Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-07-20
6cralo Of the Vimes
RHODE. Isl ANDER;
Thursday Morning, July 20, lS4S
NEWPORT.

1
the late fearful insurecton in Paris, which
threatened for time to annihilate all vestiges
Of government, and to subvert the few Iemain-
ing barriers, which protect in that city person
or property, are before our readers, and furnish
even a casual observer with the means of est-
mating pretty correctly the origin and force,
and probable effects of that portentous move.
ment. Many parallel outbreaks, as respects
the nature Of the movement and its immediate
effect on the government and country, will oc-
cur to their recollection, in the incipient stages
of the Revolution such as the insurrection
ofthe 10th of August, l702-the massacres in
prisons in September of that year-the insur-
rection of the lst of Prairial MAY 2Oth) 1895
the march Of the Sections, October 1895, to
overturn the National Convention, and their
repulse BY the intrepidity and military skill of
Bonaparte but no one, where the conflict
was 50 protracted-the loss of life so prodig-
ious,-a the purposes and schemes of the
insurgents, if effected so formidable to the
very existence of society, as it is at present
organized We may well rejoice, that the
cause of law and order, however imperfectly
upheld in France, has trumphed in this in
stance, and that at leas, breathing spell is
afforded to the considerate and well disposed
part of the community TO rally TO the support
of their institutions, and to enable their Repre-
sentatives, after due deliberalion, to present
them with some semblance of Government,
which will serve them for shelter from these
fanatiIal and desperate outrages.
The immediate occasion of the recent insur-
rection appears to have been the determination
of the late Executive Committee, very tardily
taken, and not till impelled thereto by repeat
ed intimations from the National Assembly, to
remove about 10000 workmen from Atehrs
Nationa'lr, (Na,ional workshops) of Paris,
and to provide for their return 10 the depart
mcnts and provinces where they properly be-
longed. A detachment of 5000 of this num-
ber had been furnished by the Government
with subsistence and money to proceed to their
domicils, and were actually on the road for
that purpose, when they were persuaded by
the nsurgent leaders to return to the city, and
to demand their reinstatement in the work
shops on their former fooling-in other words,
to DC permitted to live in deness at the ex-
pense of the State. This was resisted by NJ.
Marie, the Minister of Public Works, who ex-
pos,ulated with the deputaton which the
workmen sent to him, reminding them, that
they were not the slaves Of these leaders, but
free TO act according to their conviction Of what
was right. These words, so just and reason
able, were hasely perverted by the deputation
on their return, who, represented to their con-
fedcratcs, tina, the Minister had denominated
them slaves, and poremptorily babe them depart.
This was the signal, or pretence eagerly seized
upon, for precipitating the insurrection, which
had undoubtedly been planned and matured
weeks before this interview occurred, with a
view of compelling the National Assembly to
continue the workshops as organized by LOUIS
Blanc, or, failing in this attempt, TO disperse
or massacre its members, and substitute the
leading Communists and Socialists as a new
Constituent Assembly, or what is more proba-
bic perhaps, as the flags and notices ofthe in
indscrimnate incendiarism, pillage and muir
der.
1t is unnecessary to recount all the acts
and scenes Of violence and herOism, which
crowded the four eventful days Of the 23d :
oath, 25th, and Goth ult. during which Paris
was exposed to strife as fierce and deadly as
ever was waged in the narrow streets and a
midst the massive and impenetrable walls of
the far famed Saragossa. The National As
semby, early on Friday, declared itself en- per-
n'anence, and continued its sit,ings, night and
day during the entire conflict, giving its whole
attention to the DEGREES and provisions required
by the emergency to uphold public order. 1t
had the wisdom, on the suggestion of M.
Duprat, TO declare Paris in state of siege,
thereby placing the city under martial law,
to commit all executive powers to General
Cavaigrac, and in this manner to compel the
imbecie, if not treacherous Executive Commit
tee to surrender its trust to that accomplished
and true hearted soldier. The happy conse-
quence of the last named measure was to in
fuse new energy and confidence into the con-
servatiye masses, and by placing the whole
power of the Executive in honest and compe-
tent hands to make certain of the great triumph
which was finally achieved over the 6end-like
spirits of murder, rapne, unlimited license and
misrule, which seemed to be concentrated and
let loose upon that devoted city.
1t is question with many,-what was the
true and ultimate cause of this terrible out
break, which for a time threatened the annih-
lation of government, and required the efforts
of more than 200, 900 troops and citizens to
qucll I'VE answer without hesitation-the
misconduct and wanion and reckless usurpa-
tons of the Provisional Government. Setting
aside the question, whether any justifying
cause existed for the Revolution iiseli-wheth-
er all the alledged abuses under the govern