New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-03
FRANCE.
The Usurpation and its Future Chances
Correspondence of The ". Y. Tribune
crxrv, fSyitzerlandO December, 1851

The incredible has happened. Napoleon
the Little who had apparently become so far
anpihilated as to be ridiculous, has carried
through his usurpation against all parties IN the
Assembly except the triflng party composed OF
his own personal followers. He trlumphs IN
audacjous perjury and at a single bound has fixed
himself on the neck OF the once so proud nation
of Frenchmen.
How was this possible The Constitution
shameessy destroyed the National Assembly,
the Council of State, and the High Court OF
Justice broken up, the state of siege extended
over the whole First Military Division, (ll De-
partments) the entire Independent press silenced,
the most distinguished Generals and officers oil
the army. the most prominent party leaders,
statesmen, journalists and reyolutionisss, Chan
GARNER. Cavaignac, Lamorici6re, Bedeau, Leflo,
Leydet, Charras, Berger, Theirs, Baze, La
grange, Creppo, Mot, Nadadd, Valentin and
many others arrested, and those representatives,
of the people, who were not seized, pursued
like game through the streets OF Paris All
outraged and trodden under foot by one rldicu
lous. bankrupt creature, by the disgusting ape
of a condemned despot
How would it have been had the Assembly
on the 18th previous, adopted the proposition OF
the Quaestors and named commandant and or-
dered body Of troops for its protection In
that case would such generals as Changamier
Cavaignac and others have suffered themselves
to he surprised like women in chl.dbed Who
does not remember the historical words OF Chan
GARNER. the former Commanding General Of
Pans, who must have known the spirit OF the
! army. and who said in the session OF June )
"Jf We should believe certain men, the army
would be ready in 2 moment OF enthusiasm, 10 lay
hancs on the laws of the country, and TO change us
| form of government. II would perhapso DC snflcent
for NE 20 ask, rhere the yreterf JJr enthusiasm
But will add that, profoundly by the SEN
timent CT IFS duties and OF is own dignity the army
| cesires no more than you 90, 10 see inflicted on
France the nssTes and diSgTdces Of the governments
| Of me Cts0rs, alternately imposed or changed ~
! drtnktn yretcri0as. Discipline In the French army
is founded on the most solid basis The soldier viii
ALWAYS listen TO the voice OF his chiefs But no one
| could obAse him to march against The laws and
against this Assembly. Not battalion, not COM
pd,y can be led astray in that fatal path, and those
| wh6 should attempt it would find opposed TO them
| the chiefs whom theE soldiers are wont TO follow
rpon the ronie of Goty and honor Representatives.
| of France, deliberate M peace"
Who does not also remember the similar as.
surance of Gen. Cavaignac, and of the Steele, now
many other generals, officers and journals
Who does not remember the former divisions in
the French army in 1899, 1890, and 1882 Who
could have overlooked the cial-democratic
vote OF the soldiers in March and April of last
year, or their recent protest against the limita-
ton Of the right of suffrage, made by abstanng
from the election Of representative for Paris
on November 30 And only two days after,
! these same soldiers march like one man for an
adventurer without merit or dignity, and without
mercy shoot down, with grape and muSketry, all
that stand in their way The symptoms OF d.
| vision that have yet appeared among them are
not worth mentioning; single battalion is
said to have shouted Virc Changarniey at the
| Tuileries. How is this unanimity to be ex.
planned Merely by saying tina: NJ. Louis
lad gradually filed all the important commands
in and about Paris with his own creatures
or by saying that lie had infamed all the officers
and men with wine Were this the case we
might see a very sudden reaction in the army
| The recent events in the Portuguese army are
a case In point. Saldanha was in full flight to the
coast when the army, which had appeared to be
hostile TO him, suddenly declared itself in his
favor. But unhappily, it seems that the French
soldiers were not merely intoxicated with spirit
uouS drinks, but with the deluson that Louis
Napoleon would maintain the sovereignty and
freedom Of The nation against the Liberal royalists
of the Assembly and the honor and greatness of
France against the coalition Of European dsspo,s.
The bearing OF the people is no less difficult
OF explanation. The Partisan combatants were
much fewer than on former occasions, and there
were many well-dressed gentlemen among them.
/ The working classes did not fling themselves
/ into tie struggle as before. The leading cities
Oh the departments, such as Lyons, ST. Etienne,
Urenoae, Marseilles, Toulon, Bordeaux, Havre.
Lille, Rouen, Strassburg, Nancy, Metz remained
quiet or did not go beyond mere excitement
| There were conflicts IL smaller places like Pol.
lshy' Macon st. Anand, Clancy, Joigny and
Neziers, but they had no permanea consequences
Is this fact also to be regarded as a consequence
OF the struggle Of June and Of the internal hos.
tiliiy OF the Republican party, thence arising
But there are fifty other similar questions 10
which, Tor the moment, no definite answer can
be given.
What IS certain however, IS that It1js Ma.
poleon has Tot conquered the banner Of thu
Democracy but IN recognizing universal suf.
rage has. admitted that he could only con.
quer with II. Here IS the fatal poin; in his usur.
Pauen. AZ he abandons that banner, victory
VII abandon him. The revolution of force is
completed, and the revolution Of intelligence
begins The people and the army win soon 10
undecei'ed by this lyug despot
We must row expect 70 hear OF repeated IT.
tempIs On the iife Of the usurpsr. According :,
the constant lessons Of history, assassination is
the essential complement Of every Russian Co...
emmett How many such attempts happened
10 the Citizen King or;. ma.