THE REVOLUTION IN PARIS. [From the Colonial Times, June 9.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 307, 8 July 1848, Page 2

THE REVOLUTION IN PARIS. [From the Colonial Times, June 9.]

. We have received by the Havk, from Singapore, with the overland mail, and the Anna Maria, from England direct, out eightyeight days, with male prisoners, the very important intelligence of a Revolution in France —the abdication of Louis Philippe, and his flight to England— the formation of a Republican Convention— with other events consequent upon this momentous movement.

From the journals now before us, which reach^ to<\']ate date, We shall present our readers frith a full account of these extraordinary events — of their origin and causes, and of their results, as far as they have occurred up to the date of our arrivals. From Lloyd's Weekly London of the 27th February, we copy the following article, explanatory of the causes of the insurrection :—: — " The intelligence from Paris, which we give elsewhere, as fully and to as late an hour, as is practicable, will be read with intense .interest. - Towards the capital of France all eyes have been anxiously directed for some months past. It ■ was too plain to . ; be unobserved, that "the "King of * the Barricades, 1 ':, having prevailed upon the Chambers to fortify Paris, was resolved lo avail himself of the means which had thus been placed at his disposal, to assert those very principles of despotism which the revolution that raised him to the throne was intended to destroy. The difference between Charles X. and LouiB Philippe, and between Guizot and Polignac, was this, that Charles and his minister infringed a good law to set up the standard of despotism, I whereas Louis Philippe and his minister I availed themselves of a bad law to do the same thing. Their objects were alike ; the i means they resorted to equally odious, though not in the one case, absolutely illegal. Louis Philippe has not disappointed those who have carefully observed his proceedings, especially during the last five or six years of his reign. Having satisfied himself of the spread of disaffection towards the electoral laws of the kingdom, throughout nearly the whole of France — having seen that disaffection extend itself in the Chamber of Deputies, until no fewer than 130 of its members had openly declared themselves to be of the reform party — having seen it take so fast a hold upon the "public mind in Paris as to give rise to preparations for a "monster meeting," the King felt that the time for hesitation had gone by — that he must either concede or coerce. He unhappily chose the last-mentioned alternative. Paris, and all its fortified positions., were occupied with troops and gorged with ammunition ; the reformers were denounced from the throne ; were stigmatized by the ministerial majority in Parliament ; and were placed- under the interdict of the odious 291 st article of the penal code, which forbids the assembling of more than twenty persons for purposes of political discussion. All that was worthy of the name of liberty was thus extinguished, and the 'Opposition had no alternative but to strike their colours with dishonour, or to measure their strength with the Government. The latter course was worthily taken, and the result is tolerably well ascertained." In addition to this, we may state that, as at the Revolution of July, several journals were ordered to be suppressed, so also the " monster meeting" above referred t6. The immediate results of these unwise, nay, insane proceedings are thus briefly narrated in Bell's Weekly Messenger, of March 4 : — BelFs Weekly Messenger Office, Sat. morn. The' Revolution in Paris has terminatedfor the present in the abdication of the King, and, we shudder while we Write it, the establishment of a Republic is reported to have taken place. A proclamation had been issued by the authorities, stating that the King had' sent for M. Thiers, but this did not afford satisfaction to the mob. The Palais Royal was then attacked and taken, after a sanguinary Contest 1 of about an hour and.a half, during which Five Hundred are said to- have fallen. The Tuileries was attacked about! o'clock, when his Majesty immediately abdicated the French throne in favour of the , Count de Paris,, and all- the Royaf .Family left the Tuileries in private carriages. The appearance of Paris is represented as frightful. The people .have vented their fury on the balustrades of the Rue Basse de Rempart, opposite the hotel of M.^Guizot, and threatened to destroy the street on account of the blood spilt there. The hotel is turned into "an ambulance for tbe wounded^ and-tbe" people, dipping their fingers in the blood, have written along the walls ** A mort Guizot." General de Lamorciere is said to have been seriously wounded in his efforts to restore order. The Palais Royal was sacked, and the throne burned ; the same scene occurred at the Tuileries, the throne was carried off by tbe mob, who carried it in triumph through the streets, singing the " Marseillaise." The Duchess of Orleans and the Count de Paris went to the Chamber, accompanied by the Duke de Nemours and a large party of officers on horseback. The Duchess was in deep mourning. An animated discussion took place, but, in the midst of it, the insurgents penetrated ih~ Chamber, the regency of the duchess was rejected, the majocity of the members withdrew in haste, and a Provisional Government was installed amidst frantic cries of " Vive laßepublique."

We now come -to more detailed particulars : Paris, February 25, 1848. The proceedings of the Chamber of Deputies yesterday were of » most extraordinary character. As early as 12 o'clock a number of members assembled in the Salle dcs Conferences, where they remained conversing for nearly an hour, until the public sitting commenced. Immediately after, it was rumoured about that the Duchess of Orleans and the Count de Paris intended being present at the sitting. In a few minutes the Duchess entered with her two sons, accompanied by the Duke de Nemours. A vast number of national guards and of the people in arms at the same time forced their way into the public tribunes and the lower part of the chamber. M. Dupin then ascending the tribune, announced lhat the KinjgHbad abdicated in favour of the Count de Paris, with the Duchess of Orleans as Regent. M. Cremieux protested against such a course j the people, he said, were victorious, and.sovereign master of all, and consequently ought to be consulted as to the go-" vernment which it would please to have; he therefore considered it his duty to propose a provisional government. M. O. Barrott followed, and declared that the will of the people was well knownj having been already expressed in 1830; that what was at present required was the Regency as just proposed — a ministry composed of tried men — and a general election on a wide basis. Duiing these speeches the crowd continued to increase in the passages, public tribunes, and interior of the Chamber, and took a prominent part in the proceedings by cries and gestures. M. de Lamartine, having ascended the tribune, some of the people hurried after him, and with acclamations waved their flags over his head. The hon. deputy, in very stronglanguage, expressed himself in favour of consulting the people before" anything was done. The agitation went on increasing to such a degree, that at last several of the deputies thought it prudent to recommend the Duchees to remove her sons. The Princess, who exhibited great sang froid and dignity throughout, complied, and was enabled by the protection of several deputies, and agreat number of national guards, to withdraw. M. Sauzet then left the chair, which was taken by M. Dupont (de I'Eure), and, after some remarks from M. Ledru-Rollin, the sitting was brought to a close, amidst the utmost excitement. The last named gentleman, M. Lamavtine, and M. Cremieux, proceeded to the Hotel de Ville to form a provisional government. An immense crowd followed them with the loudest acclamations. At about half-past eleven, the King, Louis Philippe, despairing of seeing calm re-establish-ed, decided on signing an abdication in favour of his grandson, the Count de Paris, with the Regency of the Duchess d'Orleans. None of these combinations' could succeed At this moment the combat had ceased almost everywhere — the troops had laid down their arms—remitted them to the people — and hardly had the King, Louis Philippe, time to leave Paiis, than the victorious crowd rushed into the apartments of the Chateau. Some of the furniture was precipitated by the windows — the cellars and stores of all descriptions were emptied — a great number of carriages were delivered to the flames in the courts of the Chateau, as was also the furniture. The same scenes passed at the Palace Royal. The principal apartments were emptied of all they contained, but the private apartments were respected. In a few moments, the news of the abdication spread round the Place dv Carrousel; but at this moment the municipal guards, posted on the Place dv Palais Royal, it is not known by whose orders, fired on the groups of citizens, and on the national guard presenting themselves on the Place dv Carrousel ; the King, mounted on horseback, passed along the ranks of some troops and of the national guards, who occupied the court yard of the Chateau, and left Pans at i halfpast twelve, after stopping for a few minutes on the Place de la Concorde. From this moment the whole of Pans was m the hands of its inhabitants ; the few troops which still remained withdrew, for the most part unarmed, to their respective bairacks; at the Palais, Royal and at the Tuileries the furniture was thrown from the windows and burned, but no pillage appears to have taken place. Order was strictly observed on every point ; the barricades erected at the corner of every street were guarded by armed citizens, who displayed the greatest moderation ; and everything induces the hope that persons and property will in no way suffer from a revolution which had become inevitable. The National mentions the following as amongst the evenemens of the revolution : — The flight of Louis Philippe was marked by an incident which does too much honour to the spirit of our population for us not to be desirous to mention it. At the moment at which the ex-King escaped from the Tuileries, by the gate :of the Point Tournant, to reach the little carriage which was waiting for him, he was surrounded by the people, who had precipitated themselves on his passage. The second regiment of Cuirassiers which was stationed in the Place de la Concorde, hastened to protect his evasion ; but in the situation of things it was powerless to remove him from the vengeance of the people. However, this brave regiment, which did not and would not make use of its arms, endeavoured to facilitate the passage to him. An officer, seeing the peril, cried, " Gentlemen, spare the King!" to which a stentorian voice in ~the crowd answered, "We are not assassins — let him go!" "Yes, yes, let him go!" became the general cry. The people had been too brave during the combat, not to be generous after the victory. While the Chamber of Deputies was deliberating on the abdication of the King in favour of his grandson, the Count of Paris, a voice cried out " Louis Philippe has fled frcm Paris," a number of voices responded "bon voyage, bon voyage !"

> The Mode says :—": — " M. Gnizot escaped on Wednesday evening from his hotel by a back door, and act out in a cabinet conrier caleche for Calais, where hehas, it is supposed, embarked for London. The same evening M, Delessert left the Prefecture of Police in disguise. Abont ten o'clock the same -night M. Hebert quitted the Chancellerie by the door of the Rue Neuve dn Luxembourg. He sent several times to the Etat Major and to the chateau to demand a reinforcement of troops. He complained, btth in Jus own name and in that of MM. Duchatel and Guizot, of having been so gravely led into error by the Minister of War and General Sebastiani « to the feeling of the army. The Ministers loudly attribute to Louis Philippe the responsibility of all the measures of rigour which had been adopted." We learn that M. Guizot crossed from Boulogue to Folkestone in an open boat, and landed on Saturday. As may be supposed, the greatest tumult and consternation prevailed in P*" s » infinitely surpassing that which occurred in the "- former Revolution ; the city was extensively barricaded, and the large mass of the populace was excited by a strong republican feeling, which was shared by several poitions of the National Guard, as will be seen by the following extract from the National : M. Lamorciere, Peer of France, and Colonel of the 10th Legion, having stated to a battalion of the legion that the tmeute was crushed, and that the National Guard was called on to give a testimony of confidence to the government, one of the National Guards stepped forward and declared that they would not do it, and that they all desired a change of ministry and reform. These words were received with acclamations. General Friant having stated at the Post dcs Petits Peres that they had compelled M. Guizot and M. Duchatel to resign, there was a cr y — «« That is not enough, — we want the overthrow of the whole minis'ry and its impeachment !" In a detachment of the National Guard in the Rue Pinon, there were cries, in addition to those of " Down with the ministry !" of " We won't have thieves in embroidery, any more than in rags !" In the Palais Royal the Municipal Guard attempted to charge the people, but were prevented by the National Guard. We subjoin also the following, from the same journal : — The following declaration was yesterday signed in the 4th Legion of the National Guard ;f11 We, the undersigned, all belonging to the' National Guard, declare that, in the midst of the troubles of the capital, the summons to assemble having been beaten, we, the protectors of order, shall proceed wherever we may be ordereJ to go to prevent or arrest the effusion of blood ; but at the same time, being protectors of liberty, we declare that our object is not in any way to approve of the ministerial policy, either at home or abroad; or' to lend any support to a ministry which, on the contrary, we blame with all the energy of good citizens. We do not deliberate under arms — we merely state our way of thinking before we go to our post." Yesterday evening, at about eight o'clock, an immense crowd proceeded to the residence ' of M. Odillon Barrot, and entered the courtyard of his house, and many of them his apartment, in the most peaceable manner. A deputation advanced towards M. Odillon Bar* rot, who was at the time in company with many of his colleagues. M. Q. Barrot addressed the deputation as follows: "My friends, — I think I see your fathers of July, 1830 ; it is a display of the samt courage — the same generosity (unanimous cheers). And to be like them, worthy of liberty, be calm in triumph ; that is the character which is suitable to the cause of right and liberty." Loud cries of*" Long live Odillon Barrot" were then raised. M. Gamier Pages added a few-energetic words to persuade the crowd to retire peaceably. The shouts recommenced with increased strength, and were taken up by the people in the Rue de la Ferme dcs Mathurins. . The following is a list of the Provisional. Government, with the several offices attached : Dupont de l'Eure, President Arago, Minister of the Marine Lamartine, Minister of Foreign Cremieux, Minister of Justice General Subervie, Minister of War Ledru-Rollin, Minister of the Interior Marie, Minister of Commerce Gamier Pages, Mayor of Paris. From the Reforme, a Paris journal professing revolutionary ] rinciples, we gather the explicit views of that party :—: — " The ministry has sunk in blood ! With it must be pulled down that odious infamous system of which it is the expression. The French people wish to be free. They have proved it ; tbey have been as great as they were in the years 1.789 and' 1830. It is still worthy of liberty. But is it to be believed that the change of a Guizot for a Mole or a

Thiero can satisfy them ? If any men do believe this they deceive themselves. We who have s right to speak in the name of the people make ourselves the echo of their just demands. The following are the demands of the citizens *t the present day : — The liberation of the citizens arrested yesterday and the day b/jfore. The impeachment of tht Ministers. J right of meeting consecrated d» facto Jt>y a banquet oh Sunday. The electoral reform^ founded on popular bases. The abolition of the laws of September. The disbanding of thy Municipal Guard. A general amnesty. 1 ' We have not been able to ascertain the number of persons who were killed in the conflict, which we may observe lasted three days. The following ceremony took place in reference to this melancholy slaughter : — A funeral service was performed yesterday morning (28th), at Notre Dame, and in all the other churches of Paris, for the repose of the souls of the persons who died in the conflict of the 22nd, 23rd, And 24th. The Archbishop of Paris! with alVthe clergy attached to the cathedral, took part in this ceremony, which was very impressive.

.[From the Morning Pott, March B.] The events of the late revolution in Paris have followed each other with such startling rapidity, that the mind is scarcely able to embrace the extent of the reality involved. The intelligence from the scene of the conflict, moreover, has been so far occasionally interrupted as to render it in some degree difficult to trace the progress of this great political convulsion. With a view to supply omissions which may have occurred in former accounts, and at the same time render the late struggle between the Monarchical and Republican principle clearly intelligible, we now publish the following brief resunfe of the events of the week, premising that the details have been obtained from a source on which every reliance may be placed. One fact in connection with the revolution has hitherto not been very clearly understood. It is almost universally believed that the immediate cause of the outbreak was the refusal of the Government to sanction the celebration of a Reform banquet in the capital, many meetings of a similar character having already J taken place in the provinces. This is not j precisely true. The Ministry did not object | to the banquet itself, but they did object to a demonstration with which it was intended to be accompanied. It appears the leaders of the Reform movement'had arranged to have a grand procession of trades on the day fixed, and they had further requested the members of the National Guard to accompany them in procession to the dinner pavilion, wearing their side-arms. This the Government positively objected to, and on a proclamation being issued by the Prefect of Police, declaring the illegality of the proposed proceeding, the parties by whom the banquet had been got op declined to celebrate it. Thus the matter stood on Tuesday morning, the 22d ult., at which time the number of troops in and around Paris amounted to about 28,000 men, 4,000 of whom were stationed in the suburbs, and the remainder in the city itself, the whole being under the command of Marshal Sebastiani. In the course of thlvday the populace began to exhibit unequivocal symptoms of discontent and unea- i •loess consequent on the banquet not taking place, and. the troops were kept continually in motion, marching from one part of the city to Another, in order to disperse the knots of malcontents here and there assembled. During the evening the insurgents began to assume a bolder front, and in the course of the night, barricades were thrown up across several of the leading thoroughfares in the ourskirts of the city. These were carried by the troops with little difficulty, but the mob renewed their labours in other directions, and the military were greatly harrassed in their endeavours to cqm,e.,up with them. " On 'Wednesday morning the Republican party, who are always well organised and armed in Paris, came out in large numbers, and by their menacing attitude gave evidence that they at least were not likely to give way without a struggle. Up to this time no firing had taken place, nor had any casualty of importance occurred beyond the infliction of a sword thrust on some one or two of the more impetuous insurgents. The day, however, brought no cessation of toil to the troops, who had now been on their feet thirty- six hours. During the morning the King received information from various parts of the city that the populace entertained no feelings against himself and the members of the royal family, but had risen solely against the ministry of M. Guizot, on whom they laid the responsibility of having forbidden the Reform banquet, the informants assuring his Majesty that if the ministry were dismissed the insurrection would be immediately quelled. M. Guizot and his colleagues bring made acquainted with these reports, expressed their readiness at once to retire or to remain in office, as the King might desire.

Louis Philippe elected to Teceive their resignation, and at once sent for Count Mole. On Wednesday evening the command of the troops of the line was taken by Marshal Bugeaud, who, having completed his disposition of the army, submitted his plans to the King and his ministers for their approval. The Marshal's plan was to act on the defensive as long as possible, but in the event of the insurgents approaching the Tuileries, or any of the important public edifices, he proposed to attack them at once, and clear the street with grape shot. The plan of the General was approved, and no fear whatever was entertained of the populace making head against the military. The news of M. Guizot's dismissal was hailed with acclamations from the mob, and in the evening an illumination took place in honour of the popular victory, as it was considered. At this critical juncture an immense crowd surrounded the hotel of M. Guizot, which was guarded by only a small band of troops. The mob did not exhibit any violent emotions, but unfortunately shots were fired from one quarter, the effect of which was that three soldiers were killed and the horse of the Colonel in command wounded. The officer, conceiving an attack was about f o be commenced upon the hotel, ordered the troops to fire upon the crowd. The result was that several persons fell mortally wounded, and the mob, greatly excited by the conduct of the soldiery, seized the bodies of two among the dead, one of them a female, and bore them through the principal streets of the city, uttering the most frightful imprecations, and at intervals bursting forth in full chorus with the "Mourh pour la patrie," of which so much has been heard. The aspect of affairs now becoming more alarming, and Count Mole having failed in bis endeavours to form a Ministry, the King sent for M. Thiers. This gentleman approved the plans of General Bugeaud, but one of his first acts was to call to his assistance M. Odillon Barrot, whose opinions, as is W3ll knonn, are more liberal than those of M. Thiers. On the military plans being shown to M. Barrot, he at once objected to that portion which involved firing upon the people, declaring his opinion that the firing which had already taken place hdd been the it ea.ns of greatly exasperating the insurgents. M. Barrot at length gained over M. Thiers to his view — a fact which was at once communicated to Marshal Bugeaud, and the Genet al was instructed henceforward to make what head he could against the insurgents by passive resistance ; but, in the event of his being pressed hard, he was directed to retreat, and on no account to use active measures against the populace. The Marshal, upon this instruction, at once tendered his resignation of the command, which was accepted, and M. Thiers and his friends proceeded to effect their pacific arrangements. This was the state of affairs on the memorable morning of Thursday, the 24th, at which time the troops, be it observed, had been -on the march two days and two nights. The insurgents elated at their partial success, appeared in much greater numbers during the early part of this day, and erected barricades in all parts of the city. Meanwhile the officers of the army, iudignant at so unexpected a termination of their duties, sheathed their swords the men allowed themselves to be disarmed by the mob, whom they had been ordered not to resist, and the people, encountering no serious opposition, rushed on to attack the Palais Royal and the Tuileries. As a proof how little this result was anticipated by the King aud his Ministry, it may be mentioned that within one hour of the insurgents entering the Tuileries the King himself reviewed in the court-yard of that palace the troops with which it was invested. His Majesty rode up and down the line several times, and was well received by all except one company, from which some murmurs arose. ! Ti.e news of the .attack on the Paltis Royal, and the rapid approach of the insurgents to the Tuileries, left the King but one of two courses to pursue, either to remain within the walls and fall with his family, victims of popular fury, or by vacating the Palace, take the chances of escape to England. Resistance, now that the military had been ordered to make none, was perfectly hopeless, and in a brief interview with his Ministers and those of his. personal friends who remained faithful to the last, the King decided to leave the Palace ; and such members of the Royal family as could by possibility be brought together at the moment took their departure with him. Of the manner in which they became separated, and of the subsequent dangers they underwent, some particulars, obtained from authentic lources, are appended :—: — When the King left the palace, he was accompanied by her Majesty the Queen, the Duchess de Nemours, with her youthful children, and the Duke de Montpensier. In the suite of the royal party were General Dumas, General Rubigny, General Lefebvre ; two waiting women, and one valet de chambre, were the only attendants who accompanied

them in their flight. The royal fugitives, in making their exit from the Tuileries, took their departure direct for St. Cloud, whence, after remaining about an hour, they proceeded in two omnibuses, for Trianon, distant about two hours' journey. Here they were overtaken and joined by the Bake and Duchess Augustus of Saxe Coburg, who had left the Tuileries subsequently to the departure of the King. The royal party travelled in company from Trianon to Dreux, where, in consequence of the excited state of the towns through which they passed, it was deemed advisable to separate. The ex-King and Queen having disguised themselves, proceeded first to the Chateau d'Eu, and thence to Honfleur, in which neighbourhood, as is already known, they remained until Thursday last, on which day they crossed the Channel. The Duke and Duch±ss Augustus of Saxe Coburg, with their own three children, and one of the children of the Duke and Duchess de Nemours, left at the same time for Boulogne, which port they reached in safety, and took places in the first steamer for England. On going aboard they were no less delighted than surprised to find the Duke de Nemours among the passengers. His Royal Highness was, it will be recollected, left in command of the troops within the Tuileries when bis Majesty vacated the Palace. His subsequent visit to the Chamber of Deputies in company with the Duchess d'Orleans has also been announced, and his escape, as is well known, was among the most remarkable effected. The Duchess de Nemours and the Duke de Montpensier, with the Duchess's two children, travelled across to Granvilie, suffering great hardships by the way, and ultimately escaping, almost by a miracle, to Jersey. The Duchess de Montpensier, who, in the-baste of the moment, was left in the Tuileries, v»as fortunately met by M. Lasteyrie, a member of the Chamber of Deputies, brother-in-law to Count de Jarnac and grandson of Lafayette, within a few moments of the mob entering the Palace. M. Lasteyrie conveyed her Royal Highness to his own residence in the Rue Miromesnil, where she found shelter until an opportunity offered for her to cross the Channel from Boulogne. The Duchess of Orleans and her two children, as is well known, contrived to make their escape in o Germany. As a proof of the sanguinary feeling entertained by the mob, we may state that Monsieur Duchatel, who left Paris on Saturday, on passing through Meru, was stopped and his papers demanded. Fortunately his disguise was complete, and he was allowed to pass on, though not until he had been informed that, had he proved, as was suspected, to be the Duke de Nemou r s, he would infallibly have been shot.