The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-03 00:00:00

THE SUN,

DEFENCE OF LAMARTINE.
(Continued from The Sun of Friday.)
ELEVENTH ACCUSATION.
I return to the Executive Commission. It was, I
have already observed, a Government to use and to
accuse, a plank of safety employed to cross the tre-
mench'us abyss of difficulties, and to be afterwards
cast down the precipice. Its devotion was its only
merit; we had each of us a consciousness of sacri-
fice. Whatever may be said to the contrary, our
devotedness was sincere, active, and unanimous. All
the members of that Government performed their
duties better and more earnestly than was imagined
without. Nothing was achieved by them merely
with an eye to reprehension or eulogium ; everything
was done with justice and impartiality. It is true
that this Government had a 23d of June—that was
its deplorable misfortune ; but all the great revolu
tions appear to have the destiny of liquidating them.
selves at the commencement by days of this character.
As it was, however, the National Assembly and the
Moderate Republic proved triumphant. Behold all
that we have in this instance to reply. And with
what forces, let us ask—with what forces were the
National Assembly and the Moderate Republic en-
abled to vanquish their assailants ? With the forces
prepared by 113 in the Garde Mobile, in the civic
guards, in the troops of the line, directed by the hand
of the Republican General whom we ourselves re-
called from Africa to save the Republic in this pre-
destined catastrophe.
One word upon that 15th of May and that 231 of
June, in regard to which the imbecility of hatred and
slander has not feared to seek out against me calum-
nious charges of complicity.
The 15th of May was a public accident (une acci-
dent pepulaire), a scandal, the irruption of a riotous
mob into the Chamber, without any positive intention
of crime on the part of the multitude, without any
other project in the mind of its leaders than that of
insulting and degrading the Assembly, and of render-
ing the national representation subservient to the
clubs. The rioters themselves were, numerically
speaking, very insignificant. The chiefs of the prin-
cipal factions did not participate in their undertaking,
and would not consent to afford it the aid of their
countenance. They watched the result of this con-
spiracy as an essay of the smaller factions, which
would indicate the extent to which they might
without rashness hazard their own larger capacities.
I am persuaded that, supposing the details of this
melancholy occurrence examined, we should find
that amongst the greater number of those who in-
vaded the National Assembly there was immeasurably
more of impulse than of premeditation.
Behold, now, however, how far 1 was their ac

complice :
At the entrance of the principal vestibule of
the hall of sitting I placed myself alone, and
with my arms extended, before the head of the co-
lumn. The deputation front the mob outside spoke
in violent terms of threats and of poignards. I did
not listen to them; I would not see them ; and an im-
passioned dialogue ensued between the leaders of the
deputation and myself. "I am a member of the
Government; my duty is to shelter the National
Assembly from all attempts upon its dignity. You
shall only pass onwards over my body." They sof-
tened their tone; they began to discuss.; they retreated.
A little later, the crowd having invaded all the
lobbies, entered by the tribunes. I remained upon
my bench, witnessing this disorder with consterna-
tion and silence, and waiting, as did all the other
members of the National Assembly, until the Na-
tional Guard, informed of what was occurring, should
come to cover the representatives with their bayonets.
I have been reproached with not having spoken
during this tumult. Behold why it was that I pre-
served silence at the tribune. While I was hurrying
a few moments before, through the corridors, the
halls, the gardens, and the courts, I was received with
two or three cries of Death to Lamartine I drowned
immediately afterwards by shouts of a contrary
description. A reflex of popularity still encompassed
me. The people seemed to regret the Provisional Go-
vernment. I reflected. If I ascend the tribune, I said
to myself, if I am applauded, I shall appear in the
eyes of my colleagues as one not very far removed
from complicity with those men who have insulted
and invaded the Assembly. I shall have the appear-
ance of desiring to weigh down the representation
under the pressure of the multitude. I quitted my
place ; during two hours I harangued the groups
which were collected together in the neighbouring
saloons ; I was surrounded, pressed upon, and was
caressed rather than menaced by the disordered but
not furious voices of the multitude. Thousands of
auditors listened to the words which I uttered. Let
them say if there was in any one of the harangues
anything except reproaches and adjurations addressed
to the people, to induce them to return to their re-
spect for their real sovereignty ! All the representa-
tives preserved an attitude worthy of the nation of
Boissy d'Anglas. At the moment when the Na-
tional Assembly was dissolved, and when its Mem-
bers quitted the hall to go and rally the defenders of
order, some brave citizens, whose names I have since
learnt, drew me away from the tumult, caused me to
traverse the garden, and conducted me, to await the
fate of the day, in the Cabinet of the Adminis-
tration of the President of the Assembly. They
were indignant at the attempt, and humiliated at the
calamity which had befallen the Government. "If
it continues only for a single night," I said to them,
" I will go and sleep at Vincennes." They exclaimed
to me in reply—" It will not continue two hours."
The drums of the National Guard were already
audible. They beat the charge. We descended
upon the terrace which borders the quay. We re-
entered the sitting with the first battalion of the
Garde .Mobile. As they marched forwards, the
soldiers carried me to the reconquered tribune,
While I was mounting its steps I learnt that the
rioters had obtained a forcible entrance into the Hotel
de Ville. They had established themselves there,
said my informer, surrounded by five or six thousand
armed men and guarded by four pieces of cannon,
which they had discovered in the courtyards. " I
am about to march thither !" I cried, " while you
here resume the sitting of your sovereignty. We will
not allow the promoters of civil war time to organize
themselves; we will strangle the incipient rebel-
lion in its cradle. Let: us proceed at once to
the combat!" The Minister of the Interior was
in the hall ; he departed in my com-
pany. We mounted on horseback. We pro-
ceeded to the Place de Greve at the head of a
column of the National Guard and of the cavalry of
the line. I dispatched persons in search of two pieces
of cannon, with which to force open the gates. One
column aggregated its strength with the universality
of the good citizens who hastened spontaneously from
all the legions to avenge France. The factious con-
spirators did not even attempt to defend the seat of
Government of which they had come to proclaim the
installation. We caused them to be arrested; we
ordered them to be transferred during the night to
Vincennes to screen them from the indignation of the
people, and by that means to avoid the effusion of the
first blood of the Revolution. My return to the
Assembly, through the midst of a crowd intoxicated
with its victory over anarchy, was one of the most
unanimous and prolonged acclamations which has
ever made the air vibrate with the name of a citizen.
Was this, I ask, the welcome given to the accomplice
or to the repressor of a sedition ? All Paris can
reply