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could be so superbly careless except this fortunate gentleman, the Princess immediately sent a servant to her late guest with a message, to the effect that she supposed his bankership had left them by mistake: and the Princess was right!

It was with the diplomatic body especially that their appearance occasioned the greatest sensation; but I shall take another opportunity to treat of the inconceivable conduct of that body in these events, and their fatal influence upon the result. I can state facts that will prove, to the conviction of every impartial person, that, had the diplomatic body performed their duty, the throne of the Bourbons might have been preserved, even after the three glorious, or fatal, days.

The day of the ordonnances (the 26th) passed over with apparent tranquillity; but there were meetings of the most active members of the revolutionary party, of the Society Aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera, Les Amis du Peuple, the journalists, the printers, and especially of some manufacturers. These last two bodies decided on terrifying the Government, on the ensuing day, by not employing their workmen. In France, as, I believe, in England, the mechanics work only five days in the week. Sunday is. dedicated to the expenditure of their weekly gains, and there also generally

remain a few sous to be spent in honour of Saint Monday. It was an astute policy, therefore, to leave the men on Tuesday without work and with empty pockets, and irrefutable evidence that the ordonnances had destroyed all trade. Of course, also, most of these artisans were married, and had families. Death suddenly stares them in the face, -and what a death! Their families are in a moment starving, and demanding bread. The conspirators recommended them to assemble in the streets, and express their grievances. This was the mode to revive trade, and obtain instant relief! Thus a desperate mob was formed in a morning, who cared nothing about the liberty of the press, but who were prepared to die for the profit of little M. Thiers. Never let us forget that many individuals who had the reputation at this time of being the wealthiest men in France, were, in fact, ruined. The Lafittes and the Terneaux, the Audry de Puyraveaus, the Gisquets, the Millerets, and many others, whose supposed mercantile wealth had formerly given so much weight to their opposition to the Court, were all in pecuniary difficulties, and had been long secretly desirous of a civil convulsion to account for their confused ledgers. These were the capitalists, whose example influenced some persons of real

wealth insanely to participate in their projects; and these were the philanthropists, who, reckless of the misery of thousands, excited by their example the multitude to conduct which must necessarily occasion their infinite misery.

On the evening of the 26th some cries were heard near the Hotel of the Finances; but they were the usual cries which greet an unpopular administration: "Vive la Charte! A bas les Ministres!" So little serious were these groups, that I saw which, I own, surprised me a little -M. de Montbel, the Minister of Finance, making his way through the crowd to enter his hotel.

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On the morning of Tuesday, the 27th, it was known that a council of ministers would be held at the Hotel of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The post of gendarmes was tripled; and, as usual, the exhibition of military force attracted a crowd of vagabonds. The Hotel of Foreign Affairs is at the corner of the Rue Neuve de Luxembourg, and upon the Boulevard, a great thoroughfare. When I add, that in the same street, at the house of M. Casimir Perier, there was a meeting of the agitators, it will easily be understood that quarter was, as it were, the focus of the whole affair. The Ministers were assailed and insulted as they repaired to the council; but this did not

prevent them from taking measures to enforce the ordonnances. Orders were issued to arrest without delay those journalists who had signed the protestation which tended to excite revolt. The presses which had not complied with the provisions of the ordonnances were ordered to be broken. This act was the signal for insurrection. The National declared that it would repel force by force; and the first scene of rebellion occurred in this establishment. And who was the chief and director of this journal? M. Thiers: that same M. Thiers who was the creature of the Orleans family, and who was the bearer of the crown to Neuilly, as they say, in his hat. We all see how this little obscure intriguer has raised himself since the Revolution, what a position he has taken, and what a station he now fills. Those who are well informed assure me, that the Duke of Orleans was the capitalist of this journal; and we must confess, if Louis-Philippe be satisfied with his present position as King of the French, the National was not a bad investment. M. Thiers, who could not, before the three great days, which he may be well excused for thinking glorious, pay his lodging, has now a fine hotel, and an estate; and has recently been publicly described by one of his former friends-and I believe with truth- as the

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Under-Secretary who sells places to pay his mistress." The revolutionary editor of the National is now a "defender of order," and the bitterest enemy of his original patron Lafitte, to whom he owes every thing, even his connection with King Louis-Philippe.

On the evening of the 27th, about half-past five, masses of the populace, evidently organised, advanced towards the Palais Royal, near the Rue St. Honoré. There they found a corps de garde, with about fifty men; who, justly dreading that their patriotic object was to pillage the rich shops of the Palais Royal, exerted themselves to disperse the crowd. The mob, however, resisted, threw stones at the gendarmes, the greater part of whom were severely wounded. An opportune charge of cavalry appeared to terminate this affair, although not without bloodshed. The mob, however, rallied; the gendarmes were forced to send for reinforcements; and regular charges took place, and two or three rounds of blank firing in platoons. The firing frightened the mob, and they dispersed, announcing, however, every where, a horrible massacre in the Palais Royal, although the firing had been without ball, and the military were the great sufferers.

Night arrived. The lanterns in many streets

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