The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-01-28
Louis Blanc on the Usurpation

Louis Blanc on the Usurpation.
To tile Editor of Tie London Daly News::
Sir-ItiS cruel to be compelled again to take
up the pen when the soul is horror-stricken,
and the hand seeks a sword.
There are things, however, Of which it is
absolutely necessary that public opinion in
Europe should be informed.
In my own cuutry, momentarily crushed,
the press is dumb. | have rec urse to that
Of a free people.
Nothing is finished sir. a mock Caesar,
supported by his drunken praetorian guards.
cannot impose himself on France. 1t is not
by cannon shot that the French Revolution
can be driven back. Nothing is finished,
This is what every one says; it is at least
what every one thinks. Ii | had only to
prove this, my letter would be useless,
But one fact stands forth in the history OF
our recent disasters, unforeseen, strange
most important to explain, and of which the
key is to be found in the information which
have received since my departure from
London.
That an army Of one hundred thousand
men, dirciplined, experienced, formed OF
chosen regiments, and supported by a for
midable artillery, should have held Paris in
check-Paris taken unprepared-Paris long
since disarmed-Paris without ammunition
and without pikcs-what is there surprising
in this? And yet, had the faubourgs thrown
themselves en- masse into the insurrect on,
OF two things one would ass uredly have hap
pened. Either this army of one-hundreu
thousand men would have been destroyed,
or Louis %Bonaparte would have re aped the
execrabIc distinction OF remaining GrecJ a
mid corpses and ruin-so great was the in
trepldiy of The people of Paris; such is the
devotion, such the intelligence, which it
brings to the oombats Of liberty.
But the working men, taken en- masse,
have not engaged in the struggle. That is
certain. Why is it 50?
Why? Because their first words were &C,
est djcn Jajt," when they heard Of the disso.
luton OF the Assembly which had sickened
and disguised them; when they heard OF the
arrest OF NJ. Theirs, who had spoken of them
as the vile multitude; Of the arrest Of Gen,
Cavaignac, who in the month of June had
fired upon and decimatcd their ranks; and
of Gen. Changarni 7, OF whom the lectionists
boosted as a captain capable Of insulting by
the use OF the whip, as well as Of striking
with the sword.
Placed between the maintenance Of the
robber law of May and the pretended resti'
tuition and that Of a sham Republic, between
the obstinate denial OF its rights, and a by
pocrltical homage rendered to his sovereign
the people retired, leaving the field to The
two ~Cyrannies, of which one would serve t
destroy the other, and reSerying its blood fo
less equiyocal triumphs, The defeat of the
President-might IL not result in the rein
stallation Of the Assembly, repudiatirg thu
people in insurrectioh after having drained
It's life blood, proclaiming itself the only lie
gitimate power, taken possession ofthe army
creating for its W purposes a Parliamen
ltary Dictator, and taken into its service
some new i'll omened hero OF June; and then
with loaded cannon turned against the PEG
pie, how could they m and demand
reckoning from their new master?
1t is true that the victory OF the Presiden
was also an immense peril. Buthere at leas
one resource remained to try--the vote.
1t is true on the other hand, that the PEG
pie once master of the streets, would hav,
been more in a position to dictate than sub
NIT to laws; but it had already so often haC
to see, in the confusion which follows a bat
tie, France robbed the price Of the victor,
which had been gained. Distrust had ever
been shown towards it, and in its turn it wa
distrustful. The other day the Times, speak
ing for the representative of the b0argeoisie
supposed them to say, Non tai aariAo nee de
fensorbas lists. Alas! the people on its side
with regard to the representatives Of thu
~dourgeotSise has had the very same sentimen
which these words express. Here is tn,
horrible, the melancholy fatality which ha
dominated the occasion.
God grant that this experience may b.
profitable to all. 1t has become absolutely
necessary that the 5ourgeotsie should lay oil
one side its unjust suspicious, stretch a friend
by hand tothe people, and consent hencefortl
to be one with it. Here is the only safet,
of liberty aud civilization. .
How profound and terrible a lesson!
The members Of the parliamentary major
ity had triumphantly inaugurated the system
of the state OF siege, and behold they them
selves are made to undergo its utmost rigors
They had disarmed their fellow citizens
and behold, arms are wanting against tn
sanguinary nomination of the soldier.
They had never ceased to decry the con
stitution;-by their law of May they hac
destroyed il, and the constitution isno longeI
a protection to them.
They had allowed he principle Of na.iona
representation tobe odionsly outraged in til,