The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-08

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saesessfsl saA rsfuss1 ~ ss6psratlsa q
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saaDe the Asvotiou Of II. earlier. Who
was thea Project Of Poties. seemed 10
him Doubtful The old peogTamms was "a.
tirsly discarded. and Q new scheme was
framed By Gen. 6aint-Arnand and De Maupas.
In conference with Louis Nkpolson. none Of he
other Ministers or sdhsrsnts Of the President
being made acquainted with any Of the details
Of the plan until the day before that nxsd for
it, execution. II was manifsstly the perfection
with which the searet IVES kept that explains
tho astonishing lack Of preparation on the part
Of the Presidsnts opponents. who were more
on their guard on the decisive morning Of Dec.
2thau they had been ct any time during the
previous six months. Il II clear that
- the hour approached. Louis Napo.
leon showed much moro hesitancy than
eithor Of his chief agents. The execution Of
the coup d6tat had been originally nxed for
Nov. 90 but. Notwithstanding the impstience
shown By Saint Arnaud and Dc Maupss the
Prince insisted on defsrrlns II until Nov. IS. A
few days after he asked for fresh adjourn
mont and Deo was definitely named. Never.
theless. on Nov. 2s the Prince showed himself
anxious 10 postpone the day Of action Q week
longer. But this both his confedsrates vehe-
mently resisted. and at last the Prince gave 10.
the I'd Of December being thus irrevocably
fixed on.
Az members Of tho existing Cabinet with the
exception Of saint-Arnaud. Minister Of War;
wore not intrysted with tho Intentions OF the
oonspirators. 1t was determined to supersede
hal tho lnv ~ o1ukSo h,,k
II was deemed imprudent to sound mon before
hand. only one place besides Saint. Arnaud's was
filed In advance. that. namely. Of Minister Of
| the Interior. for which. after much hesitation.
| n. De Morny was selected The latter. however.
was not present at any Of the secret meet
| ings until Doc. l. whom he was for the first
timo initiated BY the Prince. saint-Arnsud.
and De Maupas In the details long decided
upon. or De Morny the author Of this book
has by no means high opinion. nor does he
speak with unqualified commentator OF NJ.
Rouher. who. like Morny. had known all about
the contemplated coup d'etat Of Sept. II. but
was kept wholly In the dark respecting the
date and circumstances Of the approaching
outbreak. There are few things in the book
more Interesting than the passages In which the
author. who Of course knew them thorough
~. depicts these conspicuous figures Of
the Second Empire. m. Dc Morny."
he observes. has been judged In various ways |:
favorably BY those whose opinions could only
be based ON appearances; the reverse by those
who came into close contact with him. and who
could preserve their independent judgment
with regard to him." After limiting at De
Morny's iegtimacy by the remark that Ibis
infancy had lacked those precious family ex-
amples and precepts which direct and invig-
| orate character. tho writer continues: Left
| to direct his own studies. to choose
his own career. he fell q prey to the
hesitations natural to youth. He
tried everything. literature. art. science. polit-
ical economy. and succeeded In preserving q
superficial tinge Of EACH" or his life in Paris
during the years preceding and following tho
coup d'atat. We arc told that his time was
divided between the designations OF the fash
ionable world and the less distinguished So
ciety Of those speculation mongers from whom
he asked the fortune he endeavored to
build up With those sorts OF people
he succeeded in Kidding himself OF the
pompousness. scarcely to be explained.
which he fancied his birth imposed" 1t Is not
generally remembered that Do Morny was an
ardent Orloanist under the Government OF
July. and that he did not become Bonapartist
until he perceived glimmerings Of the luck in
store for Louis Napoleon. Thereafter the latter
had no more assiduous courtier. and. as We have
| o0ous lao Muuu&cu " kct ulmbtII hpEOluVeu
In advance the first Minister OF the
Interior under the coup d'stat regime
But in this station. and the other Minis.
terial posts which he subsequently
occupied he remained. according to De Mau.
pas. as q statesman below what he might
have been II moro serious antecedents had pre-.
pared him for the part circumstances intrust-
ed him with. The Prince judged him in that
way and. what IL more. ali that has been said to
the contrary Notwithstanding. did not like him
which explains tho little store he often set by
his advice" NJ. De Morny. however. displayed
all his ingenuity in making people believe that
he enjoyed the consideration Of his master. and
he succeeded Hence he owed his importance
to his skill. rather than to his merit" N. De
Maupas rejects the commonly received opinion
that N. De Morny exercised salutary infu-
ence on the destinies Of the empire: In his
judgment. De Morny made the Prince cruelty
expiate whatever services he may have rem
dsred him by standing forth In the interest Of
his own popularity as the promoter
OF many OF those pernicious reforms
to which France owes her misfortunes In thai
fatal campaign that led to tho Ill
regulated liberty OF the press and to the law on
public meetings. NJ. Emile Olivier's originaliant
principal accomploe was M. De Morny:" It'll
further maintained that De Morny "causet
His hazardous speculations not only brought
discredit upon tho office he held. but the nois.
they provoked was such that public opinion
took umbrage at It," In word. he conpro
mised his master.
OF NJ. Rouher tho author speaks more defer
entially. yet not. as we have said with unmixet
praise. No one can deny that he was ono O
: the most prominent Municipalities OF the reigr
Of Louis Napoleon. II. from various causes
NJ. Rouher became disastrous counsellor In
stead Of remaining marvellous auxiliary. a
he showed himself to be at the Minis