The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-14 00:00:00

SECOND ACCUSATION.

I have conspired with Communism ; I have in-
toxicated the people with illusions by promising them
the organization of labour.
The very day after the Red Banner was rejected,
the Socialist workmen presented themselves in a
body at the Hotel de Ville, accusing the Government
of having falsely guaranteed a complete social revo-
lution, and calling upon us in an imperative manner
to sign a proclamation, assuring the people of the
ultimate organization of labour. They required us
to pronounce this " phrase," and their demand was
enforced by the terror of their armed hands. They
had doffed neither the crimson caps nor the blood-
coloured coats with which they evidenced their
devotion to the red banner. Their requisition
Was peremptorily refused by the members of
the Government. The insurgents insisted upon
our compliance ; they even went so far as to utter
menaces. Then it was that I advanced in my turn
and commenced my reply to this summons in these
Words—. Behold, they are in the Moniteur :—" Citi-
zens! if you were to place me at the mouth of twenty
Pieces of cannon, you could never induce me to sub-
scribe to those two expressions when united together,
Organization of Labour ! and I am going to tell you
wherefore. Firstly, it is because I believe myself to
be neither gifted with more nor less intelligence than
other men of my time and country, because I have
Passed fifteen years of my life in studying this ques-
tion of the organization of labour, as you call
it, and because I have found it utterly impos-
sible to reduce it to my comprehension. I will
never subscribe my name to that which I
do not understand. Secondly, it is because lam an
limiest man, and do not wish to make any engage-
ments to the people which I shall never be able to
fulfil. As to the inherent right of labour to fraternal
assistance, on such conditions as can in no measure
interfere with the freedom of industry, the only
sYstem of labour which can effectually lead to the
nourishment of many millions of men ; as to those
series of fraternal institutions which the Republic
Ought to organize in succession for the purpose of
elevating the condition of the artizans both in their
relation to prosperity, to property, and to instruction
--I will subscribe my name to those assurances with
Profound pleasure, because they are among the
?remises which I myself spontaneously enunciated
before there was any attempt at a revolution."

Was that, I ask you, the language of a political
dreamer, of a dreamer who yielded to circumstances
i
adjourning, and consequently by increasing, the
difficulty ?
On the sixth day (after the explosion of February)
a thought struck me, and the same inspiration de-
aeended at the same time from Heaven into the souls
°f my colleagues. "Let us give a brilliant denial to
those who always wish to soil with blood the prin-
ciples of Republicanism ; let us confound the fury
()f some, the panic of others ; let us break in twain
the weapons of reaction ; let us abolish the scaffold ;
let us suppress for ever the punishment of Death !"
Never shall I forget the moment in which this
Proposition emanated from the hearts of all, and '
Was voted by the enthusiasm of all, when we fell
Into the arms of one another, and gave each other
the kiss of life I We had in that moment a sublime
Presentiment of the blood which we saved to huma-
nity, and of the crimes which we spared to the Re-
Public. lat once wrote out this proclamation and
lead it to the people. And that people made the
edict their own by adopting it with their acclamations
and signing it with their tears.
Was this, again I ask you, a concession to the
executioner, or a concession to God ?
On the following day another presentiment
Caused me to propose to the Council the organi-
zation of twenty-four battalions of that Garde
arobile composed of the youth of Paris, snatched
from insurrection, and given to the law, to disci-
Aline, and to the country. On the '23d of June
this Garde Mobile saved Paris—it was the salvation
France. And was this, I ask of you, an evidence
of k want of prudence and foresight ?
hose beautiful and terrible days being passed,
the same subterranean faction which had raised aloft
the red flag renewed, under other pretexts, its attempts
at the usurpation and degredation of the Republic. On
the 15th of March, the old National Guard had made
I very inopportune demonstration for the purpose of
Protesting against the suppression of certain insignia
in its uniform. On the same day the Provisional
Government had adopted a proclamation addressed by
thyself to the French people. This proclamation had
for its object to specify the true principles of the Re-
Public, and to re-assure those who might have been
alarmed by that ill-considered language, the direct
meaning of which was disavowed by the hearts of us
all- I said in this proclamation—" that it did not
require either an eve or a morrow to indicate the
date of unanimous Republicanism; that the
old parties passed through the experiences of
century in the lapse of three days;
that there was no necessity for the electors to have
blade a deliberate acceptance of party, but rather to
have so acted towards light and patriotism; that, in
fine, it by no means constituted a crime not to have
been
. a Republican before the establishment of the
Republic." The entire Government associated itself
iu Putting its signature to these principles. On the
Vary day after this occurrence, about a hundred
thousand men, evidently obeying the word of com-
mand uttered by the representatives of the ex-
triime factions, and acting in subservience to an
Occult organization, of the origin of which
they themselves had no certain knowledge, came
and surrounded the Hotel de Ville. Calm
at first, this manifestation soon began to reveal its
hostility. The most daring of the chiefs of the differ-
ent clubs penetrated into the halls in which we were
deliberating. They summoned us in the name of the
People, of whom they called themselves the organs,
out by whom they were in reality disavowed,
t° adjourn the period fixod for the elections,
t 0 prolong the dictatorship, to postpone the epoch
of the inauguration of the National Assembly,
t° decree, without any reservation, a series of
measures, such as would assure them of the
Continued domination of Paris. My colleagues
and myself, without one exception, replied to their
demand by a formal refusal to deliberate
tinder mer ac,s. Thereupon the clubs, disconcerted
by this resistance, an 1 by the cries of the people in
favour of the Provisional Government, retired. Read
the language spoken by us all, for all of us spoke
With iuti epidity, and say if there are there any evi-
dences in that language of shameful concessions to
numbers, and to the intimidation of the multitude ?
It was in the same week that the first temptation
Was held out by the Polish democrats. Abusing the
'Onerous devotion of France for a cause which
Prance has always cherished in her heart, some
amongst these enthusiasts had determined to force
upon the Provisional Government the hour destined
for the liberation of Poland instead of the
hour destined for the liberation of France, and to
transform the favour of the public into a
sort of right to sedition. They came at night
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. "If to-morrow
morning," one of these orators said to me, " if to-
morrow morning the Government has not proclaimed
War for the re-establishment of Poland, to-morrow at
two o'clock we will overthrow the Government by
attacking it at the head of sixteen thousand work-
men, whom we have assembled for the purpose, and
whom we will direct upon the Hotel de Ville." " H
France," said I to them in reply, " if France were to
allow her Government to be subverted by an insur-
rection of foreigners to whom she has given hospitality
but not empire, it were necessary that France should
descend in degradation below even those nations who
are without a country I" The sensible and moderate
men of that noble country, reanimated by these words,
disavowed the person who had spoken. They came on
the morrow without any seditious procession. I ad-
dressed them then in the same terms in which I had ad-

`.-_..

dressed them already--proclaiming 0,7 sympathy to
their cause, without (in obedience to tlitf' rash any
insensate wishes) lighting that torch which Youh
have inevitably resulted in the incendiarism of Europe.
Was that, I ask you, a concession to the aspirants fol
universal war ?
Besides these, there were some men from Ireland.
They came, in the name of the principles of demo
cracy, to ask of me encouragement and arms for the
carrying out of civil war. I said to them that tht
brand of civil war, thrown from amongst us, among ow
neighbours, should never be a weapon employed b.%
the administrators of the Republic. I recalled t'
their recollection those supplies of arms and of money
by which the Britannic Government had promoted
the heroic but disastrous war in La Vendee, a specie,
of intervention which France would never imitate.
Was that, I ask you again, a concession to civil war?
It is said, however :—The concession was evidenced
in those attempts at armed propagandism, which you
consolidated, which you authorised, and which pos-
sibly you yourself directed against Belgium,
against Germany, and against Savoy, at the very
time in which you addressed the language of peace
to their respective Governments.
Citizens I reply to that accusation so characte-
rised by the distinctive marks of duplicity, through
the correspondence which was kept up with such
activity with the Commissaries of the Government
upon the frontiers ; I reply to it through the decrees
and the proclamations issued by the Provisional Go.
vernment ; through the fact of the dispersion of those
assemblies wherever we happened to have sufficient
force to enable us to achieve their dissolution ;
through the cordial tokens of good fellowship
afforded to Germany, to Piedmont, and to
Belgium ; through the offer made directly to
the Sardinian Ambassador to dispatch ourselves a
corps of soldiers to Chambery, in order ourselves to
prevent there, by an armed hand, an invasion pro-
moted by the refugees and by the agitators of Lyons.
I reply, moreover, through a medium still more
powerful, and one whose veracity you can under no
circumstances call in question—l reply through the
testimony of interested nations. Yes ! I appeal to all
those Republics, to all those courts, to all those
ministers, to all those ambassadors, to all those dif-
ferent nations whom I am accused of having
pretended to re-assure, while I only secretly deceived.
If one amongst them can charge the Minister of Fo-
reign Affairs with complicity, or even with negli-
gence in the repression of these endeavours ; if there
is one amongst them who does not attest the frankness
and the vigour of the foreign policy of the Provi-
sional Government, I declare myself to be convicted
of felony. The tribunes of Berlin, of Frankfort, of
London, and of America have already responded.
Hear how they speak of the diplomatic atti-
tude which we have maintained since February !
Would you wish to render a Minister of Foreign
Affairs and an entire Government—a Minister and a
Government who are alike actuated by sincerity and
patriotism would you wish to render this
Minister and this Government responsible for the
conspiracies of those Belgian Clubs and of those Clubs
of French auxiliaries, which they have never, in any
one instance, ceased from combatting and repressing?
This policy, loyal and firm, Republican and pacific,
I, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, was especially
charged with, for the purpose of causing its accept-
ance at once by France and by Europe. I had to
consult, if it was possible, the safety of France, the
dignity of her acts and the preservation of that peace
which was particularly requisite for a Republic
almost wholly disarmed, but which was above all
necessary for a Republic economical of human blood.
(To be continued.)

LITERATURE.
BORN'S STANDARD LIBRARY: Ranke's His-
tory of the Popes. Vols. IL and lIL Milton's Prose
11 orks. Vol. I.
BOHN'S ANTIQUARIAN LIBRARY : Chronicles
of the Crusades. Early English Metrical Romances.
We have so frequently spoken in commendation of
Mr. liAn's Libraries, and their merits are now so
generally appreciated, that it is almost superfluous to
do more than enumerate the new additions to the
different series. " Ranke's History of the Popes" is
now completed in three volumes, and a first volume of
Milton's prose works has just been issued, which con-
tains Milton's " Defence' and his " Second Defence"
of the People of England, and also his
" Eikonoklastes." This volume is adorned with
a very finely engraved portrait of the
Roundhead Poet. The two new volumes of the
" Antiquarian Library" are the " Chronicles of the
Crusades" and the " Metrical Romances," the former
of which contains the " Chronicle of Richard of De-
vises, concerning the deeds of King Richard the
First, King of England ;" also " Geoffrey de Yin-
sauf's Chronicle of Richard's Crusade," and " Lord
de Joinville's Memoirs of Louis IX., King of
France." It is unnecessary to say that this volume
will he most attractive to all who love the quaint
simplicity of the old chroniclers. " Ellis's Early Eng-
lish Metrical Romances" contain some most interest-
ing and attractive specimens of old legends, such as
" Morte Arthur," " Guy of Warwick," " Roland
and Ferragos," and many others whose names are
familiar and dear to us all,

" Beloved as fable, and believed as truth."

All the volumes of the Antiquarian Library are em-
bellished with an illustrated frontespiece, and the
frontispiece of this volume—a splendid frontispiece—
the back ground of which is, apparently, of solid
gold, represents neither more nor less than the Court
of King Arthur ! It is taken, we are told, from a
manuscript in the British Museum. The foremost
figure represents Arthur in a robe of cerulean
blue ; his Majesty's attitude is sufficiently dignified,
but is hardly possessed of that air of royalty recently
eulogised by the poet—that air by which
" In the man, the King of men is seen."
On Arthur's right hand stands Queen Ginevra, and
by her side a lady-in-waiting, in a crimson robe. On
Arthur's left is Merlin. In the foreground are the
grand carver, the cup-bearer, and the minstrel, bear-
ing their insignia of office, namely, a large knife, a
goblet, and a violin. The scene, of course, is by the
side of the round table, which is spread out with
golden utensils.

ALARMING FIRE IN WAPPING WALL.—About one
o'clock this morning a fire broke out on the premises of
Mr. Fryer, a carpenter, No. 12, Wapping-wall (late
Mr. Dowding's cooperage). It was discovered by a per-
son passing through the street, no person residing on
the premises. The engines of the Fire Brigade, under
the superintendence 01 Mr. Fogo, were on the spot
shortly after the fire was discovered, and by great exer-
tions prevented the flames from communicating to the
adjoining premises. Considerable damage was done to
finished work, materials, and workmen's tools. The fire
is supposed to have been occasioned by a spark from the
boiler of a glue-pot, and which had fallen upon some
shavings. It has not yet been ascertained whether the
premises are insured or not.
ACCIDENT ON THE CAMBRIDGE AND ST. IVES
RAILWAY.-On Thursday evening last, as the down
trai❑ neared the o.kington station, the guard perceived
is man standing on the line; he immediately blew the
whistle, and the steam was turned off, but without effect:
the train struck him, and one leg was completely severed
from the body above the knee-joint, and he was other-
wise so mutilated that death was instantaneous.. On
being picked up he was recognised as George Howorth,
a dealer of Rampton; it was supposed that he was; intoxi-
c.ated at the time. An inquest was held on the body on
Friday last, when a verdict of "Accidental death" was
returned.—Cambridge Advertiser.

NARROW ESCAPE ON THE CALEDONIAN RAILWAY.
—On Thursday afternoon last a ballast engine with
several waggons, in which were a number of railway
labourers, was proceeding from Lockerby to Ecclefechan,
on the Caledonian line. When passing through a cut-
ting on the farm of Lawn, palish of Middlebie, the en-
gine-driver observed at some distance that one of the
rails had been removed; he immediately turn off the
steam, put on the brake, and jumped to the ground; the
labourers followed his example, and no one was injured,
as luckily the train was proceeding at a very slow pace
when it reached the vacancy and was thrown off the line,
otherwise the accident would have been very serious, as
there were upwards of thirty labourers on the train. A
party of plate-layers had been repairing the line and
removed the rail, neglecting to exhibit a signal of warn-
ing. The officers of the company will, no doubt, insti-
tute an investigation into the case.—Dumfries Courier.
SAILING UP RIVERS AGAINST THE CURRENT.--A
very sllght declivity suffices to give the running motion to
water. Three itches per mile, in a smooth straight
channel, gives a velocity of about three miles an hour.
The Ganges, which gathers the waters of the Himalaya
mountains, the loftiest in the world, is, at 1,800 miles
from its mouth only 800 feet above the level of the sea,
that is, about twice the height of St. Paul's Church in
London (or the height of Arthur's Seat, near Edin
burgh), and to fall these 800 feet, in its long course, the
water rt quires more than a month. The great river
Magdalena, in South America, running for 1,000 miles
between two ridges of the Andes, falls only 500 feet in
all that distance. Above the commencement of the
thousand miles it is seen descending in rapids and cata-
racts from the mountain% The gigantic Rio de la Plata
has so gentle a descent to the ocean, that in Paraguay,
1, 500 miles from its mouth, large ships are seen, which
have sailed against the current all the way by the force
of the wind clone; that is to say, on the beautilly in-
clined plane of the stream have been gradually lifted by
the soft wind, and even against the current, to an eleva-
tion greater than that of our loftiest spires.
In the next issue of camp equipage to the army
the tents vs ill be made waterproof, as the present canvas
is no protection against a heavy fall of rain.

E SUN,