The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-09-13
For the National Era.
Sketch of the Political History of Europe,
THE CAPITALIZATION OF PARIS, IN 1914,
THE PREsEN TIME.
BY A FRIRgD OF LIBERTY.

| being displeased with the marriage of the
Duke of Montpenser with the Spanish Prin-
cess; still, the enemies of the King and his
Cabinet converted it into a means of exciting
much popular displeasure. But, instead of
continuing measures to regain its lost popu-
larity, the Government showed itself much
more anxious of pleasing the chief members
| of the Holy Alliance, than to revive the attach
ment which the people Of France, and espe-
cially the Parisians, had entertained for the
| King, during the first years of his reign. The
untimely death of the Duke of Orleans-which
| took place in l84l, in consequence of the
horses taking fright, while he enjoying a
pleasure ride, and his being thrown from his
carriage-had deprived Louis Philippe of his
oldest son, who, on account of the great popu-
larity which he deservedly possessed, consti-
tuted the chief support of his fathers throne.
This heavy loss was the more severe, as none
of the other French Princes enjoyed by far so
much favor with the nation, and as the Duke
of Nemours, the Oldest of them, WAS in reality
very unpopular. Still, the King and NJ. Guizot
committed the imprudence of causing resou-
ton to be adopted by tho Chambers, by which
the Duke of Nemours was appointed Regent of
the kingdom, in the case of his fathers death,
during the minority of the Count of Paris, the
son Of the deceased Duke of Orleans.
This measure contributed much to increase
the displessure of the people, who would much
rather have seen the Dowager Duchess Of Or
leans appointed Regent Of the realm, in the
case of the Kings death, until her son became
of age, because she was reputed to entertain
tho same liberal views as her deceased husband
had done; while the Duke of Nemours, on the
contrary, was looked upon as possessing des
: potic disposition.
Meanwhile, the luminosity which had arisen
between the French and English Cabinets, on
account of the Spanish marriage, had had the
result of annihilating the cordial relations
which had previously existed between the re-
spective Governments of France and England.
This seems to have been one of the causes
which induced M. Guizot the more eagerly to
endeavor to establish intimate friendship be-
tween the Cabinet Of France and the Govern
ments of Russia, Austria, and Prussia.
The more easily to attain this object the
policy, on the part of France, relative to Swift
zerland, Italy, and the Polish refugees, was so
changed rs to correspond with the views and
wishes Of the three despotic Cabinets. Hence
| also, arose much of the resistance which NJ
Guizot and his colleagues opposed to the Just
claims Of the popular party in France, relative
to the electoral reform, which had many able
advocates in the Chamber of Deputies, and
among these, principally, Messieurs p. Duver-
! gier de Hauranne and Remusat
! The Ministers, instead Of listening to the
men who pleaded for the extension of the
elective franchse-which claim was very just,
because among a population of 35,O00,OO0,
there were no more than about 100000 elect
ors-chOse to defy them, and, by the means of
the ma lority Of the Chamber of Deputies, to
defeat all the attempts that were made to amend
the Constitution, agreeaby to the popular wish
in this respect.
The success with which all the instructions
during the reign of Louis Philippe had hitherto
been frustrated, made no less the King than
the Cabinet confident that no outbreak of pop
ular displcasure could shake the stability of the
| Government. Consequently they neglected the
warnings of M. Theirs and other friends of the
! Orleans family, and seem to have supposed
that the only thing that was necessary to be
| done, in order to assure the safe succession Of
| the Count of Paris to the throne, was to court
the friendship Of the chief members Of the Holy
Alliance.
! 1t cannot be denied that NJ. Guizot was very
successful in his attempt at reconciling the
other great Continental Powers with regard to
the change Of dynasty which had taken place
in France. But, unfortunately for his master,
neither the Minister nor the King seems to
have been aware that they were losing ground
every day in France, and that the number of
disaffected Frenchmen increased in the same
proportion as they themselves rose in the esti-
nation Of the despotic Cabinets.
1t was not only great political bunder, but
a most fsgrant treachery, to prefer the friend
ship of the bitter enemies of France to the at
tachment of the French themselves. Such
course must necessarily at length prove fatal
No other nation in the world is more generous
and affectionate than the French but none is
more quick in resentng an affront, than is the
people Of France. 1t appears almost incredi
bic, that men so sagacious as Louis Philippe !
and NJ. Guizot could act 80 imprudently as they
did in reality; but Providence seems to have |
afflicted them with mental blindness, in order |
to effect the events which led to the mounting
of the throne of France by Louis Napoleon,
whose mission it evidently is to check the ag
grandizing tendency of Russia, which has threat
ened to make all Europe Russian province.
The struggle between the Cabinet and the .
Opposition increased daily in vehemence and
bitterness of expressions. 1t was at the same
time very interesting, on account of the eminent |
abilities displayed on both sides. Messrs. Gui-
zot and Duchatel, though defending bad
gladiators of the first rank; but the leaders of !
the popular party, supported now and then by
M. Theirs, who with almost irresistible eloquence
and unrivalled skill pointed out the blunders
OF the Cabinet, were gradually undermining
the throne Of Louis Philippe.
The disaffection was especially great among
the Partisan mechanics and workmen, among
whom the Socialists numbered a great portion
of their warmest adherents. But the dangers
arising from such state of feeling among
these formidable classes seem to have been
altogether ignored and disregarded by NJ. Gui-
zot.
In order thoroughly to understand the affairs
cessary to notice that the French nation was
divided into five great political parties, viz:
l. The Conservative party, headed by NJ.
Guizot and the doctrindires. The members of
this party consisted chiefly Of the moneyed
men, and those who deemed the French in the
enjoyment of as great a share of liberty as was
safe for the maintenance of the established or
der of affairs. This party was considered sim
cerely attached to Louis Philippe, and was
viewed by himself as the strongest pillar of
his throne; and it was by its support that NJ
Guizot had been able, for so many years, to
brave the clamors of the Opposition. This
party constituted in part the aristocracy of
France, and was infected with all the preiudccs
of aristocrats, without possessing their virtues.
No class OF men are more unsafe as political
friends than those whose aspirations consist in
the desire OF accommodating wealth. Odious to
the great body Of their fellow men, on account
OF their sordid sel6shness, they are always ex-
posed to suffer in revolutionary times and
in order To avert the DANGERS which