The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-31

| tyrants combine to enforce their own, with all
the vigor they believe them entitled to.
To comprehend the events which have sue
| ceeded the Revolution Of l84S it is necessary
to take view of events which preceded and
occasoned that event.
The great Revolution of 1889 overthrow
everything, and changed everything. That
CONFUSION was brought about not by move
ment of the people alone, but in consequence
of change in the opinions Of the educated
classes, which had grown up from causes al
ready partly indicated. That change Of opin-
| ion-that vague sentiment of better order of
things-that protestation against the errors,
social, POLITICAL and religious. Of the time,
weakened the energies of the throne and its
advisers.
Parties destroyed and reconstructed after
the most approved democratic fashion; but
to govern morally was not their forte. They
attacked each other in their patriotic selfish
ness, and ended, as they deserved, by finding
a master-another Cromwell
Towards 1890, further step lsS been made
in public opinion, and an attempt TO return to
the errors Of the old time united all classes
again against the throne. Lafayette put Louis
Philippe forward in time to prevent the people,
and its real and questionable friends from seiz-
| Ing the government
A middle-class power, like that of England,
had grown out of revolution, and now with the
bayonets of the National Guards in its hands,
formed q protection to the. throne against the
eneroachments of the noblesse on the one hand,
ada that of the populace on the other.
A Government of Order" was formed,
based on Liberty, and giving scope to intellect
ual moral, and industrial progress. 1t is only
| L. 30 h.,
able to form an idea of the rapid material
prosperity France vas making. It was one of
no common kind. The epithet of "shop-
keeper" was never more applicable to nation
than to la belle France" Manufactures were
sprnging up everywhere and even Paris, the
gay and splendid capital of fashion, was rival
ing Manchester in the multiplicity of those
indexes of manufacturing progress, the giant
chmneys Of industry.
France was contented The people, who in
1880 was beginning to recover from the disas-
tiers of war, and among whom for some years a
vast multitude of idlers and vagabonds, bred in
camps, was to be found, now had commenced
new career of industry and peacefulness.
Among vast population there will at all
times be troublesome spirits, whose exuberant
and ill-directed energies will find vent in row.
dyism but when the Government makes itself
odious by obnoxious and unjust measures, these
wild spirits become hot-headed politicians and
oonspirators
Such an imprudent course did the Govern
ment of July follow, and such bold infringe
ments did it make from time to time on the
acquired liberties of Frenchmen, and no sys-
tematically did it refuse to fulfil its promises to
introduce reform Of tho electoral suffrage,
the mortgage system, taxation, Sc, that many
men Of the highest character became hostile to
it and implicated in $50 called "plots" to over
throw it.
The alarm became very general and several
serious outbreaks were the result These the
Government quelled, after some fighting; for
the middle class, and the great body of the
working class, though Disconnected with the
! Kings game, were earnest for, peace at almost
any price Of the real emeutes political riots
in Paris, there were but few between 1880 and
ls48. Of emeutes got up by the police for po
~sqh sgSHrp2s shs5s Ssre goSSS ApKEamse.
showed decided disinclination W pass the laws
Of September to gag the Press an smsute wat
got up at the Bastile, among the workmen o
the quarter, who had turned out to eat TIL
dinners brought by their wives and children
on the open Place" Police in disguise ral
in among them, insulted some, excited others
,, the military were called out, and many person
were killed. These tricks were the talk o
Paris dozen times over
The Government papers announced "move
ment;o the ministers proclaimed it in thu
Chamber, and attributed it to the press, ant
the laws were passed before the members vel
knew the trick. The King understood the
temper of the people, and that revolution wat
| nkohl III tha ~ ~
But--and here is the danger of success--the
King and Government went too far they had
become over-confdent.
sprung up, which, forgetting its ancient pru-
dence and hberality, aspired not only to rival
the ancient noblessc, but TO perpctuate their
rank and wealth by a revival of the old laws
and privileges while the King, on his part,
was studying to initiate Louis XIV, Or to gov.
ern like Napoleon
The year lS47 had arrived The moneyed
portion of the middle class was aiming at
nobility Many of the old aristocraey, des
pairing after seventeen years Of the elder
branch, and pleased with the really absolute
rule of Louis Philippe, presented themselves
at the Tuilerics. The Government was power
full in half million of officials, an army nearly
as numerous, and political police as lynx
eyed ms unserupulous. The Chamber Of Depu-
ties was the mere tool Of the Government
which had influence sufficient to gain over
nearly the whole electoral body of about
100000 voters The Chamber Of Peers made
up by the Kings choice, was necessarily even
more sycophant.
Fortune making, and a peerage in the end,
were the grand aims Of all those within the
range Of opportunity. The King and his sister
were among the most ardent in amasslng
wealth The example had its effect and soon
corruption and swindling showed itself on
Change, in railroad schemes, lotteries for
charitable q purposes, gamblings in the funds
the telegraph Ia Government monopoly in
France) aiding. At length, scarcity Of the
grain crops occurred and Immediately the
royal and other favored spectators bought up
the imported supplies and concealed them,
producing a vast amount Of distress among the
working classes The prizes of bread in Paris
doubled, and the indignant city authorities
were forced by the Government 10 advance
money to supply such Of the poor and working
class as were much distressed, at the old prices.
This nefarious business together with the
railway mania in which 10 many industrious
persons lost their savings Of years, created
general indignation.
The project Of reviving the hereditary peer
age, and endowing 1t with extensive property
as well as privileges, together with the general
tendency OF the Government TO return to the
errors, 10 overthrow which SO much blood had
been shed, created uneasiness among all sec
tons of the middle class. The very officials of
the Government felt themselves aggrieyed and
menaced; while many even Of the aristocra-
cy had become SO reconciled and welded 10
the liberalism of the time, Is 10 express openly
their disapprobation at these dangerous pro-
jects.
In the mean time the people really looked on
with sort Of Indifference, feeling confident that
IL a struggle should take place between the am
bition of the Government party and the good
| sense of the other parties il could not fail 10