New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15
LAST OF FRENCH ROYALTY.
A HISTORY OF THREE DAYS IN THE YEAR
Is4s.
THE REVOLUTION or 1sis; BY Iinbert de Saint
Amand Translated by Elizabeth Gilbert Mar
tin. With portraits. PIP. vi. a' Charles Serb
ner's

THE REVOLUTION or 1sis; by Imbert de Saint
Amand Translated By El@a ~; cbaries serb
ner's Sons.
II is difficult even for the skill Of NJ. de Saint
Amand to make the fall Of Louis Philippe seem
like a tragedy The readers OF this volume VIII
look in vain for a great popular leader whom the
masses of the people trusted and blindly followed
Louis NAPOLEON Is merely mentioned incidentally
al the close as on his way to Paris to see what he
can accomplish, on the heels of the Revolution.
But I'D to that moment there is no mention OF
Bonapartsm except as something which every
body either forgot or carefully ignored. Bona
rartists in the Chamber OF Deputies were 50 few
that they were hardly reckoned as factor In poll
tics The universal aim that OF the citizens as
well as the Citizen King. seemed to be peace, and
everything went well up to the last three days OF
Louis Philippes reign. The effect OF the Spanish
marriages against which England protested so
bitterly had been to raise his prestige as dipio-
matte ruler There was every prospect that with
out war France would resume the leadership In
European councils The French forecast was ac-
curste that English influence in Italy.for example.
was hound TO diminish. 1t must be remembered
that Plus TX had just been made Pope, ana the
whole Catholic world, Italy and France In par
tlcular. glowed with anticipation Italy was to
he united under the sway OF a liberal pontiff. and
France would see within her own borders the
union of religion and liberty Indeed. the most
striking fact in this book is the reverence with
which sacred things were treated even In the
height Of popular tumult. compared with the
sacrllegious outbreaks OF 1880. Another fact. al
most az striking in the way the author puts 1t. Is
that the most manly statesmen. at best on the
side Of the royal pOWer, were women.
The rule of Louis Philippe was rule of stu
dents and scholars Next to the King himself,
the most prominent figure was that OF Guzot,
determined enough in appearance. but more ac-
customed to weighing theories and studying mo-
tives than to prompt decision In the midst Of af-
fairs. 1t was against him as well as the King that
Iamartine launched the bitter complaint. France
has had to be Ghibbene at Rome. sacerdotal in
Berne. Austrian In Piedmont. Russian in Craco-
via. French nowhere. anti-revolutionary every
where" A phrase which he had abored to con-
struct became more vital with him than a princi-
pie The whole revolution Of 1Sis. 80 far az II
was n matter Of debate. turned on such phrase.
Just as Charles X brought about his own destruc-
ton by speaking OF culpable manoeuvres which
raised obstacles to his government In 1890. so the
last address Of Louis Philippe from the throne
nlmcal passions"
The words were Just but imprudent. says VI. de
Sant-Amand. and nothing could prevail on Gu-
cot to change them. Ills obstinacy was reent-
less" and that. too, In the face Of the lesson OF
1880. This example urged upon his attention
In the Chamber OF Deputies. He was told that
even II the matter went further. the retention
OF such bitter and rreconcilable language
constitutional opposition you are going to
end" he was told. this monarchica assuring,
consoling spectacle Of the concurrence OF all sin
cere and legitimate opinions around the head Of
the state" lie was asked to substitute for the
Objectionable phrase and the sentence to which
1t belonged these words: rely the public rea-
son. enlightened by our free discussions. and the
manifestations OF all legitimate opinions" But
he refused, and his refusal was sustained by a
handsome majority. He was also sustained in
the refusal to make dehslte promises Of para-
mentary reform. and he triumphantly reported to
the King that the royal authority was committed
to nothing. He had saved the traditional Ir-
responsibility OF the crown against the nation
al egisa ture, but only at the OF forcing the
controversy into the hands OF the populace Of
Paris
According TO NJ. de Saint-Amand, neither the
King nor his Minister looked in the right di-
rection for signs of danger 1t was opposition
within the Court itself which irritated Guizot
and led him to offer his resignation long before
the real crisis came. 1t contempt for the
Chamber which seemed mild and harmless COM
pared with the Convention. that led the King to
disregard the voices Of the minority. He Justly
felt that he was acting all the time within his
rights as a constitutional sovereign. He was
carrying out policy supported by majority Of
the chosen representatives Of the people. 1t did
not occur to either King or Minister that the cry
OF reform could be made effective with the peo-
pie. Nobody wished for disturbance. The OPP
position careful about the Legality of Its
acts the Government was. Compared with
other revolutions in France that Of iSis, even
under the dignifed treatment Of NJ. de Saint
Amand has n cOmical aspect. The author shows
how the plainest differences from the experience
Of 1880 should have taught the civil and military
authorities what to do and how these lessons
were disregarded. The rising OF the mob was so
slow and gradual to invite suppression when
this would have been easy.
The really praiseworthy thing was that which
is sometimes condemned weakness, the reluct-
all sides to bring on struggle like those
through which France had passed The King
was more loyal to his country than to his
dynasty when he strove to avoid -lOodshed and
he could hardly do otherwise than quit the
throne and turn exile when the confidence Of his
supporters was changed to fear. In the scene
of the abdlcaion. as pictured by NJ Salnt-Amand
the calmest figure is that Of the King himself
All the rest agitated by terrors that had be-
come traditions. And Louis Philippe, really a
man OF courage. could only compassionate him
self after IT was all over. Like Charles *" he
said. evidently meaning that comparison with
that monarch was the last thing which he de-
sired.
From the Royast point OF view the real hero
Inc Of the Revolution the Queen. Where the
King yielded she would have resisted. She OPP
posed his abdication. She faced her adversarles
with dignity. She might have ruled like Maria