The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-04 00:00:00

TEE CO

OF 1851.

A work from the pen of M, Granier de Cassag-
nac, eetitled " Histoire de la ,Chute du Roi Louis
Philippe, de la Republique de 1848, et du Reetab-•
Fssement de PEmpire," is about to appear in Paris.
'lt gives some details of interest concerning the cir-
cumstances which preceded the memorable coup
d'etat. The work giver; an account of different pro-
jects which had been proposed to the President of
the Republic but were rejected, as the prince
would not listen to any coup d'etat that should
not be followed by an immediate appeal to-the peo-
pie. Many of the details are of course more or less
known, but the following seem new :—" The cora-
mander-in-chief of the army of Paris received regu-
larly every Thursday, at his office at the Tuil-
leries, the gener d officers of his army and of
his division. He was of opinion that a de-
cisive measure was necessary. Without
being aware of the exact day, he know that it must
be soon, and he was resolutely devoted to its ac-
complishment. On Thursday, the 26th November,
neral Magnan had all the generals at his house ;
there were 21, including himself. Full of his idea,
and secure of the character of his companions in
arms, he decided on himself a very serious resolu-
tion—that of entrusting to them a secret, which
nevertheless was not entirely his own. This confi-
dence, which was essentially delicate, would have
been dangerous, if it had not been placed in the
brea-ts of officers guided.by feelings of duty and of
honour. The general-in-chief rapidly sketched out
to his comrades the situation of France, dwelt on the ,
imperions necessity which, existed of saving society,
threatened by the demagogical party; the intention
which the elect of the people had of making a fresh
appeal to the nationalsovereignty; and the confidence
which he placed in the army to protect the liberty of
voting against the attacks of factions. He made
known to them his firm resolution to engage his
full and entire responsibility in an enterprise emi-
nently national; and he expressed a hope of being
imitated by the generals of the army of Paris ;
but be added that if there was any amongst them
who thought his conscience engaged him not to
enter on the plan, he left him absolute liberty to
say. so, relying on the delicacy and probity of all
present as to the overture which he hail just made
to them in his own name. In reply to this frank
appeal, General Reibell advanced and spoke in the
name of his comrades. Re thanked the com-
mander-in-chief for having, thought that the ,
twenty generals of the army -of Paris would, not
separate their cause—the cause of discipline and
military honour—from that of Prince: Louis
Napoleon, which was the same as that of the
people and of civilisation. He declared that in'
expressing himself in that manner, he was the
faithful interpreter of the feelings of all the
other generals, and that at whatever time the ,
prince and the general-in-chief should make an ap-
peal to their devotedness, there was not one who
would not consider himself bound in honour to re-
spond to it. The remarks of General Reibell were
received with warm acclamations ; all present shook
hands with him, and all the generals emlqraced
each other, and from that moment it might be- said'
with certainty that France was extricated from an
abyss. When the emotion caused by this scene had
subsided, and silence was restored, Gen. Magnan
spoke as follows : Let us all swear that not one
of us will mention to any person whatever what
has just taken place here.' All the twenty-one
generals present —Magnan, Cornemuse, Hubert,
Sallenave, Carrelet, Renault, Levasseur, De Cotte,
De Bourgon, Canrobert, Dulac, Saboul, Forcy,,
Rippert, Herbillon, Marulaz, De Courtigis, Korte,
Tartas,D'Allonville, andßeibell---took the oath, and.
it has been so well kept that we are the first, after
more than five years, to make known the fact, and
the results of this memorable meeting."—The fol-
lowing passages, though not altogether new in their
general tenour, will still be read with interest
The most absolute silence was necessary, not for
the success of an appeal to the people, which would
have been carried out under all circumstances with
the certain support of public opinion and of the
army, but for the prompt, calm, and regular trans-
formation of the political system. The considerations
due to public and private affairs rendered it a duty
to anticipate partial resistance, and to shorten any
struggle dictated by self-interest. Those devoted per-
sons who, in the assembly, in the press, in the army,
and even in the household of the prince, bad contri-
buted by different means to the common cause, were
aware of the aim and the means, but only those
whose personal co-operation was indispensable were
acquainted with the day and hour. On the evening
of Monday, the Ist December, took place the, usual
reception at the Elysee, and the number of visitors
was considerable. The open and ardent struggle
excited by the old parties rendered a crisis more
probable than ever, and public opinion was aware
of its near approach. It was spoken of aloud on
that evening at the President's palace as an immi-
nent necessity, and it was spoken of in a pleasant
manner, as of an event of whose necessity all minds
I were made up. A southern deputy, known for bis
lively disposition, M. Denjoy, inquired of a jour-
nalist, his fellow-townsman, When are you going
to show us the door 1' Upon which the other
replied, ' Before long, I hope.' The prince ap-
peared to his guests with his unvarying calm
of mind and his usual amenity of manners.
The most attentive eye could not have detect, :d a
cloud on his features, or a preoccupation in his lan-
guage. At balf-past ten the drawing-room of
the Elyge began to thin, and at eleven the doors
were c'osed. It was then that four person', the
actors in the drama of the morrow, met in the ca.
binet of the prince, namely, General St. Arnaud,
Minister of War ; Count de Morny, who undertook
the Ministry of the Interior ; M. de Maupas, Pre-
fect of Police ; and Colonel de Beville of the staff,
and one of the &des-de-camp of the President.
The parts to be played by these four persons were
distinct and precise. Count de Morny, after hay-
I ing countersigned the decree for the dissolution of
the Assembly, was to take the initiative and re-
sponsibility of all measures of security at Paris and
in the provinces. General de St. Arnaud was to
combine and direct the action of the troops, in
order to prevent resistance from being made, or to
put a stop to it if attempted. M. de Maupas, re-
cently appointed to the Prefecture of Police, had
to perform a difficult task, which required as much
discernment as resolution—that of effecting rapidly
the arrests considered necessary, and of providing
general measures for the preservation of public
order; whilst to Colonel de Beville was confided
the mission of conveying to the national printing-
office, and of having printed under his own eye, in
concert with M. de St. Georges, director of the es-
tablishment, the official documents constituting the
ensemble of the great measure of the •2d December
—the decree of dissolution, the proclamation to the
army, and the appeal to the people. When printed,
Colonel de Beville and M. de St. George's were to
carry the documents themselves to the Prefecture
of Police and place them in the hands of M. de
Maupas. Such were, with M. Mocquard, the prince's
secretary, the persons who received the la,st instruc-
tions of the President of the Republic. At the
same hour Parisian society, dispersed in theatres.
was carelessly awaiting its salvation from time and
chance. It was only at three o'clock in the morn-
ing that General Magnan, commander-in-chief of
the army of Paris, was summoned to the Cabinet
of the Minister of War, and ,had the plans and
orders of the great event of the day communicated
to him. Convinced of the necessity of the measure,
and ready to accept the responsibility of its execu-
tion, General Magnan -had expressly requested not
to be apprised of the time until the moment when
it would be necessary to take the ;proper measures
and to mount on horseback. As an old soldier of
the Empire, and an officer of experience and autho-
rity, the firmness and devotedness .of the comman° -f
dant of the army of Paris were ,a sure reledg)th
success. When, therefore, he was informe t e
hour bad come, he was already fully prepa