DISTURBANCES IN FRANCE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 518, 20 July 1850, Page 3

DISTURBANCES IN FRANCE.

France was iv a state of commotion. On Monday the 4th, and Tuesday the sth of February, large mobs of the people assembled round the trees of liberty set up in the suburbs, aud shouted, down with the aristocracy, down with the tyrants of the people. A proclamation was issued, and the people were commanded to disperse. On the sth February, as General Lamoriciere left the Assembly, an attack was made upon him, of which the following is an account, as translated from the Ordre :—: — The General after having appeared at the commencement of the sitting of the Assembly, left in a carriage for the Rue da Richelieu, on private business. From thence he went to the Rue St. Martin. Finding the crowd too dense to continue his way, he wished to return, hut the police sergeants fearing the street would be encumbered, recommended him to pass on in the direction of the Boulevard. A multitude of the curious crowded round the carriage. Some of them thought they recognized one of the Generals who commanded the troops on the terrible days of June. "It is he," said they. "No, it is not," replied another group. One of them approached, "Cry, Vive la Republique /" '* Willingly," said the General. Immediately afterwards another addressed to him the same demand. " Willingly," again, " Vive la Republique !" The crowd increased, and a third person advanced towards the General and struck him a blow on the head, with the intention of knocking off his hat, crying, " Salut la Republique /" General Lamoriciere repelled the brutal attack, at the same time the populace followed the carriage, crying Arre? tez, Arretez : as if some accident had been occasioned from the fault of the driver. The carriage was soou stopped ; the General descended from the carriage. Ho was surrounded, and hurried along by the crowd. His hat was thrown in the dirt. * * * * God knows what excesses woul 1 have been committed by these enraged persons against a I man whose brilliant services are one of the , glories of his country, if an ancient Zouave named Constant, vigorous as he was braye — who had served under the orders of the General — seconded by some well-disposed citizens present, had not been there to defend him. These brave fellows placed themselves between General Laraoriciere and the rioters, accompanied him to the Boulevard St. Martin, and conducted him to a reading-room. The multitude, more and more excited, followed the General closely ; the cries and threats became so violent that the General was advised to leave the house ; there was no other way of issue except by the front entrance ; he went up to the highest story, aud finding a window open, passed over the roof into a neighbouring house. This house which he hastened to descend was in the faubourg St. Martin. He again entered the street, and was remarked by the crowd, who would have again attacked him, if he had not made his escape on a horse belonging to a horseman in the street ; after giving his name to the owner of the horse, he galloped off, and in half an hour arrived at the Assembly, where great uneasiness prevailed for his safety. Arrests followed, and agitation was the consequence. Speaking of this, the Patrie

of the 7ih of February says — " The number of arrests on Monday and Tuesday amounted to 350, and 35 of the sergeants de Ville were seriously wounded in the disturbances." The same journal gives the following details of the cutting down of the tree near the Porte St. Martin, as communicated by an eye-witness : — On Tuesday evening, soon after nine o'clock, numerous groups had stationed themselves round the trea of liberty, on the Boulevard St. Denis, near the Porte St. Martin, at the spot where, on the previous day, General Laraoriciere had narrowly escaped assassination by a fuiious mob ; these groups, composed of men in blouses, and of young rioters, amused themselves with singing various socialist songs, amongst others that which terminates with the words " Les peuptes sont pour nous dcs frtres et les tyrans nos ennemis." Two battalions were soon seen advancing, one of the Tirailleurs de Vincennes, and the other of the infantry of the line, with a general of brigade, several commissaries of police, and peace officers, at their bead. One of the commissaries a Ivanced, and persuaded the agitators to retire, to give over their singing, and to be reasonable, adding that if they did not do so he should be compelled, though with regret, to execute the orders of the government conformably to the proclamation of the Minister of the Interior. The voice of the magistrate was drowned by hootings. A ■second recommendation was addressed to them to withdraw, which met with a similar reception. The voice of the General was then heard to order four sappers to advance. In five minutes after the tree lay prostrate on the ground. " A merchant of Paris," says the Patrie, " who was returning on Tuesday evening with his family in his carriage from St. Maude, was assailed in the Faubourg St. Antoine by some individuals who uttered cries of ' ' A mart Varistocrate ! ft, la lanterne /" He succeeded in disengaging himself from them, after having one of the windows of the carriage broken."