Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-05-02

6,Oo0 men who were on the Place de la Concortle,
would look to it. | therefore went home to take ON
my uniform quickly as possible, and to hasten to
the chamber Some generals who came to see me
made me lose half an hour. When reached the
Palais Bourbon (Chamber of Deputies) saw de-
puties quitting the chamber in state OF the great
est terror and presenting the most deporable hgure
Those who were capable of speaking sald to me :
All is over they are about to proclaim the repub-
lie y rushed to detachment of the Tenth Legion
that had its arms piled in the Place, and who seem
ed not to be in the slightest degree aware OF what
was passing Do you wish for the republic "
cried to them No no! Saerebtue! We 90 not
wish it, Very well let us march to the Cham
Der to protect the regent and to insure the promu-
CATION of the regency They were only about $50
men, commanded by young major They snatch
ed up their arms at once. While they were doing
SO, General Oudinot ran from the court and called
on the same National Guard He harangued them
him all my esteem l caught him by the hand and
pressed it earnestly. We entered the court. |
snatched up the musket of an invalid. Alas it
was too late About fifteen deputies out at the
same moment and said : 1T is all over. The Ouch
ess is going to the Invalides by the garden of the
presidence the republic is proclaimed
'The National Guard stopped short. There was
evidently nothing more to be done. We were not
in sufficient force to restore matters Thus fell the
monarchy that had given to France seventeen years
of peace and prosperity. History presents nothing
more shameful, nothing deplorable. 1t only
learned at later period the shameful conduct Of
the troops, who standing in the Place de la Con-
corde, and in number from 5000 to 5000 men, re-
manned quiet while detachment of the Municipal
Guard was butchered before their eyes.
Il had promised you my dear -, sucelnct
narrative of these events and in conformity with my
character have now kept my word and, though
have omitted multitude of details and incidents,
have been too prolx hope you will not complain
of it. You well understand my dear colleague that
this recital must no account be published; 1t
ought not to be published. The utmost you are at
liberty to do is to allow few intimate friends to
read it, but you must not permit any one to make
copy.
II have not told the whole truth but have said
not word that rs not perfectly correct, and which
was not witnessed by thousands of persons. have
learned in the most positive manner that IN those
heart-rending circumstances, and from the many
letters of officers of the army and of the National
Guard, far from being lowered in the opinion OF
those who saw me, have gained. An une1ampled
concourse of circumstances paralyzed me- had no
opportunity of making use of my experience or OF
the military qualities with which Nature had en-
dowed me. had mott have shown it in the be-
ginning anything more than the shadow of a COM
mand. The ministers, the King, the princes, the
bourgeofste all interfered and impeded me. How
wished at that moment that the whole of them-the
court and the government-were at Vincennes! But,
above ALL what ought to have been done to give
the command fifteen days previously, in order to
prepare the troops, to identify them with my
ner of acting, and to supply them On every point,
with all things necessary for such conflict In this
respect everything had been forgotten, in spite of
my repeated admonitions -admonitions given even
ofciously. There plan either for hostilities
or for the retirement of the government-no orders
given to the troops as to the mode of acting. The
supply ofammunition ridiculously small There
were no magazines of provisions on the principal
ia in thoi pto for hroo
open doors and penetrating into the houses In
word, there was nothing which showed that the
slightest precaution had been taken. The only
thing done was to mark out to the different corps
route to enter on the principal points of occupation.
That route had been drawn up, revised, and aug
mented since 1843. 1t was all that had been pre-
pared or imagined by the geniuses who were charg-
ed with watching over the destinies of the mon
archy. Whenever | had shown disposition to
speak to the ministers the subject and to
heard with inattention, and with an air of ennat );
and saw in their malicious smile that they believed
L was jealous of those who were in command, and
that wished to solicit the command for myself
They did not feel how much deyotedness was in my
exhortations to them.
&C Marshal BUGEAUD, Duke d'Isly"
On the above letter scarcely any comment is necessary
All parties seemed to have been pasalyzed, if not ignorant
of the danger which, torso many days. From
all can learn, am disposed to believe that in similar
emergency the government will allow itself
be taken Independently Of the general system
precapton each nammatory proclamation OF the London
refugees responded to quietly but by ad
dtonal measures For instance immense quantity Of
ammunition belonging to the National Guard has been
ken from the Hotel de Ve where had been deposited
the forts The Hotel de Ville you may depend upon it, il
not left unfinished Reviews in the barracks called
daitere of frequent The General himself
visits the soldiers quarters when least expected il
the men ready to turn out at moments warning
yesterday the locks removed from the muskets of all
the soldiers of the garrison who absent leave and
deposited in place of security The activity of General
paraguay ders is incessant All these precautions
repeat not owing to any but general ancpations and
rather oecaoned by the ncSsan exhoratons proceeding
from the insurreetonary committees London than any
thing else''
"CALL AND sEE,''
d D A D I