The Sun.
London, England, 1870-09-28 00:00:00

AN INTENDED COUP D'ETAT.

The Progres, a Lyons paper, gives a circumstantial
account of the scheme of a coup d'etat which it asserts
was in contemplation before the fall of the Empire. A
quantity of documents were found in the Prefecture at
Lyons after the proclamation of the Republic, which it
was at first believed were very ancient. The Progres now
states that they were of recent date, and that their faded
appearance was occasioned by smoke, as they were being
burned by the authorities at the very moment the Prefec-
ture was invaded. The warrants prepared for the
forthcoming coup d'etat are estimated at some 1,500,
as 300 or 400 have been saved from the flames, most of
which have at least a corner burned. These papers did
not exclusively concern the leaders of the Republican
party, nor were they directed only to the suppression of
an intended emeute, as was represented. There were war-
rants against peaceable, inoffensive men of good social
position, whose only crime was not having bowed the
knee to the gentle sway of December. A former batonnier
of barristers, four or five members of the General Council,
merchants of high standing, men who were regularly
invited to official receptions all had their spe-
cial warrant. To the documents were attached
minute directions how and where they could
best be arrested. "It is no longer a mystery," says the
Progres, " that the future coup d'etat to which these war-
rants referred was decided upon in the interview which
M. Rouher and M. Cassagnac had with the Emperor at
Chalons. These honourable agents of the Imperial secret
police returned to Paris with the necessary orders and
powers, and the coup was prepared in all the prefectures
of France. This is how we can explain the remains of
recently burned papers which are found everywhere. It
was sought to destroy these documents. When M. de
Keratry took possession of the prefecture of police he
found a heap of ashes of burnt paper in one of the
courts, between fifty and sixty centimetres thick.
M. Pietri had been more farseeing than the Lyons
authorities, and had had time to finish his work. It is'
said the Prefect of Allier was so zealous about his, that
he set the prefecture itself on fire. The plan was to be
put in execution directly after the first success of
McMahon, a success which was confidently reckoned on.
Decrees were then to have sent those arrested to Cayenne
or Lambessa, a difference which only required the word
" more" or " less" beside of the name. Finally a
good plebiscite would have completed the matter,
and decided by a vigorous affirmative in favour
of abandoning all parliamentary encumbrances, and
returning purely and simply to the admirable constitu-
tion of 1852. Under this the little prince could have
quietly ascended the throne. When everything was pre-
pared for Lyons, the general commanding the state of
siege was asked to give his assistance. He hesitated, and
wanted judicial sanction. The chief magistrate of the
district was therefore applied to, but he refused his help.
Later on the same feeling which made him refuse to
charge the arrested persons made him reply, when ques-
tioned, that he had not had the lists communicated to
him. But the facts of the communication and the refusal
are certain. An inferior official, less scrupulous, readily
agreed to pass over the head of his superior, and to take
his part in the business.. This maybe openlysaid, since he is
now a fugitive, and cannot be affected by the statement. The
same feeling of reserve has delayed the publication of the fore-
going details until the former officials of the administra-
tion were released. There is not the slightest doubt that
the whole of these fine projects would have been now
categorically denied if the warrants of arrest found at the
.uyons prefecture were not in existence as incontrovertible
evidence. It was really unfortunate for the fallen regime
that at Lyon? on September the 4th the Republicans
were so early at work. One hour later, and the heavens
would not have been more pure than the hearts of the ex-
Emperor and his satellites.