The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-08
The Story OF the Ceup d'Etat.

It would not DO easy to conceive OF any.
thing moro impracttcable than defence Of the
betrayal and overthrow Of the last French re-
public by Louis Napoleon and his fellow con-
spirators. Even II the story OF the second OF
December had not boon told once for all by
Victor Hugo. the ATTEMPT to obtain a reversal
oijudgment from the public opinion OF France
and OF the civilized world would be certain to
miscarry; for nothing but success can
pslliate political crime. and It was the
fate Of the regime established by the
coup d'etat In question to end In dis
grace and ruin. 1t is mainly. therefore. rs a
literary curiosity that men will look upon the
narrative now published by N. DE MAuPAs. and
OF which an English translation has been
printed by the Appletons. But while the au-
thor will not succeed In making single con-
vert to his ideas respecting the rightfulness
and expedienoy Of the coup d'6tat. while nobody
will accept his estimate OF tho motives and
characters OF the chief actors. yet his accent
OF conviction and mistaken faith commands
species OF attention which 10 almost respect
full compared with the contempt We feel for 20.
litlcal gamblers like De Morny and vulgar ras-
calls like Fleury aud Perslgny. 1t was. indeed.
such men as De Maupas. genuine Bonapartist
bigots. wrong headed. but conscientious advo-
Gates OF q semi-popular. semi-paternal Gov
poleon together. and that. like salt in an old
cheese. kept the mass Of the consplrators from
rank and fetid putrefaction. The writer Of
this singular book leaves on US tho impression
OF man so thoroughly self-deceived that
he really believed himself to be serv-
ing his country by assisting to subvert
republican institutions. and who. having en-
tered on crooked path which he supposed the
only straight one did his best to walk upright
ly and firmly and decently within 1t. He Is. In
brief. the sort OF man who. In another age.
might. with the best intentions In the world.
have taken part In the massacre Of Saint Bar
tholomew. or. II be saw no other issue from
grlevous complications might have resorted
to tho dagger OF Jacques Clement and Ra-
vsillac. However grotesQue his premises. and
however monstrous the conclusion to which
they lead him, his nconsclousness Of wrong
doing and naive self complacenoy render him
q valuable witness against his accomplioes.
and dispose us to think that We have In these
pages the first veraci Gus account OF tho De-
comber coup d'etat from the point OF view OF
Its organizers. and are thus enabled to appor-
ton the relative degrees OF reproach and de-
tsstation deserved by the chief actors.
Next to Gen. Saint Arnaud. who had been
made commander OF the military forces In and
around Paris. M. De Maupas. who was at the
time Project Of Police. undoubtedly did most to
further the success Of the conspiracy. During
the two preceding years Dc Maupas had shown
himself at onoc q blind partisan and Q most
efficient supporter Of Louis Napoleon. His zeal
and his services caused his rapid promotion
from the sub-Prefsoture OF Boulogne to the
| Prefecture Of the Department Of the Allier.
and thence to the moro important Pre-
lecture Of Toulouse. from which. to-
ward tho end Of October. 1851. when the plans
for . coup d'Stat were nearly ripe. he was
transferred to the Prefecture Of Police at Paris
| It had been intended. We learn nom this book
| that the oountsr-revolution should take placs
] - early - Sept ~. but Gen. 6sint-Arnaad