The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-23 00:00:00

SECRET HISTORY OF THE COUP D'ETAT.

M. Ciranier de Cassognae's piquant "Complete and
Authentic Account of the Events of December 18.31,"
summarised in the letter of our correspondent, given in
Saturday's Express, commences with a violent tirade against
the Assembly, and a series of calumnies upon honourable
men which ore doubly base now that no free press exists in
France fur their contradiction. Passing by these we attics

at the Fourth Chapter :
In the middle of November (we are told), the President
yet remained master of his actions; in a few months it
would have been too late for him and for everybody else.
Ile resolved to 'Pave the country.' Three men were the con-
fidants of his idea—General do St. Arnaud, Minister at
War; M. de Monty, representative of the people ; and M.
de Maupas, Prefect of Police. Louis Napoleon exposed to
them the designs which he had formed, and asked fur their
concurrence. They all three promised it to him—M. de
klorny for all the responsibility to encounter as Minister of
the Interior, M. de SL Arnaud for the military operations,
M. de Maupas for the action of the police.
Duriur more than fifteen days these three 'men planned
with the President all the details of this immense act, an
act which is not equalled by the 18th Brumaire either in
difficulty, ability, or greatness. 'the most minute things
were foreseen, concerted, detailed, prepared, with such
marvellous secrecy, that the friends most to be depended
spew. the agents the most necessary, had not a suspicion of
what was to be done before the final moment fur action
arrived.
The simultaneousness of all the measures to be taken
was evidently the first condition of success. The principal
of than measures were four in number ; the arrest of guilty
er dangerous persons, the publication of the official pro-
eismations, the occupation of the palace of the National
Amenably, and the distribution of troops upon all the points
"WWI necessary. The hour of quarter-past six in the
inseini was fixed upon for the simultaneous execution of
• these measures. ft was necessary that the plan should
not be divulged by anybody, or become known piee
bat that it should burst forth at once in its entiretrl
be at the same moment successful. At a quarter-pent eta
the arrests were effected; at half-put six the troops were at
their posts; at seven, the decree for the dissolution and the
proclamation were spread over the walls of Paris.
At half-past 6, M. do .Horny took possession of the
Ministry of the Interior, accompanied by 2.50 of the Char
sears de N'incennes, and remitted to 31.tleThorigny a letter,
in which the President thanked him for his services, sag
informed him of the steps which he had taken.
M. de Serene, the President's orderly officer, was in-
structed to superintend the printing of the proclamations,
and the compositors had been kept at the national printing
office for a special service. At 11 o'clock the director of the
printing-office was sent for, and at midnight the esta-
blishment was surrounded by gendarmes; *entries were im-
mediately placed at every door and window, and then,
end nut till then, did M. de Bevelle produce the docu-
ments which had been confided to him, the printing of
which he superintended himself, and remained until their
impressioa was completed, and then carried them to the
prefecture of police.
The persons of whom the police were to render them-
selves masters were of two kinds—the representatives more
or leis mixed up with the absolute conspiracy, the chiefs
of secret societies and the commanders of barricades,
always ready to execute the orders of the factious. Both
had been fur a fortnight under the surveillance of invisible
swats of the police, and not one of those agents suspected
tie real object of his mission, having all received orders for
imaginary purposes. The whole number of persons to be
arrested was 78, of whom 18 were representatives, and 60
chiefs of secret societies and of barricades. The 800 serves
de rile and the brigades of surety had been kept at the
prefecture of police on the Ist of December until 11 o'clock
at night, under a pretext of the presence in Paris of the
refugees of London. At half-past 3in the morning of the
2nd, the officers of peace and the forty commissaries of po-
lice were convoked at their houses. At half-past 4 every
one had arrived, and were placed in small groups in differ-
ent apartments for the purpose of not exciting suspicion.
At five o'clock all the commissaries went down separately,
into the office of the prefect, and received from him a com-
munication of the simple and entire truth with the neces-
sari indications and orders. The men had been selected '
with spec; l care for the duty to be confided to them, and all
went away full of zeal and ardour resolved to accomplish
their duty at any price. None failed in his promise. A
great number of carriages, prepared in advance, were sta-
tioned in groups on the quays in the neighbourhood of the

prefecture of police so u not to excite suspicion. The
arrests had been so arranged between the preket of police !
and the Minister of War that they should precede, by a
quarter of an hour, the arrival of the troops on the places
indicated. The arrests were to be made at a quarter-past
six, and the agents were ordered to be at the doors of the !
persons to be arrested at the minutes past six. AU was
accomplished with surprising punctuality, and no arrest
tack more than twenty minutes.
The task of securing the person of General Changarnier
was confided to two_men selected for their rare energy

Captain Baudinot, of the republican guard, and the cUsit. • 1
mimary of police, Leras. They took with them no less •
torce than 15 picked police ageuts, 30 republican guards,
and a picket of 10 cavalry. At flee minutes past sic they
rang the bell at No. 3, Rue du Faubourg St. Honore,
where the general lived. The porter asked who was there,
and, being told to open the door for Some one who wanted
to speak to him, ho became suspicious, and refused to do so.
The commissary then marched into a grocer's shop next
door, from which he rightly guessed there must be a
communication with General Changarnier's apart-
ment. In an imperious tune he demanded the key,
which was instantly given to him. Followed by several
of his men, he proceeded to the general's room, snatched
the keys from his servant, whom he met upon the staircase,
and rushed towards the general's bedroom. General Chau-
gamier by this time knew the designs of the intruders.
lie appeared at the door of his bedroom in his shirt, with a
pistol in each hand. The commissary said, "What are you
going to do, general ? We are not attempting your lite ;
why should you defend it?" Changarnier then gave up his
pistols, saying, " I am at your service ; let me dress myself."
lie begged that his servant, with wnom he could not dis-
pense, might not be separated front him. This favour was
granted. On his way to priAt, he said, "The President
was sure of his re-election. Ile need not have had recourse

to a coup d riat ; he in giving himself much uielesa trouble."
He otterwarth added, " When the President Orin have a

foreign war, he will be glad to seek for me to give me the
command of an army."
The arrest of Genetal Cavaignac was neither long nor
difficult. M. Culliu, the commissary of police, having entered
the house in which the general resided, No. 17, Itue du
Helder, had the hallowing conversation with the porter
"In what part of the house does General Cursagnac
live ?" " lie is not at home," mid the porter.—
"I know that he is at home, and I must see him."

" lye is not—at any rate he' is asleep you come
too early; his lodging is on the entresul." The
commissary went up, knocked and rang at the door, and
inquired for the general. A female voice replied that the
general was nut at home. The commissary rang the bell
again, and a male voice exclaimed, " Who is there ? " The
cumenissary called, in the name of the law, for the door to
be opened.—The general replied, " I will not open it."
The commissary said : " General, if you do not open the doer,
I will break it open " The general then mailed it, and ties
commissary having entered, said : " General, you are my pri-
soner; resistance would be useless, fur all my measure's are
taken. I have orders to arrest you, in virtue of a warrant
which I will read to you." The general would not hear
the warrant read, but, becoming greatly exasperated, ad-
dressed the commissary iu strung language. The general
then looking at the commissary exclaimed, " What, you
arrest me! What is your name ?" The commissary replied,
" I shall not conceal it, but this is not the time; you must
dress yourself and fallow me." The general then betaine
more calm, and said, " Weil, sir, I am ready to follow you;
all I ask is fur time to dress myself. Let your attendants
withdraw." lie then asked permission to write, and this
was grunted. When the general was ready, he said to the
commissary, " Now, let us set out; but 1 ask as a favour
that I may proceed to toy destination with you alum." The
request was cemplied with. On their way the general ap-
peared to be iu deep thought, and only *puke onee, w Inch
was to ask if he alone had been arrested, and where lie was
going. The commissary said he could not reply to the first
question, but he was going to the Prison Maras.
When the coniniissary of police, ltbanehet, presented him-
self at the house inhabited by General de Lanwricii:ae, Rue
Las Cases, No. 11, the concierge refused to give a light ur to
indicate the apartment of the general. The commissary of
police rang at the apartment on the first story; a domestic
appeared, and suddenly closed the door again. Ile thought
better Mit, stud returned holding a lamp in his hand, and
perceiving the acart of the commissary suddeuly blew' out
his light and fled by a secret staircase, crying out
"Thieves"' Ile was arrested by sergetts de rule,
and placed in the street befsre the hatch lle
then became resigned, and guided the commissary
to the chamber of his master. At first the general did nut
say a single word ; then he cast his eyes towards the chins-
ney-piece and asked his servant what had become of the
money which he had laid there. The Miter having an-
swered that it was safe, the general called fur his clothes
and dressed himself. The connuis.sary said to him " Sir,
the observatiuu you have just made is offensive and pain-
ful to me." "flow do I know," replied the general,
" that you are not robbers 1" At these words the
commissary showed him his scarf. The general
kept silence. M. Blanchet said to him, "Gene-
ral I have received from the prefect of police orders
to treat you with all possible respect. It is, therefore.,
my wish to show to you all imaginable indulgence, and ii
you give me your word of honour that you will not try to
make your escape, I will make it my duty to put you in a
brougham where you will have only me for your guard."
" I give you nothing, I answer for nothing ; du with me
what you will." lie was then made to enter a hackney-
coach with policemen. In face of the post of the Legion of
Honour the general put his head out of the window, and
wanted to harangue the troops. The commissary dhl not
give bins time to utter a word, and warned him that he
should be obliged to treat hint with rigour if he made •
fresh attempt. The general answered, "Du what yon
please." On his arrival at the prison Mims, the general
showed himself much calmer. Ile bettered the commissary
not to seize his costly arms, and to send him some cigars,
with "The History of the French Revolution." The coin-
misiary complied with his request.
General Leff lodged at the Questure, was in bed. The
commissary. 'kaolin° awakened him, and notified his mi.
sion showing the warrant for his arrest. Ile got up,
dressed, while uttering menaces against the commissary and
insults against the President. "Napoleon wants to make
his coop If clot—we will shoot him at Vincennes. As for
you, we won't send you to Nouka Hiva, we will shoot you
with him." Tho commissary said there was no resistance
to make, that state of siege had been declared, and he ought
to know the consequences. While getting into the coinage
he apeatruphised the colonel of the 42nd regt. of the line, and
wanted to harangue the soldiers. Colonel Esninasse silenced
him, and the soldiers presented their bayonets at him.
From the Assembly to Maras General Leff', did not utter a

single word. .
General Bedeau inhabited, in Rue de l'Universit,,,
No. do, a large house with several staircases. The com-
missary Hubaut, jun., did not knew which conducted
to the apartment of the general, or on what floor this apart-
ment was situated. It was necessary to deal adroitly with
the. concierge. The commissary entered alone. The cent-
Merge refused to indicate his lodging, and said, •I I have never
seen you visit the general ; in these times people who ;mewl
about at night are to be distrusted." He ended by yielding,
and guided the commissar •. The servant answered the
door, which he partly opened. The commissary thrust it
open and advanced. The servant fled, fnghtened ; the
eommissary followed him, reached the general, and showed
him his warrant. The general was in consternation. Soon,
however, recovering from his aarprise, he protested against
it, exclaimed that it was a violation of the constitution,
and said to the commissary, " You have exceeded the law ;
you must not forget that I am a representative of tho
people—Vice-President of the Assembly. You cannot ar-
rest me, since you do not find me in flayrante Mick).
Ho then protested that he had not conspired,
and demanded the name of the commissary. He said
that he had seen him favourably sooken of in the
journals, that it astonished him very much that he could
arrest General Bedeau, the Vice-President of the As.
eembly ; the soldier who hod shed his blood for the cause
of order ; he who cared not for his life, and who could, if
he had so desired, have overthrown some parties." The
commissary replied that he had no comment to make on
his warrant, but unly to execute it ; that if the general had
any intention of staking his life, be also was decided te
sacrifice his in the accomplishment of his duty; that he
must submit without violence, or otherwise ha would be
compelled to use force. He ordered the general to rise.
The general dressed with decided slowness. At the mo-
ment of setting out, the countenance:of the general became
sombre and exhibited great anger. He leant against the
chimney-piece, and said " I won't go. I will only go if
you take me ss a criminal unless you force me out of my
house, unless you dare to take me by the collar—me,
the Vice-President of the National Assembly." The com-
missary said to him—" Remember that I have conducted
myself in every respect with courtesy towards you." " Yee,
sir," said the general. The commissary then seized him.
The general made the most determined resistance. lie was
carried to the carriage, crying, " Treason ! To arms ! I
am the Vice-President of the Assembly, and they arrest
me." AU was invairi, the carriage set out, and the screens;
ds rills followed it. On his arrival at Maras he addressed
the platoon of republican guards. who were deaf to his
words. At the entrance of the prison he met Generals
Lefbi, Changarnier, and Cavaignac, the latter of whom ho
embraced.
Colonel Chem., who lived Rue du Faubourg St.
Honor's, No. 14, refused at first to open the door, but see-
ing the panels begin to give way under the blows of the
police, he cried out, " Stop, I am going to open it !" and I
he did so. The commissary Courteille Informed him of
his errand. The colonel said, " I had foreseen it ; I ex-
pected it; I might have escaped, but I would not
quit my post. I thoaght it would have been done
two days ago, and in that expectation I had loaded
my pistol, but I have discharged it." He at the
owed
same time pointed to a double-barrelled an
his dressing table. The commissary took et IL
"If you had come on that day," said e r colonel, " I
should have blown your brains out." lie got into the car-
riage waiting for him without resistance. On the way,
he inquired where they were taking him to. Seeing that
the eommusaey hesitated in answering, he said, " Are you
taking mato shot The commissary then said that be
was taking him to Mee. On arriving at the prison the
Jolene' became excited ; he refused to give his description
for the prison register otherwise than as a rewrov
tative of the people, which he desired might be inserted.
Commissary Boudrot effected an entrance to the bed-
room of the celebrated M. Charles Legrange, Rue Casimir
Perin, No. 27, at the moment when he was leaving hie
bad to inquire the meaning of the cries of terror uttered by
his servant, who had just opened the door. 31. Legrange
I protested ; he said they were violating the constitution;
that it would be enough for him to fire a pistol out or
the window to rouse the:people to arms; that if he
wished to defend himself he could kill them ; and
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