The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVEN ING, FEBRUARY 28, 1846.

coolness and patriotism. May we be all united in
one sentiment—that of saving our country from the
most dreadful of visitations—a civil war.—(Applause.)
Nations, I am aware, do not die, hut they become
weak from intestine dissensions, and France never had
more need than now of all her force—of the aid of
all her children. Our duty is clearly traced out—it
calls on us to unite ourselves to what is most gene-
rous in the heart of the nation. The crown of July
rests on the head of a child and a woman.—(Loud
marks of assent from the greatest part of the Cham-
ber, great disapprobation from the public tribunes.)
—lt is a solemn appeal.
The Duchess of Orleans here rose and pronounced
some words which we could not catch. The persons
near her appeared to recommend her to sit down.
M. 0. Barrot—lt is in the name of the political
liberty existing in our country, of the necessities of
order which have occurred to every one's mind, of
the union and accord which ought to reign amongst
all good citizens, that I call on all my colleagues to
support this double representation of July.—(Re-
newed assent and disapprobation, as before.) I would
give my life a thousand times to ensure the triumph
of the cause of liberty in my country—
The Marquis de Larochejtiquelin—You do not
know what you are doing !
M. 0. Barrot—Can it be that any one can imagine
that what was decided by the Revolution of July can
be again called in question ?—(Great agitation.)
Gentlemen, the work, I allow, is difficult ; but there
are such elements of generosity, greatness, and good
sense in this country, that it suffices to appeal to them
to induce the whole population to rally round the stan-
dard I display.—(Murmurs in the tribunes.) Our duty
is simple—it is traced out by the laws and by honour.
If we do not fulfil it with firmness, I cannot say what
the consequences will be, but be certain of this, that
whoever should dare to incur the responsibility of a
civil war, would be in the highest degree culpable
towards his country.—(Hear, hear.) For my part,
what I conceive to be most fitting for the situation is
this—the regency of the Duchess of Orleans; a
Ministry chosen from the most tried opinions ; and an
appeal to the country, which will pronounce with full
liberty, in an extent sanctioned by law. Such is my
opinion, and I cannot consent to assume the respon-
sibility of any other situation.—(Agitation.)
The Marquis de Larochejaquelin—Gentlemen, I
feel the most profound respect for what there is
painful in the position of certain persons. I am,
perhaps, more than another called OR to defend here
the people and liberty. But I must reply to M. 0.
Barrot that I cannot have here the intention of up-
holding a particular opinion ; that Hon. Gentleman
has not comprehended the sentiment which animates
me. Gentlemen, here you are nothing—
Loud cries from all sides of " Order, order."
The President—M. de Larochejaquelin, you are
sinning against the respect due to the Chamber; I
call you to order_
The Marquis de Larochejaquelin—When I affirm
that you are nothing, I do not mean to say that the
Chamber is annulled.

A person not belonging to the Chamber, M. Che-
vallier, editor of the Bibliothique Historique, here
ascended the tribune.—(Great confusion.)
M. Chevallier—l shall speak with the greatest
moderation.—(You have no right to be there.) Be-
ware of proclaiming the Count de Paris without
being authorised to do so; but if the Duchess cf
Orleans and the young Count have sufficient courage
to go along the Boulevards, in the midst of the people
and the National Guards, I answer for their safety.
If the people will not consent to confer on him the
crown—

Voices in the crowd—" Vive la Republique."
M. Chevallier—What you have now to do is to give
us a Government, and to give it at once ; you cannot
leave a whole population without magistrates, without
directing heads.—(The noise prevented the voice of
the speaker from being heard.)
At this moment a vast crowd broke into the
Chamber. They were dressed in the most heteroge-
neous manner, some in blouses with dragoons' helmets
on their heads ! others with cross-belts and infantry
caps ! others again in ordinary clothes, but all with
arms—swords, lances, spears, muskets, and tri
coloured flags. These persons at once seized on such
Deputies' seats as were unoccupied, several even
ascended the tribune, and fixed themselves there.
The President perceiving what had occurred, and in
order to mark his disapprobation, as well perhaps
as to signify that the sitting could not go on
under such circumstances, put on his hat. This
created a dreadful uproar, and numerous cries of
" Off with your hat, President !" were heard from
new comers. Several of them even directed their
muskets at him. The scene was of almost unima-
ginable violence.
M. Ledru-Rollin, from his place, overpowering the
tumult with his voice—Gentlemen, in the name of
the people, I call for silence !
A number of the Deputies, appearing to consider
their position perilous, began to withdraw, and as
they abandoned their places the crowd took possession
of them. The tumult was tremendous, and many
Deputies looked with anxiety towards the Duchess
of Orleans and her children. She however sat calm
amidst the uproar.

M. ledru-Rollin after some time succeeded in
making himself heard.—ln the name of the people,
(said the Hon. Deputy) I protest against the kind
of Government which has just been proposed to you.
—(lmmense applause, cries of "Bravo !" bravo !"
from the new corners, and their comrades in the
public tribunes ; the shouts were deafening.) This
is not the first time that I have thus protested ;
already, in 1842, I demanded the constitution of
1791.—(Cheers.) That constitution declared that it
should be necessary to make an appeal to the people
when a Regency Bill was to be passed.—(The loudest
applause) I protest, therefore, against the Govern-
ment that it is attempted to establish—l do so in the
name of the citizens whom I see before me—who for
the last two days have been fighting, and who will,
if necessary, again combat this evening. (From
every side cries of " Yes ! yes F' cheers with bran-
dishing of arms, and in some cases raising of muskets
to the shoulder; indescribable tumult.) I demand
in the name of the people that a provisional Govern-
ment be named.—(Great applause.)
M. de Lamartine—Gentlemen, I shared in the
sentiments of grief which just now agitated this
assembly in beholding the most afflicting spectacle
that human annals can present—that of a Princess
coming forward with her innocent son, after
having quitted her deserted Palace, to place herself
under the protection of the nation. But if I shared
in that testimony of respect for a great misfortune, I
also share in the solicitude—in the admiration which
that people, now fighting during two days against a
perfidious Government for the purpose of re-esta-
blishing order and liberty, ought to inspire.--(Great
applause from the tribunes.) Let us not deceive
ourselves—let us not imagine that an acclamation in
this Chamber can replace the co-operation of thirty-
five millions of men. Whatever Government be
established in the country it must be cemented by
solid definitive guarantees I How will you find the
conditions necessary for such a Government in the
midst of the floating elements which surround us ?
By descending into the very depth of the country
itself, boldly sounding the great mystery of the right
of nations.—(Great applause in the tribunes.) In
place of having recourse to these subterfuges, to these
emotions, in order to maintain one of those fictions
which have no stability, I propose to you to form a
Government, not definitive, but provisional—a Go-
vernment charged, first of all, with the task of stanch-
ing the blood which flows, of putting a stop to civil
war—(Cheers)—a Government which we appoint
without putting aside anything of our resentments
and of our indignation; and in the next place a Go-
vernment on which we shall impose the duty of con-
voking and consulting the people in its totality—all
that possess in their title of man the right of a citi-
sen.—(Tremendous applause from the people in the
tribunes.)

At this moment, a violent and imperative knocking
was heard at the door of an upper tribune, which was
not entirely filled. On the door being opened, a
number of men rushed in, well provided with arms,
and-who appeared to have just come from a combat.
Several of them forced their way to the front seats,
and pointed their muskets at the Deputies below.
Some of these weapons were also turned in the
direction of the royal party.
Immediately the persons near the Duchess of
Orleans seemed to address her energetically, and a
moment after she rose, and, with her sons and the
two Princes, quitted the Chamber by a door on the
extreme left. _ _

M. Sauzet at the same moment withdrew from the
President's chair, and nearly all the Deputies who had
remained quitted their places. The noise and dis-
order at this moment were at the greatest height.
Shortly after, silence being somewhat restored,
M. Ledru-Rollin said—According as I read out
the names you will say " yes" or " no," just as they
please you, and, in order to act officially, I call on the
reporters of the public press to note down the names
and the manner in which they are received, thp.t
France may know what has been done here.—(The
Hon. Deputy then read out the names of MM. Du-
pont (de l'Eure), Arago, de Lamartine, Ledru-Rollin,
Gamier- Pages, Marie, and Cremieux, all of which
were received with acclamations.)
Cries of "To the Hotel de Ville !" here arose,
followed by a cry of "No Civil List," and another of
"No King !" Some one having directed the atten-
tion of the crowd to the picture of Louis Philippe
swearing obedience to the Charter, cries of " Tear it
down ;" arose. A workman armed with a double-
barrelled fowling-piece, who was standing in the
semi-circle, cried out, " Just wait until I have a shot
at Louis Philippe !" and at the same moment both
barrels wbre discharged.—(Great confusion ensued,
in the midst of which two men jumped on the chairs
behind the President's seat, and prepared to cut the
picture to pieces with their sabres.)
Another workman ran up the steps of the tribune,