New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-08-29

Assembly appointed a Committee to inquire into
il. causes Men were selected for the purpose
who could not be suspected OF Partially to the
Executive Commission, under whose adminisira'
ton the instruction commenced; they were all
men who had had no share in the revolution, mem
bers Of the conservative side OF the Assembly
Odilon Barrot was their chairman. They at once
entered on their duties and after little more
than month spent in the investigation made then
reuort on Thursday afternoon Of last week.
This report marks period ia the Revolution Il
has taken all parties By surprise 1t IS signal o.
hatred. of civil war and iorbids the conciha'lon
which the best heads and hearts OF France have
been laborng and hoping TO effect. 1t tears open
old wounds. scarcely closed and pours vltriol upon
them II laws bare the public body to stlll more ID
furious blows Ii is the hope Of some that the As
semb!y will refuse to discuss it by a simple vote
o. pass 10 the order Of the day when 1t comes up,
and strong efforts have been made to bring about
such action. But it is impossible to avoid the
discussion, or the profound agitation which 1t must
produce, not only in the Assembly, but throughout
the country: the parties accused 10y the report
might perhaps be induced to forego their defence.
but the accusers cannot be induced to withdraw
the accusation or to refrain from pressing 1t with
the utmost obstinacy. With them 1t IS matter
Of party luminosity too deep and too bind to yield
a hair.
OF the report itself shall not attempt to give
an ANALYSIS. You will find it at length in the
French journals, and its character is too papable
to require any elaborate effort to disclose It, 1t IS
enough to say of it that it attributes the nsurrec-
ton of June the affair of the 18th of May, and that
of the 9th of April, 10 Caussldisre, Louis Blanc
and Ledru-Rollini Hardly an allusion to the real
causes has crept into single line of the long and
minute account. Not a word Of the corruption that
the fallen dynasty had spread among all ranks OF
society with which it came in contact IS IN the re-
port; scarcely a word of the terrible and long
increasing misery of the working classes, a misery
above which all institutions are at the mercy
of the earthquake II is nothing more than mass
of charges against Louis Blanc Caussldlere and
Rollin founded upon the most tritimg testi-
nonv, and detailed with minuteness worthy OF
a gossip at a country tavern. The testimony, too,
was taken without any notice to the parties ac-
cused with no opportunity for them to confront the
witnesses and contradict their evidence.
AS | said the report has taken by surprise all
who were not in the secret thunderbolt falling
in the midst of the Assembly could not have star
tied the members as did its reading. On all sides
members cried out that it was Infamous, that 1t
was pitiful, and bedru- Roin at the conclusion
assembled the tribune and delivered protest
AGAINST it, whose eloquence had the sympathy and
appreciation of many who are ordinarily opposed
10 him. He demanded that an early day should
be fixed for the discussion of the report. lie asked
too. to be heard Immediately in reply to its ac-
cusations and not for himself only, but for sacred
principle which violated in his person to-day, might
be- violated in others tomorrow. He bad been
heard only once before the Committee, and not one
of the facts to which his name was attached IN the
report mad been stated to him. In the worst days
OF the country such procedure was never known.
Even before the Revolutionary Tribunals the &C
cused appeared, answered to his name, and was
condemned. But then the enemy was on the from
tiers. and factions were at work on every hand
There was no hypocrtical profession OF respect Tor
the rights of individuals there was simply
courage to recognize the Revolution men knew
that they were in blood to the neck, and obliged to
violate principles in order TO defend and save the
country. Was the Assembly IN the same clrculn-
stances now And yet the Committee had ac-
cused one and struck at another without havin
given any the opportunity 10 confront a single
fthe witnesses against him. And they were told
that If the CHARGES were erroneous the legal trlbu
mails would in due time declare them So es, after
public opinion had pronounced and executed sen
tence upon the accused. For three months the
attempt to STAY him morally had been continued
Init. h.a had htatf gllf II
but now he could be silent no longer. lie then
very briefly examined the charges brought against
him The notorious bulletin or which so much
stress was laid was not mis- on the 10th OF April
he had no concern IN the onspiracy-and II he mad
il vas a matter between his colleagues and him.
self over which the Assembly had no authority, Tor
the authority of the Assembly did not go back OF
the 9TH of May AS for the 9Th of May, far was he
from lavoring the outbreak, that as his colleagues
would testify he opposed to the mob that invaded
the Assembly the most active personal resistance
lie concluded by saying that the attempt had been
made to fling upon the Executive Commission the
responsibility OF the events of May and June
Such accusations, report like that they had Just
heard, charges gathered from all quarters and re
peated from the tribune without control wlthout
conformation, such bill OF indictment, oil whlch
history had no example, were not preparation Tor
trial they were death already inflicted
After this brilliant defence OF Ledru-hollln OF
which have given only the leading points, Louis
Blanc briefly protested against the report declar
ing especially his innocence IN respect OF the IN
surrection. He regarded all that bloodshed with
horror there was not drop CT 1t for which he
would willingly be responsible in the eyes of his
tory and of posterlty
Caussidere said few words in his blunt and
hearty way. He protested against these accuse
tons Ii he had plotted he would have been be
hind the barbados, and would not have returned
| from them. He had no other ambition than 10 see
the Republic triumph that which existed was
| not precisely such as he had dreamed but he
hoped nothing from attacks upon it in the streets
and everything from free discussion in the Assem-
| bly. He oonjured the Assembly TO suspend its
Judgment till the time when the charges OF the re
| port were regularly considered
| Nj. Proudhon who was also involved in the re
| port though in an indefinite and ridiculous ay
| attempted to speak but in vain. The Assembly
broke up with deeper though less noisy agitation
than have seen before. The minds Of the Rep
rcsentatves were not only disturbed, but a certain
| gloomy presentiment seemed to affect them. Be
fore the session closed two OF the statements OF the
report were invalidsted one relating to Ledru
Roln aud the 9th of April, and the other relating
| u NJ. Proudhon.
The matter was called up again in the Assembl,
on Saturday by Ledru-Rollin who asked that th'
discussion might be made the order OF the day OF
| Tuesday. OdilOn Barrot replied that this as i'm