Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-07-17
SKETCH OF FRENCH REVO-
LUTIONS,
The First Revolution.

Many causes combined to effect the
overthrow of the monarchy in France
in the latter quarter of the last century.
The eXcesses Of the crown, the grind
ing tyranny of the mobiles, the spread
of infidel principles, the example OF
America, and the awakening consci-
business that the divine right of Kings
was gross imposition-all impelled to
the great de'aoue,nent of ithe 10th OF
August 1892, when the palace of the
Tuileries was entered by the populace
of Paris and the reign of Louis XVI.
and his beautiful consort, Mary Anto-
inette, ended forever. The beginning
of the first revolution might be said to
date from the action of the King in
granting May, 1882 NJ. Necker's pro-
position of double vote to the third
estate (the Commons), so as to balance
the votes of the other two houses, COM
posed of the clergy and nobility. What
was called National Assembly sprung
from this cause, and by the o nstitu-
ton which they formed they changed
the old French monarchy into repre-
sentative Republic. They suppressed
feudal jurisdictions, manorjal dues and
fees, the titles of nobility, fithes, con-
vents and corporations of trade; they
confiscated the property of the church
and uprooted things generally. The
King endeavored in vain to stop the
headlong aareer by the use of his veto,
but the revolution was rushing at full
speed, and outbreaks occurred in the
provinces, while every day the parti-
sans of the King were growing fewer
and weaker. In June, 1892, an insur-
rection took place in Paris, followed by
another in August, and the palace Of
the Tuileries was entered and all its in
mates massacred. The King was de-
posed; he and his family sent prisoners
to the Temple, tried by the National
Convention, and executed on the 21st
of January, 1893. Marie Antoinette
followed him to the scaffold in October
of the same year.
THE SECOND REVOLUTION
changed the form of the government of
France from that of a Republic (Which
took on boisterous life after the mon
archy), governed by Directory, to
Consulship of three, of whom Napole-
on Bonaparte was first. The fall of the
Directorial Government in 1900, though
ever so irregularly brought about, was
certainly not subject of regret to a
majority of the French people, who
had neither respect for nor any conf
dence in it. The iprofigacy and dis
honesty of that Government was no
torious. Napoleon was now promin-
emily on the scene, and his power from
year to year grew more and more alb
solute, until finally, in 1904, motion
was made in the Tribunate to bestow
upon him the title of Emperor of the
French, with the hereditary succession
in his family. The proposition was
submitted to the votes of the people,
but before they were collected Napo-
leon assumed the title of Emperor, at
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 a scale
of unprecedented extravaganza. The
libert y and equality so ostentatiously
established by the Republic disappear
ed, and however much of the glory cf
war the Empire reaped, it succeeded
effectually in emasculating the moral
and physical manhood of the nation.
THE FOURTH REVOLUTION
came with the defeat of Napoleon be-