The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-26
4 CRIME AGAINST A NATION
Story of Napoleon's Coup d'Etat Told
by One. Of the Chief Actors.
Details of the Arrangements-The Usurpers
Scanty Worldly POssessiOns-The
Arrest of Theirs.
Paris Dispatch to London Times.

III reality history OF the I'd of December, 1881,
related by NJ de Maupas project of police at
that time, of the first instigators of the coup
detat, and one of its warmest and boldest act
ors. aware that NJ de Maupas
whom [ know to be ID fascinating man
| in private life, and who was one of the
most affable funetionaries of the empire,
vindicates the coup detat on the ground
that it was question of saving what Louis Ma
poleon styled this unhappy country But no
body is now deluded by such a phrase. The
bloody instruction of June 13 1S49 and its VIC
lent repression are related. You soon observe
in the author feeling common to his party
viz, distrust of General Changarnier. NJ. de
Maupas says: General Changarnier was u
great schemer His first object was to increase
his Importance, popularity, and ascendeney over
the army and national guard, and especially to
| win the confidence of the leaders of the old
| parties, in order thus to form a solid basis of
| operations. With this force once won over
| what did he intend doing at some propitious mo-
ment! Just what circumstances marked out for
! HIM. He could either restore the monarchy and
| secure for himself the title of constable, with
the honors and dignities such an office implies,
Or more probably, assume the dictatorship on
his own account, and remain, under some form
to be devised, the chief of the state"
Events rapidly succeed each other. Around
Prince Napoleon rally ambitious Adventures. all
more ambitious and more impatient than him
self. Their dream is the coup detat, and they
see that it is in the army that auXiliarieS must
first be recruited. The famous review at Satory
is held, and again it is to General Changarniers
ambitious schemes that the author attributes
the dangerous and gross batteries preferred to
| the army. General Changarnier, SO formidable
to the Bonapartsts, is shortly after superseded
on some pretext and Theirs, with historical
foresight eXcaims: ''LEmpire est fait."
NJ. de Maupas then enters on the scene He is
no longer afraid to advise the coup detat, but
there is an appearance of not listening to him.
A letter of the 18th of July by Louis Napoleon
to NJ. de Maupas proves, however. that the matter
was decided on, and that nothing could stop it,
unless it were a coup de force on the opposite
side. The conflicts, intrigues, and maneuvres
! thencefOrth carried on i'll the Elysee and the
Chamber need not be gone into Louis Napoleon
makes progress through France and is ac-
claimed Emperor by anticipation. NJ de Maui
pas sees him at st. Cloud, and there is a eomcal
episode reminding one of Turkey NJ. de Mau-
pas, project at Toulouse calls on NJ. Rouher,
Minister of the Interior The latter receives
him coldly, blames him for not having sufli-
GENTLY protested in his department against the
idea of a coup detat, and wants to transfer him
to Montpelier. NJ de Maupas refuses, and they
part almost quarreling. M. de Maupas then re
pairs to St Cloud and sees the President, whose
first words are, Have you seen Faucher" and
who offers in new Cabinet, the coup d'etat
Cabinet, the portfolio of the Interior to the
young project. who believed himself to have
been just dismissed from his prefecture. The
pear in fact, is ripe. and NJ. de Maupas and
General St Arnaud, who, with Morny and Per
signy were to be the chief instruments have be-
come essential to the future Emperor. As for
the squabbles between NJ. de Maupas and Morny
and the harsh passages in this book against
Morny, who was so harsh to the author in his
lifetime, it is always mistake for a man to die
before a person whom he has so seriously offend
ed, for the vengeance comes when he cannot re-
ply. 1t is immaterial, ALSO to dwell on the au-
thors retaliation upon Victor Hugo, who is still
living; upon THEIRS, who is dead; and Claude
whose apocryphal memoirs are here refuted as
carefully as though they We're authentic.
pass on to chapters 10 and lG, viz: the night
of the LIST of December and Il arrests NJ. de
Maupas speaks of this with the animation and
weight of personal actor in those scenes, and
these chapters possess the charm which attaches
to such circumstances. l subjoin few quota
tons, though cannot do more than skim a book
of 700 pages and give foretaste of work
which will excite prolonged controversies:
ION the night before the LIST of December Gen
eral St Arnaud and NJ. de Maupas, at 1915,
leave the drawing-room of the Elysee by the
principal door, as to avoid suspicion, and
crossing the courtyard proceed to the Princes
study, whittier they had already been preceded
by NJ. de Moruy. AT a little after 10
o'clock we were all assembled NJ de Persignv
had been summoned by the Prince to join us.
The President panied, as we have said, to
see his friend in days of peril and faithful com
panion in exile without active part in the
coup d'etat He regretted not to employ at
such a moment his chivalrous devotion and
courageous heart. He wished thus by admit
ting him to this last meeting, to testify his con
fdence and affection for him.
Each of us. beginning with the President,
read the proclamations which a few hours after
ward were to cover the walls of Paris and teach
France her new destinies. General st. Arnaud
and myself again enumerated the measures we
had prepared. We both reasserted our confidence
=
ed The Prince shook hands, as he would have
done on any ordinary occasion, calm and conf
dent, like all great men who require no effort to
raise themselves to the level of the situation Be
fore separating, the Prince wished to share with
General ST. Arnaud the modest sum in his cash
box His cash box was in tho right hand drawer
of his table. The Prince lifted out a box. Here
is all my wealth, said he gayly General, take
half. You Will need it tomorrow for presents.
The box contained 40,000f. in bank notes, and
twenty packets of l, 000f in gold. The General
took only ten packets, and the Prince kept the
rest of this modest eXchequer
ION leaving the Elysee took in my carriage
Colonel de Beville who was intrusted with all
the documents were going to print. He had
to pass the night at the national printing Office to
watch the operation and insure the secret being
scrupulously kept NJ. de St Georges, manager
of the printing Office, was, moreover, devoted to
the Prince, and his active and intelligent CO
operation could be relied on. He had orders to
have an adequate number of clever eompositors
always ready for any urgent work. Thanks to
this precautlon, there was no SummOnlng of
worllmen out of the usual hours, which might
have attracted suspicion. A company of gen
darmerie under the orders of the brave Captain
Roche dOisy reached the printing Office stimuli
taneously with Colonel de BeVille. The gates
were then locked, and were kept so all night
Sentries posted inside at every door and win
dow, had strict orders to prevent any communi
cation with the exterior, and no attempt indeed
was made to infringe orders,
r.,4etc n 70 Ia V.c1ia
commissares For a month had sent for each
Of those officials to my Office and had selected
for me most important commissions those whom
! deemed the most resolute. With single eX-
ception l found the utmost devotion. the au
thur explains in a note that the commissary who
! demurred to alresting deputy, not from prin-
| cipal, but from timidity, was kept in detention
till the affair over,l All who were to act on