Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-02-25
RE,IARKABLE CONSPIRACY.

Similar to the successful experiment
of Louis Napoleon, was the brilliant but uh-
successful conspiracy of Malet which,
with no more genius than would be requlr-
ed for a well-conceived burglary, but with
an immortal courage, nearly wrenched the
sceptre from the sinewy hold Of the Empe-
ror Napoleon. When Bonaparte was con-
tending in Russia against his first reverses,
a prisoner of state, named Malet, an OBJ
scure but daring man, with only two ac-,
completes, one prisoner like himself, and
the other the corporal on guard at the place
of detention, formed the project of over
turning the imperial dynasty. The means
were fabricated story of the death of the
Emperor, and forged decree of the SEN
ate creating General Malet governor of Par
is; and establishing a provisional govern
ment also forged orders on the treasury,
of various amounts. With these, and dress
ed in the uniform of general of brigade, Ma
let presented himself at the house of the
Colonel of one of the regiments in Paris,
announced to him that the Emperor had
been killed before Moscow, and that he
himself had been appointed by the Senate
Governor of Paris; at the same time pre-
senting to the colonel, Souler, an appoint
ineht from the Senate of gel eral of brigade,
and treasury order for 100000 francs.-
The Colonel deceived or won, gave in to
the snare, and led the way to The barracks.
Here Malet assumed command, assembled
the troops, read the announcement of the
Emperor's death and the decree of the Sem
ate, and finally marched, before daybreak,
with strong body of troops, to the prison
of La Force, where were confined two re-
publican generals, Lahorie and Guidal.-
| With these Malet divided the command of
the troops. One column marched to the res
! idence of Savary, the minister of police,
who was surprised in bed, and carried in
safety to the very prison from which his
captor had just escaped. The second de-
tachment made prisoner Of the prefect of
police, and deposited him likewise in the
prison of La Force. Soulier, the colonel,
took possession of the Hotel de Vile, while
Malet occupied the Place Vendome. He
dispatched from here forged orders, similar
to those which had deceived Soul'er; to the
colonies of different regiments, and gained
thereby, without the slightest resistance,
possession of the bank and Of the barriers
Of Paris, which were closed to prevent mes
sengors being sent from the city to the
country for assistance. The pr eject of the
department of the Seine was likewise COM
pletely caught in the snare,and fell into the
train of the resolute Malet. The, Governor
of Paris, on showing suspicion, and hesita-
ting to. obey the directions given him, was
shot down, and left for dead. Nothing now
was wanting to complete success but pos
session of the Office of the etats-major, the
headquarters of military authority in Paris
Here the same tactics were employed as
with the other officers, and the adjutant-
general, Doucet so far obeyed the orders
given him as to send for the minister Of
war, Laborde, whom he had been ordered
to arrest. This functohary was about yield.
ing to his arrest, when the inspectors gener.
al of police, who had had the charge of Ma
let in his place of detention. and who was
entirely ignorant Of what had occurred, ac
cidentally entered the door. He recognized
the escaped prisoner, arrested him; the sol
diers were Informed of the deceit practsed
on them, and told the Emperor was not
dead; the minister of roliGe was released
and by nine o'clock in the morning this eX
traordInary conspiracy was defeated, wher
within few moments of its successful ac
complishmtnt. "But for the accident,
says Savary, (which caused the arrest o
the minister of war to fail, Malet, in few
! moments, would have been master of al
most everything; and in country SO mucl
influenced by the contagion of example
there is no saying where his success woult
have stopped. He would have had posses
!. !. sion of the treasury, then extremely rich
the post-ofice the telegraph, and the com
mand Of the hundred cohorts of the Nation
al Guards of Paris
In this singular conspiracy aimed at tn
power of the Emperor, we see many re
markable resemblahces to that in which hi
nephew has established his own. The cas-
with which the tremendous power of
, standing army was grasped and dire cted b,
single bold hand, the seizure of some O
the high functionaries of government il
: their beds, and the intimidation of others
the soulless, mechanical working of tn
state machinery, Paris ,ecured, and Franc
in chains behind it, and we see that in eli
ther case the principle of centralization wa
the enormous lever by which few darin
spirits pried kingdom from its foundation
-WMg Rew.