Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-07-31
BoNApARrE's OPPORTUNITY.
How He Took Advantage of the Over
throw of tho Constitution.

throw of tho Constitution.
All night long, from the 16 to II
Brumaire, committee of the Ancients
was in session, minutely perfecting their
plans. Next morning at the faithful
majority, having been summoned ac-
cording to form, convened las the coun-
Gil, for the doubtful members had Ell
ther not been summoned at all or had
received notice of later hour. AS soon
as quorum was present, Cornet, a we'll
known butt for the wits, rose and de-
nouncel the terrible conspiracy which
was menacing them. Regnier then
moved that, according to articles 102,
103 and 104 of the constitution, both
branches of the legislature should meet
next day at noon, and not before; in the
palace of st. Cloud; that General Bona
parte should be intrusted with the exc
cution of their decree, and that to that
end he be appointed commander of the
Paris garrison, of their own special
guard and of the National guard; that
ho therefore appear and take the oath,
and that these resolutions be duly COM
municated to the directory, to the five
hundred, and also to the public by
printed proclamation. The motion was
carried unanimously.
During these proceedings all the gen.
erals present in Paris except Jourdan
and Augereau, who had not been invit-
ed, but including the stanch republican
Lefebre, commander of the garrison, had
gathered in and before Bonaparte's
house. They had been requested to come
in uniform in order to arrange for re-
view. 1t was noticed that Bernadotte,
though present, was not in uniform. He
had SO far yielded to the Establishments
of his brother law as to come, but de-
clared that he would obey only what
was at that moment the chief authority
in the state. Lefebre was in uniform,
but having met ON the way bodies of
troops moving without his orders, and
not being initiated, he was naturally
startled. But Bonaparte knew his man.
"Would you, a supporter of the re-
public, leave it to perish in the hands
of these lawyers?' was his greeting
"See, here is the sword carried at the
Pyramids. I give it to you as mark of
q my esteem and confidence.
''Let US thsow the lawyers into the
river" came the expected answer.
A few moments later arrived the an
thoritative summons from the Ancients
Bonaparte stepped out on the porch and
read their proceedings aloud. By a unit
ed impulse the officers f1ourished their
swords in response. 1t was but an in
slant before they were mounted, and
with Bonaparte in front the cavalcade,
headed by men either already famous Or
destined to become so-Macdonald, Sc
rurier, Murat, Lannes, Andreossy, Ber-
thier and Lefebre-proceeded to the
council chamber. 1t needed but hasty
glance, as they passed through the city,
to see that preconcerted orders had al
ready been carefully executed. The
troops were all under arms and at their
stations in commanding places through
out the town. Arrived at the Tuileries,
the general and his glittering escort ell
tered the chamber.
"Citizen delegates" he said, "the re-
public was falling. You understood the
situation; your course has saved it. Woe
to them who cause disorder or disturb
ance! With the help of General Lefebre,
of General Berthier and my other breth-
ren in arms I will arrest them. Let no
man look for precedents in the past.
Nothing in history is comparable to the
end of the eighteenth century, nothing
to the present moment Your wisdom
passed this motion; our arms will exc
cute it. We desire republic founded in
true liberty, in civil liberty, in popular
representation. We are going to have it.
l swear it in my own name and i'll that
of my brethren in arms!' "We swear
it!' was the antsphonal response of the
assembled generals. Some one indis-
creetly suggested that Bonaparte had
sworn, but not the oath of allegiance to
the constitution required by their pre-
vious action, but the president hurriedly
declared all further proceedings out of
order, the assembly having adjourned
by its own act Professor W. M
Sloane's Life of Napoleon" in Century.
Susan Couldn't Be Trusted There.
A long legged, gawky sort Of chap
from down the Potomac, who was visit
ing Washington, was walking about the
office of the Arlington hotel, apparently
gazing ON it as one Of the sights of the
capital, when one of tho clerks tackled
him for. a bit of fun.
sis there anything we can do for you?"
inquired tie clerk
81 reckon not, was the reply.
"Perhaps you would like room il
you are going to be in town."
"Well, I reckon 1 ain't leastways
not right now"
''Do you think of coming?"
"Well, yes, me and my wife has been
talkin about it"
"Of course, if you come, you won't
find better place than this to stay. We
are in the finest quarter of the city, and
the White House is just across the
street."
sis that so?'' exclaimed the rooster.
eyes, indeed"
"Then it ain t no place for my wife. "
This was startler for the clerk.
"Why not?" he asked in surprise.
"She would be greatly pleased.
"In course she would She'd be tic
kled to death, she would, but won't let
her come.
"But why?"
"You don't know my wife, reckon?'
"I have never had that pleasure,
bowed the clerk
SIN course you haven't. She's fine
woman, but she's got her weakness. ?"
''But life in this hotel would bring
her around all right.
'That's what you say, young feller,
but I know Susan. Why, eff she come
here to live, she wouldn It be here week
till she'd be runnin acrost the street sew
en- times day to borrer some dern thing
er other frum the White House folks.
She can't help it to save her life, but
they're kinder used to it in our place,
and it makes it come a good deal easier
on me than it would here, where people
is some different in their notions No,
sir, eff we come to Washin ton to stop
any time IN goin to git out in the soob-
urbs, where Susan will have room tc
spread without bumpin up ag' inst the
fust families. New York Sun.
Episcopal Clergymen.