The Placer herald., 1865-08-26
How Louis Napoleon became Emperor.

L
the Constitution Of ls4S had struck no root
A conviction was gaining ground that {
monarchical form Of government WAS tn,
only one really adapted to the nation; snt
OF this conviction the Prince President wa.
secretly preparing to take advantage. HI
first formed plan to change the constitu
tion of the government, with the assent o
some of the leading generals and statesmen
of the country; but his ability had not al
that time been recognized by them, and he
was disappointed Thrown back upon hi,
own resources, therefore, he began to make
confidants and secure the assistance OF mer
Of different class.
He commenced with Count de Mornv, 8
we'll known speculator, and resoute major
named Fleury. The latter was daring sol
dier, man who had squandered his fortune
and then, when every one considered him
ruined, made bis own way in the army. He
was just the man to goad the Presiden,
through his design-a person without scru
pie, as without fear The leading generals
had refused to act without an order from the
Minister Of War. 1t was necessary, there.
fore, 70 find Minister Of War who would
be ready to place the land forces at the dis.
posal of the plotters. Feury undertook hi.
task, and found the man he sought in Algiers
in the person Of Achie St. Arnaud. On
the 9th of October St. Arnaud WAS made
Minister Of War. A man named Maupas
also creature Of the conspiratore, was mad
Prefect of Police; and General Magnan, al
officer who was not above receiving brbe
made commander of all the military force
in Paris and the vicinity. Then they Oh
tanned the concurrence of St. Georges, th
director Of the State Printing Office, and a
last all was ready.
On the Monday night between the frs
and second of December, tbs President beIt
bis reception as usual. 1t closed at the ordi
nary hour, and by eleven o'clock only thu
chief conspirators remained, and the business
of the night commenced. Proclamation,
were sent to the State Printing Office, there
to be printed and made ready to be every
where posted in the early morning, declaring
Paris in state of siege, the National As,
sembly dissolved, and pronouncing for uni
versal suffrage. Those members Of the gov
ernment not in the plot had letters of dis,
mssal prepared for them, and at six O'Clock
on the morning Of December I'd, the fore
most generals of France, and the leading
statesmen, to the number of seventy eight,
we're seized and thrown into prison.
When the light Of morning dawned peo
pie read everywhere the procIamations OF
the President, and found that every leader
to whom the friends of law and order might
look for help was lying in one or the other
of the prisons.
During the day matters made quiet pro
gress. BY night two hundred and thirty
two of the deputies Of the Assembly were
imprisoned. A few members who had es
capped seizure, Victor Hugo among them,
formed themselves into Committee Of Re-
sstance, and undertook to stir up the people.
On the 4th Of December Paris presented
curious spectacle. Barricades had been
thrown up in the streets in the center of the
city, and behind them were few resolute
men, slightly armed. Fronting those barri-
cades, at some distance, were more than
twenty regiments of trained soldiers, and |
the way between, tho sidewalks were lined
with lookers-on. Men, women and children
looked also in 'hrongs from windows and
popuace, the troops began to pour fierce
volIeys Of ball cartridge in all directions,
sweeping down the crowds Of peaceful specs
tators as reaper mows field Of grain. The
slaughter was prodigious Few could escape
who were in the neighborhood. The city
was struck dumb with terror, and says King
lake, the historian Of the Crimean War
"Before the night of the 4th Of December
closed in, Louis Napoleon was sheltered from
ridcue by the ghastly heaps on the BouIe
vards."
OF this terrible and indiscriminate slangh
ter different explanations are given. Some
say that the soldiers were seized with SORT
of panic terror, and really believed that the
mass Of the people in the houses and along
the sidewalks were enemies in disguise, and
fired at them without due authority. Others
believe that this wholesale massacre was a
deliberate step towards the supreme power
At any rate it is we'll known that soldiers
and officers were promoted for it, and that
after its occurrence Louis Napoleon proceed
ed with bis plans with very little opposition
He caused himself to be elected president
for ten years. He assumed an absolute au.
thority, and, in November, ls52-less than
year after the massacre in the streets OF
Paris-be called on the people to vote upon
a"plebiscite" reviving the imperial dignity
in bis person. OF course the votes counted
largely in bis favor, and he was declared
Emperor under the title of Napoleon Ill.
He is to day the most powerful man in the
world, and, though tho steps by which be
gained bis throne were such as we have des'
cribed, be has not been bad ruler for the
French people, and has succeeded in making
himself and them respected among all na-
tions of the world.