The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-07 00:00:00

V.-M. DUPONT DE L'EURE.

This distinguished patriot and staunch Republican
deserves a similar eulogy to that which we have passed
upon De Lamartine—to the effect that his private life is
as pure as his public career has been honourable and
glorious. lie has reached the advanced nge of 81, hav-
ing been born on the 27th of Feb., 1767; and, though
young at the time, he acted a conspicuous and noble part
in the Revolution of 1792. From that period until the
present date his life has been passed in the service o!
the Liberal cause, which he has advocated unflinchingly,
and often to his personal detriment and danger. But it
would be impossible, in a limited sketch of this nature,
to follow M. Dupont through all the varied and remark-
able phases of his existence. Suffice it to say that ho has
ever been true to those Republican opinions which he
acquired and cherished while Louis XVI. yet sat upon the
French throne. In the Revolution of 1830, M. Dupont
took an active part, and was one of the eight Deputies to
whom I have alluded in the sketch of Odillon Barrot.
The establishment of a Republic was the hope which M.
Dupont entertained ; and when he heard the design
mooted by Lafitto in favour of the younger branch of
the Bourbons, he sought General Lafayette at the
Hotel do Ville, and said, " I understand that
there is an intrigue going on to give the throne
to the Duke of Orleans ; beware ! for a Bourbon is
sure to betray you !" The warning was unfortu-
nately neglected, but the prediction remained—and has
been fulfilled. M. Dupont was present when the follow-
ing memorable dialogue took place between Lafayett,e,
and the ducal candidate for a crown:—" You know,"
said the General, " that I am a Republican, and that I
consider the Constitution of the United States as the
most perfect that has ever existed." " I think as you
do," replied the Duke of Orleans, who would have uttered
any falsehood at the moment in order to gain the object
of his heart's ambition; " it is impossible to have passed
two years, as I have done, in America, without being of
that opinion; but do you think, in the situation of France,
and according to general impressions, that it is proper for
us to adopt it?" " What is at present necessary for the
French people," returned Lafayette, "is a popular throne,
surrounded with Republican institutions." " It is exactly
so that I understand it," replied the Duke. After
this conversation, Lafayette drew M. Dupont aside, and
asked him what he thought of it ? " I still hold the
same opinion," was the reply : " the Prince will
assuredly deceive you. The idea of a throne with a
Republican basis would be ridiculous any where
and in any case ; bat when that idea is expressed by
the lips of a Bourbon, it is more—far more than
suspicious." The reader may gather from this anecdote,
that Dupont de I'Eure is a far-seeing man, and that he
knows too much of the world to " put any confidence in
princes." A Liberal Deputy of such sagacity and inde-
pendent spirit, and possessing great talents, could not do
otherwise than shine in the French Chamber; and M.
Dupont accordingly became one of the leaders of the
Republican party. In 1842 his indignation knew no bounds
when he beheld all the Deputies of the Eure voting in a
most servile manner in favour of the Soult-Guizot Minis-
try; and after reproaching them bitterly for their conduct,
which he stigmatised as a " scandal and a shame," he
threatened to stand at the ensuing election for all the
different places then represented by that menial crew
whom he thus denounced. He kept his word, too, and
was chosen by four Colleges of the Department of the
lure; but having subsequently to elect for which place
he would sit, he chose Evreux. This incident aroused
the bitterest wrath of the King and the Conservatives
against M. Dupont—but he cared nothing for their hos-
tility, and never lost an opportunity of exposing the
selfish designs of the Monarch, and the corrupt policy
of his creatures. When the " grand scene" took place
last Thursday week in the Chamber of Deputies, and
Sauzet (the President) abandoned the chair, M. Dupont
de I'Eure was installed in the seat of honour,
while the names of the members of the Provisional Go
vernment wore read; and his own standing first on the
list, he became Prime Minister. There is no doubt but
he will be chosen President of the Republic, when the
National Assembly meets.
VI.—M. LEDRTJ-ROLLIN.
The Provisional Minister of the interior, who is the
subject of this sketch, has not long been before the world
as a politician; but during the few years of his public life,
he has conducted himself in a manner calculated to insure
the confidence of the French nation. An uncompromising

Republican and a splendid orator—endowed with grey
moral courage and a fine spirit, and evergiving bold utter-
ance to his honest conviction, Ledru-Rollin is eminently
calculated to become a leader in agreat popular movement.
Besides, even though his political career has been short,
he has undergone a test, and was not found wanting,
For when that fine old friend of freedom, Garni6r Pages
—the father of the present Mayor of Paris—died, Ledru
Rollin offered himself as his successor in the representa-
tion of Mans. The address which he put forth to the
electors was replete with the most generous and fervid
Republican sentiments ; and the Government set every
engine of corruption to work in order to defeat him.
But he was returned by a large majority ; and then he
delivered a speech not merely echoing the opinions con-
tained in his address, but enunciating all the best and
most logical reasons in favour of a democratic form of
government. He like% ise made a masterly exposure of
the selfish ambition of Louis Philippe, and the unprin-
cipled policy of his servile hirelings. The speech not
only produced a deep sensation at Mans, but throughout
France ; and a prosecution was instituted against him.
lle stucAl his trial, and was condemned to six months'
imprisonment. But as the Chambers were sitting, and
his person as a deputy was inviolable, he could
not be arrested ; and the day before the usual
prorogation took place he departed for Eng-
land or Ireland—we forget which—where he re-
mained during the recess. This plan he adopted for
five years, when the statute of limitations, which ex-
tends in France to such cases, purged him of the al-
leged offence and annihilated the sentence passed upon
him. M. Ledru-Rollin is married to an Irish lady; and
this fact may have given an impulse to those sympa-
thies which on his part have been manifested towards
the Emerald Isle. When the state trials took place in
Dublin, M. Ledru-Rollin set on foot a subscription to
aid in defraying the expenses of the defence, and offered
to head a deputation to O'Connell, expressive of the
good feelings of the French people; but the arch agi-
tator churlishly and rudely rejected the generousyropo-
sals thus made to him. On the occasion of the Pritchard
Indemnity, M. Ledru-Rollin attacked the Ministers
with extraordinary vigour, and used epithets so strong
that the President called him to order. But nothing
could stop the torrent of his indignant eloquence; and
when the Chamber divided, the result led Duchretel to
whisper to a friend, who has since recorded the anec-
dote in print, "Ledru-Rollins's speech lost us seven
votes." This secession was immense in a Chamber so
corruptly packed ; and the admission of the Minister
of the Interior was a high compliment to the eloquent
orator. M. Ledru-Rollin carried his independence in the
Chamber to such an extent, that he would fearlessly
blame even those with whom he usually acted, if he
thought that they were in the wrong. Thiers and
Odillon Barrot, being less liberal than he, were fre-
quently assailed by him; and Dufaure often came in
for a taste of his lash. his special organ has, for some
time, been the liejormc newspaper, in which be possesses
a considerable share.