The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-06-01
sEetchss 81 FrcsIn.,selh Rs;v;S;Y.:liSs;;s:.s

Sketches OF French Revoiu llons.
Manyhausas combinea I'd Sifsdt sthe
overthrow Of the monarchy in France in
the latter quarter Of the last century.
The exsesses OF the Crown, the grinding
tyranny OF the noblesi the spread nf in.
6del principles, the example OF America
aud the awakening oonsciousnes ess shat
1.-THE divine right of kings' was d gross
imposition-oil impelled 10 the great
deaouement of the 10th OF Auguss, 1893,
when the palace Of the. Tnilleriss was
entered by the populace of Paris, and
the reign Of Louis XVI and his beauti-
ful consort, Marie Antoinette, cnded for
ever. The beginning Of the first revolu-
ton might be said to date from the ao.
ton OF the King in the granting inlay,
1881 M. Necker's proposition of a
| double vote to the third estate, (the
Commons,) 30 as to balance the votes of
tue other two houses, composed of the
| clergy and nobility. What WAS called a
National Assembly sprung from this
cause, and by tho Constitution which
they formed. they changed the old French
monarchy into a representative republic.
They suppressed feudal Jurisdictions,
nsnorial dues and fees, tho titles OF no.
b!lity, the tithes. converts and corpora
tions OF trade; they conf scated the pro.
perty OF the church and uprooted things
generally. The King endeavored in vain
to stop this headlong career, by the use
OF his veto; but the revolution was rush
ing at full speed, and outbreaks occurred
in the provinces, while every day the
pnrtisans Of the King were growing
fewer and weaker. In June, 1892, an
insurrection took place in Paris, followed
by another in August, and the palace OF
| the TniIleries was entered aud uil it's in
mates massaored. The King was de-
posed; he and his family sent prisoners
to the Temple, tried by tho National
Convention, and executed on the 2lst of
January. 1893 Marie Artoinette fol-
lowed him to tho soulfold in Octuber of
the same year.
The second revolution changed the
form of the Government Of France from
that OF a republic, (which took on bois-
ferrous life alter the monarchy governed
by directory. to consulship of three,
of whom Napoleon Bonaparte was first
The fall OF the directorial government in
1900, though ever SO irregularly brought
greet to the great maj ority of the French
people, who had neither respect for it
nor any confidence in it, The profit
gacy aud dishonesty of that Government
were notorious. Napoleon was now
prominently on the scene. and his power
from year to year grew more aud more
absolute, until finally, in 1904, q motion
was made in the tribuuate to bsstow
upon him the title of Emperor oi the
French, with the hereditary succession
in his family. The proposition was sub.
mltted to the votes Of the people, but
before they were collected Napoleon as-
sumed the title of Emperor ut ST. Cloud
on the 18th Of May. 1904
The third revolution was marked by
colossal wars on the part of Napoleon
He squandered the blood and treasure of
France on scale of unprecedented OK
travagance. The liberty and equality so
ostentationsly established by the repub-
lie disappeared, and however much Of
the glory of war the Empire reaped, it
succeeded effectually ia emasculating the
moral and physical manhood of the ma.
| tion.
The fourth revolution came with the
defeat OF Napoleon before Paris, in the
spring OF 1914, and his retirement to
Ell'a. This gave show to the Bourbon
party to welcome Louis XVIII to the
throne of his ancestors. Louis came,
but his stay WIS rendered brief. He was
sincere IN his professions, but he WAS
surrounded by disappointed emigrants
and old royalists, whose imprudence in
jured him in the public estimation. while
against him he had formidable Bona
partist body. a conspiracy was hatched
against Louis. Bopapnrte returned from
Elba, and Louis, forsaksn by all, retired
to Ghent.
The fifth revolution was the return OF
Napoleon and lis entry into Paris, on
the 3Oth of March, 1915. The return
was accompanied by the acclamation OF
the military and the lower classes. but
the great body OF the citizens looked on
silent and astounded. He was recalled
bty party, but not by the nation. A
few months after Waterloo followed, and
that put al end to the career Of the great
Napoleon.
The sixth revolution followed Water
loo, for that battle opened the way for
Louis XVIII to return to Paris. By
this time he appeared as an insulted and
betrayed monarch. Those officers who,
in spite OF their oaths to Louis, had
openly favored Bonaparte's usurpation,
were tried and found guilty of treason.
Some were shot and others exiled. Louis,
in the course of time, showed that the