevent their entering its gates. The first legion
was ordered to piece its columns at the entrance by the quay,
rind the colonel who commanded at the hotel-de-Ville took
every ni misery measure to defend it.
The columns, preceded by their standards, soon arrived in
front of the oth Legion. The leaders announced that the
assembly was dissolved, that the executive power no longer
existed, that the national guard, the mobile guard, and the
army, had unanimously proclaimed • new provisional go-
vernment. After some sharp parley had taken place, •
musket was fired off on the commander io second of the
Hotel-de-Ville, who was at the head of the legion, and who
most energetically refused to let them pass.
The resistance of Col. Beaumont was nut, unfortunately, se-
eh. nettektary ensemble. A chefde-bataillon of

CODUCLI won sue macucn....,
the nutmeat guard enders the butt end of the muskets to be
raised ; the colonel of the 9th evinces some hesitation, the
band avail themselves of that moment to invade the square,
and the crowd pushes against the gates with such violence,
that they yield beneath the weight of the moll.
My adjuint, citizen Adam, had already descended
and had visited the different parts of the hotel,
to we thatmy orders had been attended to. He returned
to my cabinet, saying the Colonel-Commander would have
to waiver to you fur what he should or should nut do. I
must, however, add that M. Rey, the Commander, was
oar roguing the crowd, addressing himself particularly to
Barba, and refused to open the gate. A few momenta after-
wards, however, M. Rey went away, the gate was imme.
diately opened, and the living wave entered. The leaders
sociferatmg as they entered, " Where is Jlarrast We Mai
first of all get rid of that fellow."
1 was in that moment in my cabinet, which I 'sad not left,
surrounded by a few representatives, aim protected bs fifty
men, all of us determined to resist all violence, whatever
might he the result. The staircases were filled up by from
2.00 to 3,000 men, who were repairing towards the salts,
where the deliberations had been held on the 24th Feb., and
commenced, amidst the most dreadful tumult, a discussion
upon proper names.
Meanwhile, I bad ordered the huissiers,' and the :7th
and 9th legions to march, pas de charge, on to the
11..te1-&-Vaila. I had issued a proclamation, acquaint-
ing the National Guard with the real state of the
facts. 1 bed written to you, citizens, to request reinforce-
ments, and to order the dispositioic necessary to force the
crowd which had not yet gained access to the salle, to leave
the hotel, end to secure the others, as soon as the propitious
moment should present itself.
The legions arrived a propoa ; Barbee and his acoomplicee
had repaired to another wile, which they had caused to be
guarded by min in arms. They showed themselves to the
multitude on the place, and we heard repeated cries of Fire
Barbee! Vioe Louts Blanc! fire Albert! General
',ouch( r soon alter entered my cabinet, followed by
his staff. I ordered him to command two battalions
of the sedentary and mobile guard to enter imme-
diately, and to begin by facing the crowd which ob-
structed the courts and staircases to go out of the hotel,
and to surround at the same time the salle in which the
leaders had assembled. Adam went himself to this salle,
and had several persons taken into custody. The order was
immediately given to allow no one to leave the Hotel.de-
Ville, and to beep every issue by which Barba, Albert, and
the others, could effect their escape.
At that moment the citizens Lamartine and Ledru Rollin
arrived at tne Hotel de•Ville, and were shortly followed by
General Clement Thomas. Some officers of the national
guard then declared they would take upon themselves to
arrest, without distinction, all the citizens who had invaded
the hotel; but as same representatives of the people hap•
paned to he therein, they demanded a written order to this
effect, which was immediately delivered. It was signed by
me and by two members of the eeeoutave committee.
The commander of the 6th Legion had, however, pre-
viously to the delivery of this order, arrested Barba. The
superior officers of the artillery and of the national guard
had arrested Albert, and bath did their utmost to secure,
from the least evil treatment, the two representatives, whose
conduct excited such just and well-deservcd indignation.
Two other officers examined every part of the hotel, and
caused lao individuals to be taken into custody. More
arrests took place in the evening, and we had secured
upwards of 200 prisoners.
You see, citizens, that if by weakness, or by complicity, by
a Lult or by a crime, the rebels succeeded in placing them-
selves in a salle of the Rotel-de-Ville, they were not masters
of it for a single instant. 1 have not ceased to command in
site hotel, I have not ceased to issue orders, and that un
certainty which had fur an ivataut raised a doubt in the
minds of some of the national guards having been dissipated,
my adjoint and I, had but one thought, that of securing the
arrest of the guilty and avoiding bloodsh,d.
1 have to add that the chef de bataillon of the 9th, whom
I have mentioned above, bas sent in to me his resignation • I
have also received that of Col. Verities, and of a standaid-
bearer, called Geary. As to Col. Rey and his agent, they
are both under arrest. Safety and Fraternity !
The Representative of the People, Mayor of Paris,
May 17. ARMAND MARKAST.
The mysterious escape or liberation of Blanqui,
after having been in the hands of justice, is at present
a topic of general comment, and of much scandal
against the government.
Last night the following letter was deposited in
I the boxes of several of the journals. It was appa-
rently in the handwriting of Blanqui, so that its
would seem that the report of his having escaped to
Brussels is unfounded:
Sir,—Some journals have reached me in the asylum in
which ones more during the last 17 years I am obliged to
secure my life against royalist proscriptions. I declare une-
quivocally that all that bas been said at the tribune in the
sitting of the 16th May, as to my friends and me, is one in-
famous tissue of lies and calumnies. Gently, gentlemen I
your " bourgeoise " guard has not yet made me swallow
their bayoueta. lam free, end 1 have a few wards by-and
bye to say to the public. Meanwhile the veracity of the
" reactionnaires" may be judged of by the official announce-
ment of my arrest made by M. (fernier Pima to the
assembly. All the rest is as it may chance.
Upon this the Constietaiotanel observes as follows :
This letter of M. Blanqui will not deceive, us although
it is written to induce the belief that M. Blanqui had not
been arrested; we persist in believing the official declaration
of M. Garcia' Pages, addressed to the national assembly in
the name of the executive commission.
It seems certain that M. Blanqui did not appear at the
Hotel-de Ville when the pretended provisional government
was proclaimed. This prudent conduct, conformable to the '
character of the chief of a club, more lofty in his words than
resolute in his acts, is also explained by the profound hate
existing between him and Bashes. Blanqui was not then
arrested when the National Guard entered the Rotel-de-
, Ville, at the time it was occupied by the anarchists.
But as to the brief incarceration of Blanqui there can be
no doubt, if we recall the positive affirmation of M. Gamier
Pages, and the direct allusion of M. Caussidiere in his ex-
planations. We are told, moveovcr, that yesterday morning
a high functionary in the judicial department said that
Blanqui was in the power of justice. These facts are grave,
and can leave no doubt as to the state of the case.
Now, M. Blanqui is at this moment at liberty. How has
he succeeded escaping from the regular custody of the autho-
rities ? Does M. Blanqui owe his liberation and his power
to enter into new conspire, les to the mysterious Millie=
which has rendered so slow and so secret the prosecution re-
lative to the "Revue Retrospective i"
We do not cease to repeat : there is a secret myetery of
which the government has the key, and it is important that
on this as well as on other points, information
given.
However that may be, the judicial authorities, whose in-
teatime we do not suspect, were informed that, yesterday,
The.
Comaesumissaryui was aoft thPolice ,oe house n
of a friend at Montmartre.
this information, accom-
panied by four .gene of police, west to Montmartre, and
Ufa, occupied all day in making inquiries and searches, but
without avail.
Alt that could be learned was that Blanqui had passed the
night et the house of a M. V—, had gone out very early
in the morning, had gone to the house of another friend, then
to a cal, and had not afterwards been heard of.

A document found in the Rae rtiroli be nee
of the Commune de Paris and the residence
of
Blatiqui, has been generaLy published to-day. It
contains the following decrees alreudy prepared to be
proclaimed by a committee of public surety, which
was to hare been formed after the heoirrection or
Monday.
MO/ECU! OF DECaItEB OP THE COMMITTEE OP PUELic
Decarc I.—ln the name of the pe, plc ri,pnirorcup,
my
Paris, Wonders ot the repu'ilic in FeJrucry and )day,
the isommittre of public safety thereat, that the N '
Assembly, enmposed principhy of tiittef,onnairer his
lated its moron. l'hat it has lust pecious time whim
misery demanded the promptest meiniuren That it
has refused to create a romiliter of jahour. Thu it
has trusted to its heap of arms d,posid in the
lull of the anietultly, when it. annuli! have ?died rin note)force alone to accomplish it. no..ion and devotion.
That it tm• adopted the right and power tit cpprtsion in
leaving trope in Paris, ani in mianig. the Piesnlint the
right to call them out, u at the naminal gu irdis That
it ea* infring,dtn, liberty aod the sovi-rtiguty w m popte
Mimed on the barncades of Febru iry, in interdicting
the tpehersop:opliewitityitlahw. tatizdriognhtht
eofp,,pre,pse:enwuelwaei,pet
vititichwal
to present a p tirion in favour oi P. oil, In mos querheef,
d
the people of Paris di are the milt mid a...embiy pnvedot
all power, and constitutes a conunivee 04 paboc
• composed of nine bombers who are the citizens, , tarty,

iNuabeittnenbmyMtititee;mier.estinevhese tedrg,
tairie
m, sours,,ape ;Causer;
stitute and organise is true democratic repuisie, and
agaia
to show itself.
DECKSE II I.—ln the name of the peopli• of pari,
of the Itepublic decree. All administrative and judicial
powers, charge', and public fui.vions. privaeg...
polies are all abolished, without disunction, wlugra
authoriti created. New prime.' will be ruins, diately wm.
toted. 'the police of towers and communes beliiegi to ilia
" farce ouvnere," thus constituted ; the mayors atone. sbei
retain so much of their Foyers as shall be necessary c° ee,„
into effect the present decree.—Ait. 1. All (•• • '
connus,") ell.rec-gnised patriots, shell be requested
to attend on the same day at an hour fixed, ia the
evening, to choose among themselves a municipatommin
composed of seven patriots, of whom five at least
be ouvriers who can read and write. Art. 2. The m • 'pa
committee shall enter on its functions imme..iately after is
formation. Art. 3. The functions of the mui,ie,p4 coo,
mittee shall be, first, those of the present municipals...
ells; second, those of the comptrolers of public propeeti,
third, those of judges in quesuous of police and the orderid
executiou of our decrees. Art. 4. The well r
patriots shall form an armed force for the execution of am
decrees. They shall demand th it all their arms stall be
delivered to them by all the citizeus widths. dhtisgi,a
This force shall be called the •• I.ace ouniere." Art
The national guard, and above a 1 the "bourgeoise" prey
shall no longer be allo sed ti wear uniturrn or carry me;
and in case of breach of this snide, shall be owlet/ed. '
DECItEE IV.—ln the name of the pas p'e of Paris, fssekt
of the republic. laasmuch a. it is necessary immediately%
render resistance to necessitous citizens, and as than A.
can do so are the rich, who for the last three mak
have hidden their money ; and ea the assn
laity " adopted by the reputi.ic should not be re
empty sound, but should exhibit itself by de d., decree—
Art 1. The capitalists known as such by the municipal ese,
mitten shall ',ay, within five days, the sum of 200 frump
1,000 francs of incense they are kuown to po,sess wove en.
of 1100 francs a head, where such income does notated
3500 francs; 250 francs per 1,000, where the income ie be.
tween 3,500 and 5,000 francs ; and so in like prrporele,...
Art. 2. Every proprietor paying more than 100 frond
taxes shall pay 25 franca per 50 francs of taxes apt** •
francs; and is like proportion.—Art. 3. Every megrisse
and capitalist who shall make default is Ma .•
payments shall have their whole prop rty confiscated_
for the ben( fit of the necenitous. The force ourrieree I
Inch case authorised to snake all neesimay inquiries; ad
they dimmer any breach of these atlas, the persons gad% •
of a breach thereof shall be outlawed.—Art. 4. Tile Nam,
ceived shall be paid to a treasurer appointed by the Ma.
cipal Committee.—Art. 6. There shall ne made an inns
diets distribution of these funds among•t the amnion%
in the proportion of three franca to a family of three pre
sons, and eight francs to a family of more titan six perm
This distribution to be mace each femur days.—Art. 6. l'te
"valet ourrire" is charged with the maiutenaaoe dale.
—Art 7. Every citizen tuund drunk shall be insprisoreel
days on bread and sinter.
DESKEE Vl.—Orders that the Municipal Committee
shall immediately coaveke the communes to cause then a
acknowledge the It public with the committee of pubic
safety as the government. They will make their rezone+,
commissioner who will make the circuit of France. Its
committee will take necessary steps in case of refusal.
DECREE VII. The ore sniz Iti.in of 1 'sour 00
i practicable basis shall be published in three weeks. had
be wholly for the benefit of the workmen, protecting ark
as may be the just rights of • he masters.
'the rigorous searches which have taken plate X
M. Blanqui's have brought to light most imporhat
discoveries: numerous letters, lists of conspires"
tri-coloured brassards with fringes, and proclamaticea
Several parcels of proclamations were prepared tole
sent to the provinces ; some of which were directed Is
the address of the communists of Renee and Lille.
M. Louis Blanc, who, notwithstanding the equi-
vocal position in which he stands, was chosen mi•
measly one of the commission of the assembly to
inquire into the condition of the operatee clam,
with the view to its amelioration, yesterday
milled his refusal to serve upon it.
M. Mercier, brother-in-law to M. Crussidiere, xi
commander-in-chief of the garde reptiblicuine,
eq
arrested last evening.
NI. Prion, calling himself a major of the gardi
publiraine, was also arrested yesterday by the offices
of that corps.
'the prisoners of Vincennes are still gardhd ns •
by four sentinels each, as they were at the LUMP
bourg. The number of persons transferred to Vire
canes, up to the present moment, amount to 140.
The procureur of the republic and three jogs
d'instroction, commenced yesterday and continued
this day, the interrogatory. of MM. Barb?s, Albert,
Huber, Quentin, and their principal accomplice' de.
tamed at the fort of Vincennes.
By a mandate from the parquet, the commissary of
the police, M. Bentaglio, has sexed ail the papered
the club of the Bights of Man. I run assured that
amongst them have been found most important due
ments, which lay down the plan of the conspiretos
against the republic. 'twenty-five persons have bra
arrested in the apartmerts of the Pslais Natiradf
which was occupied by the club presided over hy
Barbers. These parsons, to tbe number of from fusel
to fifty, have been lodged and fed in the palace sime
the 25th February. They were just sitting down to
dinner when the commissary made his appearer.
Huber, who is mentioned as one of the pruierill
conspirator's in the aff dr of the 13th, was direetord
the llospice des Invalides Civils. The ..‘tessager
that immediately after the revolution of Febroaryi
had considerable influence at the Ministry of the It
tenor, and had several of his friends appointed e*
missaries-general in the departments.
It was stated yesterday in the Conference Chalk
of the National Assembly that Pierre Leroux, who
name was on the list of the new provisional govern'
went, established on the 15th, at the Witel-d-1-I.le,
has been arrested by the national guard at Neaten,'
near La Ferte-sous-Jouarre (Seine-et-Marne),
std
taken before the juge-de-pair of that cmamune. A
few minut. a before his arrest, he was in company 06
two persons who fled at the appearance of the guards
and plunged into the Marne and swam across. Tr
of the guards did the same, and reached the oppO
shore at the same time with the fugitive', and ant'
ceeded in arresting them. Who they were wee sol
said.
" We are assured," says the allessager, " that .14.
Louis Blanc has obtained permission to visit Bub"
and the other prisoners at Vincennes."
The following letter has been addressed to
Preset', on the subject of Gen. Courtais
When Gen. Courtais had come down Pram the sena
which he stood tojustsfy himself, he was protected by C:
Laroche of the '2nd Company of the Ist Legion, who
went into the Chamber with a picket of 500 men.
It was then that his sword was taken from him by a*
niece, paviour'a labourer, a National Guard.
T ht e a t
the arm b
e ed, then, in
capt
a serio
Bomn,
usmatanner,wten . Courtail
seized by delivered;
to Capt. Demoudion and Lieut Gardien. These teota!
led away Gen. Courtais, surrounded lv several perish!!
defended him from the bayonets and. blows with the ea!
end of the muskets that were aimed at him by the 0:
asperated national guards.
noGdeonubCt
orders in a low voice.
obubirtaisiddw,a_dseacteamompp,awnbireol bnyceainvedotlicirocrmofbisthe
thene
otiorteuepit
small
lie
these torn papersb out of the hands of the attendant dim'
Courtais.
15Atht thia.
eywerNyiflo,:ivielesintdioefre was aboutirthwe
~
is t
niooanprsitatetehe°ll of
ple t.bi
4
Hubert governor of the chateau of Rainey.
the North Railway is still under the
of a strong military force.
should be room
e to i
spoir-'

The Madrid mails, with tho journals and
spondenco of the I VI, have arr. d. A royal MO
was promulgated, dc Ing IMa 1 lenrique sad a:
pricing him of his r..* a ldhoraurs as an Infante

Lo3lltAltDY.—Tha I', on- oral Gvcridnezt
Milan has publiahAt. R.N.:clam:Xi is which bear? at!
the 12th inst., in Niluoli declaration A
r Mats tLat in tie t gaeranica