The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-12-13

ulitles with the other European Powers. There.
fore, while taking measures for increasing the
mihtary force, and rendering both the army
ana the neet more capable of repelling attacks.
rom wnat quarter they might come, M. La.
marune reprmanded severely some of the
roles who attempted to dictate to him the
course which they wished him to pursue-de.
ciaring most solemnly that, as long as he was
MEMBER OF the French Government. he sbould
resist their attempt at making France subser.
Went to their selfinterested views.
But, while it must be admitted that the Po-
lish refugees in Paris behaved generally very
insolently, still it remains very Questionable
whether 1t had not been a wiser course of mol.
icy, on the part of the Professionally Govern.
ment, to have aided the oppressed nationalities
in recovering their freedom. 1t seems at least
probable that by this means the Republic
might have been preserved in France for some
Tins longer; though, on the other hand. the
real gain of the prolongation of the Repub-
lican form of Government, against the wish of
the majority of the French people, could not
have been great or lasting. Besides, as long
as the power of Russia remained entire, there
was not much hope that the oppressed ma.
tionSlities of Euro-r~ cosld regain their indie.
pendence. Consequently there may, on the
whole, be little cause of disappearing the course
pursued by M. Lamartine, with regard to the
Poles and the other political refugees in France.
The election of members for the National
Assembly took place on the 9th of April, and
on the 4th of May the Assembly met. After hav
ing, by an unanimous vote, declared that the
Professionally Government had well served the
country, it nominated Messrs. Arago, GARNER
Pages, Marie, Lamartine, and Ledru Rollin,
members of the Executive Government.
But on the 18th of MAY the Assembly was
invaded by tumultuous populace that com
PEELED the members to dispense, while attempt
ing to establish revolutionary Government
Messrs. Ledru Rollin and Lamartne tried in
vain to persuade the invaders to desist from
their criminal attempt; ard it must not be
forgotten that even Louis Blanc and Barbes
who were members of the Assembly, united a,
first with Lamartine and Ledru Rollin in their
endeavors to induce the revolutionary crowd tc
depart, and respect the inviolabiity of the
representatives of the nation.
The conduct of General Courtais, Command
er-in-chief of the National Guard, was, however
so pussillanimous, if not treacherous, as to con.
tribute in high degree to increase the i'm
pudence and daring of the icentious mob
Meeting with no vigorous resistance anywhere
the Red Republicans began to consider them.
selves masters of the Assembly as well as OF
Paris, and acted accordingly. Headed by Bar,
bes and some others of their leaders, a great
crowd proceeded to "rHotel de VILE" of which
they took possession without meeting with any
resistance. But, before they left the Assem-.
bly,, one Of them, by the name of Hubert pro.
claimed the dissolution of that body, and the
adoption Of revolutionary Government In
the course of the day, the members of which it
was to be composed were appointed as follows
Barbes, Louis Blanc, Albert, Blanqui, Raspail,
Hubert, Sobrier, Proudhon, Pierre Lerous, and
CADET, many of whom bore deadly hatred to
each other, but who, nevertheless, now united
in order to upset the lawful Republican Gov.
eminent, which had been appointed by the
Legislative Assembly, and which had done
nothing to forfeit the confidence of the nation.
M. Lamartine and his colleagues did not
meanwhile, neglect to take prompt measures
for the suppression of the revolt and the res
toration of order. The members of the revolu
tionary Government were arrested and put in
prison, and their supporters dispersed. All this
vas chiefly done by the fundamentally OF
Messrs. Lamartine and Ledru Rollin-the lat
ter of whom, though several times requested
by the Red Republicans to head their move.
ment, remaining nevertheless faithful, in the
discharge of his duties as member of the law.
full Government. The triumph of the anarch.
lists lasted, in fact, but two hours. AS soon as
order had been restored, M. Lamartine hasten.
ed to inform the members of the Legislative
Assembly that the majesty of the law had been
vindicated, and the revolt suppressed.
During the following night, the members OF
the Government, who held session in the
palace of Luxembourg, examined M. Causidiere,
the chief of the police, with regard TO the re-
volt which had taken place on the preceding
day; and as his answers were not satisfactory,
NJ. Lamartine induced him to resign his office
on the following day, after previously having
aided in disarming the 1900 Montagnards, or
Red Republicans, who, in fact, constituted his
body guard.
Soon after, great many of the workmen who
were employed at the "Ateliers Ndtionaur Z"
began to evince much sympathy with Prince
Louis Napoleon, the present Emperor of France.
In order to suppress this feeling, M. Lamartine
committed the great imprudence of causing a
decree to be adopted, in virtue of which the
law of the 18th of January, 1892, was applied
to Louis Napoleon, and that Prince conse
quently forbidden to reside in France. This
measure, instead of allaying the displeasure of
the laboring classes, increased it still more,
and fastened the outbreak of the perhaps una
voidable sanguinary struggle which, on the
I'D of June, began between the supporters OF
the Government and tie immense crowd of
laboring men who at that time were assem-
bled in Paris. 1t is stated by M. Lamartine
himself, that neither the Socialists the ultra
participated in that terrible con-
test and this statement appears to be reliable,
of Loo for 10 ND
principal agents of those parties, though it
might fairly be presumed that many of the in
ferior members took an actual part in the
bloody battles which for two days were fought
with so much obstinacy and courage between
the troops and the laboring classes.
Generals Lamoriciere, Cavaignac, and Be-
deau, who survived the struggle, as well as
Generals Negrier and Durivier, who were kill
ed, distinguished themselves greatly during this
deplorable and most sanguinary contest; but
even to NJ. Lamartine accrued much glory on
account of the courage and vigor which he dis
played.
The result of the struggle remained undeci-
ded on the 23d. Still, the troops had, on the
whole, evinced their superiority over their no
less brave but not so disciplined adversaries,
whose chief advantage consisted in their i'm
nense number. Yes, it is said that General
Lamoriciere's division was attacked by more
han 100000 desperate laborers, who, in spite
Of their number and courage, failed to make
my impression upon their invincible opponents.
The Government entertained, therefore, the
confident hope that it would be able, on the fol-
owing day, to suppress the revolt and restore
order. But the National Assembly, less SAN
yuine in that respect, came to the resolution to
dismiss the present Government, and to dele
gate to General Cavaignac dictatorial power.
Invested with this authority, General Cavaig
lac brought the bloody contest, on the oath of
June, to successful ISSUE Order was thus
estored, but at the terrible price of from ten to
fifteen thousand lives.