The Howard union. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-14
HOW LOUIS NAPOLEON BECAME
EMPEROR.

sui TepuUliC, VIII ITlHCe OnuTles LOUIS
Napoleon Bonaparte for its President; but
the constitution OF l849 had struck no root.
A conviction was gaining ground that
mOnarchical form of government was the
only one really adapted to the nation; and
of this conviction the Prince President was
secretly preparing to take advantage. He
first formed plan to change the constitu-
ton Of the government, with the assent Of
some of the leading generals and statesmen
Of the country; but his ability had not at
that time been recognized by them, and he
was disappointed. Thrown back upon his
own resources, therefore, he began 10 make
confdants and secure the assistance Of men
Of different class.
He commenced with Count de Morny,
well known speculator, and o resolute
major named Fleury. The latter was a
daring soldier, man who had squandered
his fortune, and then, when every one con
sidered HIM ruined, made his own way in
the army. He was just the man to goad
the President through his design-a person
without scruple as without fear. The
leading generals had refused to act without
an order from the Minister of Wpr: II
was necessary therefore, to find Minister
of War who would be ready to place the
land forces at the disposal of the plotters.
Fleury undertook this task, and found the
man he sought in Algiers, in the person Of
Achille st. Arnaud. On the 9th of Octo-
Der ST. Arnaud was made Minister of War.
A man named Maupas, also creature of
the conspirators, was made Project Of
Police; and General Magnan, an officer
who was not above receiving bride, was
made commander of all the military for es
in Paris and the vicinity. Then they OBJ
tanned the concurrence Of St. Georges, the
director of the state printing Office, and at
last all was ready.
On the Monday night between the first
and second of December, the President
held his reception as usual. 1t closed at
the ordinary hour, and by eleven o'clock
only the chief conspirators remained, and
the business of the night commenced.
Procianations were sent 10 the state print
ing. Office, there 10 be printed and made
ready to be everywhere posted in the early
morning, declaring Paris in state of siege,
the National Assembly dissolved, and pro-
nouncing for universal suffrage. Those
members Of the government not in the plot
had letters of dismissal prepared for them,
and at six o'clock on the morning of Deem
Der I'd, the foremost generals of France
and the leading statesmen to the number oil
seventy-eight, were seized and thrown into
prisons.
During the day matters made quiet
progress. BY night two hundred and thirty
two of the deputies to the Assembly were
imprisoned. A few members who had
escaped seizure, Victor Hugo among them,
formed themselves into q Committee Of
Resistance and undertook TO stir up the
people.
On the 4h Of December Paris afforded a
curious spectacle. Barricades had been
thrown up in the streets in the centre Of
the city, and behind them were few reso-
lutte men, slightly armed. Fronting those
barricades, at some distance, were more
than twenty regiments Of trained soldiers
and all the way between the sidewalks
were lined with lockers on. Men, womer
and children looked also in throngs from
windows and balconies. All at once, among
this unarmed populace, the troops began t.
pour fierce volleys Of ball cartridge in al
directions, sweeping down the crowds o
peaceful spectators as reaper mows fielc
of grain. The slaughter was prodigious
Few could escape who were in the neigh
borhood. The city was struck dumb will
terror, and says KingIake, the historian @
the Crimeun War-"Before the night Of tn
4th Of December closed in Louis Napoleon
was sheltered from ridicuIe by the ghastl
heaps on the Boulevards."
Ofthis terrible and indscriminate slaught
er different explanations are given. Som
say that the soldiers were seized with
sort of panic terror, and really believed tina
the mass of people in the houses and nlon
the sidewalks were enemies in disguise
and fired at them without due authority
Others believe that this wholesale massac
was deliberate step towards the suprem
power. AT any rate it is we'll known tho
soldiers and officers were promoted for il
and that after its occurrence Louis Napo
leon proceeded with his plans with YER
little opposition.
He caused himself to be elected presi
dent for ten years. He assumed an abso
lutte authority, and, in November, 1852
less than year after The massacre in tn
streets of Paris-he called on the people t
vote upon a "plebiscite" reyiyinp Tn