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    LETTBKS FROM PARIS. [FltOM OUK OWN CORUE...

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    The Overpowering Event Of The Week, Is T...

    wards published the retractation demanded of him by \ ns Grace . On th e 20 th of January , 1829 , his Grace wag appointed G overnor of Dover Castle , and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports ; _a _& d he soon afterwards added the whole of the Silch ester property to his estate in Hampshire , so that his domains acquired a circuit of thirty miles , and his mansion could be approached by a direct avenue , eight ¦ miles long , across his owii land .

    In 18 30 the Duke ' s government fell . The ranks of his supporters had been thinned by the malcontent tories , who kept aloof in high dudgeon at his Relief Bill ; nor did he receive any permanent support from the whigs and Roman Catholics ; and now a cry had been raised for reform . This the Duke refused , and the result wad considerable popular excitement . His Grace himself did not escape personal insult ; and considerable damage was done to his property . The new King , William IV ., had intended to have been present at the City feast at Guildhall , but the ministers had received such information as not only induced them to advise his Majesty not to attend it , but caused the Duke of Wellington to have the Tower moat filled , and to put

    that ancient fortress in a state of defence . For this , the Cabinet were subjected to severe animadversions by the Opposition , but the Duke's account of the matter at once affords a complete answer to their objections , and puts his Grace ' s- character in a most amiable light . " I would have gone , " said he , to Sir Wm . Knighton , " if the law had been equal to protect me , but that was not the case . Fifty dragoons on horseback would have done it ; but that was a military force . If firing had begun , who could tell when it was to end ; one guilty person would fall , and ten innocent be destroyed . Would this have been wise or humane , for a little bravado , or that the country mig ht not be alarmed for a day or two ? It is all over now , and in another week or two will be forgotten . "

    On the 15 th of November in this year ( 1830 ) Ministers were- defeated on Sir Henry _ParnelTs amendment , appointing a select committee to inquire into the * civil list , by a majority of 27 ; and on the following evening his Grace and Sir Robert Peel announced the resignation of the Cabinet . Lord Grey was named as his successor , Lord Hill , however , continuing at the Horse Guards . On the 24 th of June Lord John Russell recommenced the reform discussion , and the bill was carried On the 19 th of July , by a large _minority . On the following day it was taken up to the Lords by upwards of a hundred members , headed by Lords Althorpe and Russell , and was delivered to the Lord Chancellor . It was read

    for the first time pro forma , and the 3 rd of October was fixed for the second reading . The popular excitement was intense . The Corporation of London presented an address to the King , praying for reform ; and the mob which accompanied them to the palace , proceeded to St . James's-square , and broke tho windows of Lord Bristol ' s mansion , and then passed on to Apsley House , where they were guilty of a similar act of violene : e . His Grace has never had his windows repaired . Lorel Grey reintroduced the bill in the folleiwing March , when the Opposition being weakened by the elesertion of the Bishop of Lontlon and other lortls , the bill was reael a second time by a majority of nine , —upon which , the Duke and seventy-four other peers entered their

    preitest on the journals . When their leirdslnps _re-nssembled , it was proposetl to take the question of enfranchisement first ; and Lorel Grey , being defeated , waited on the King anel gave him the alternative eif either creating a sufficient number of new peers eir of accepting bis resignation . His Majesty accordingly "ent feir Lord _Lynelhurst , and < h : sirt ! el him tei communicate with thei " Duke anel Sir Robert Peel , but both being intractable em the refeivm question the King rc-•• _sdleel Leird Grey . Se > popul . tr wus this _stesp that the O pposition gave up tho contest , and the bill received tho r (\ yid assent by commission on the 7 th e > f June , 1832 . ' _" 'iirl Grey was soon afterwards succeeded by Lorel Melbourne , but the reform Ministry eliel neit last long , being _hreiken up by the resignation of Leird Althorpe .

    On the 15 th eif November his Grace was elircctcel by _t-no King te > form a new aelmiiuatmtion , and ho nt onco ttKx » nmcnded the appointment eif Sir _Keibort Peel tei the _pieniiorshi p . Ah Sir Robert was then in Italy , bin Grace was at first entrusted with the whole chargo of RoVcrinneut , and the seals of tho three _soexetarieH of Htato ; but when the ! Cabinet _wuh _fillenl up , he took the direction of _thei foreign affairs . Tho _loweir house' , _how-, \ et > 1 nme ! iiced _hei . _stilitios , anel having carricel thei Gectiem eif fhe Speaker , they dofontetl tho Ministers by passing n clause for appropriating part of tho Irish _hure-h property tei purpot . es of _edueratioii . In _cemso-M'leneiei of this tho Ministers resigned in the ! April of Iho contest em the Reform Act reconciled the Duko ' »» d tho tory party , who were highly delightotl by his

    The Overpowering Event Of The Week, Is T...

    firm stand against the bill . On the 29 th of January , 1834 , his Grace was unanimously elected Chancellor of Oxford , in the room of Lord Grenville , deceased . The passing of the Reform Bill may be said to have formed the termination of his Grace ' s political life , for though he continued to be a warm and consistent supporter of the conservative party , he never again aspired to the premiership . After this his old popularity returned , and at the coronation of the Queen in 1837 , his reception by the

    crowd was most enthusiastic . Marshal Soult , who was present as Ambassador Extraordinary from France , was also received with loud applause . On the 13 th of July the Corporation of London gave a grand dinner to the foreign princes and ambassadors , at the Guildhall . The healths of the two heroes were drank together , with tremendous cheering ; and , in returning thanks , they complimented each other in the warmest manner . The marshal's speech afforded a curious contrast to his general orders .

    At the resignation of Lord Melbourne , in 1839 , tbe Queen sent for the Duke , and at his suggestion commissioned Sir R . Peel to form a ministry ; but the whigs returned to ofiice , her Majesty refusing to dismiss the ladies of her household . In 1841 Sir R . Peel succeeded in actually constituting a Cabinet , which remained in power until the repeal of the corn laws , in 1846 . On the 15 th of August Lord Hill resigned the command of the army , in consequence of the state of his health , and the Duke , who once more succeeded to that important office , has held it ever

    . For the last few years of his life the Duke still continued to be consulted by Ministers , and indeed by her Majesty herself , who is understood to have liked to take his opinion on all matters of importance . He had always very regularly conformed to social observances , and mingled largely with tho society to which he helonged . His last appearance in state was on the

    occasion of the dissolution of parliament , when it became his duty to be bearer of the Sword of State . The venerable Duke , feeble with age , was accordingly seen in his due place ,, carry ing the heavy and venerable weapon ; nay , even playfully pointing it at Lord Derby , who was jesting with him about his difficulty in carrying it . His latest remarkable speech was in the House of Lords , when he emphatically came forward to signify his approbation of the Militia Bill , and to praise militia

    corps . He had gone to Walmer Castle—and that his general health was still good we may learn from the fact that on last Saturday afternoon he rode over on horseback to Dover , and , in his capacity of Lord Warden , inspected the works in progress in the Harbour of Refuge , and other departments . He then seemed in excellent health and spirits . His death may be said to have been sudden . Ho

    died after a " succession of fits . " It is known that for some years he had been subject tei brain attacks , and had undergone the inconvenience of using " counter irritants" to repel them . The cause of his death was natural decay , but the immediate agency described in the word "fits" was doubtless an effusion of water upon his brain . Gradual _stupefactiem woulel be the result , and also convulsions , but it is saiel that his death was without pain . Ho _expired at half-past three in the afterneion .

    I be Duke is sueceeeletl by his son Arthur , Marquis of _Dourei , whei was born in 1807 . He is a ceilonel in tho army , anel married in 1830 a elaughter of the Marejuis of Twccddale .

    Ar00504

    Lettbks From Paris. [Fltom Ouk Own Corue...

    LETTBKS FROM PARIS . [ FltOM OUK OWN _CORUEHPONDENT . ] Lettish XXXVIII . Pen-in , September 14 , 1852 . _Bonapahtu is off for his grand teiur of a month in the Seuith . He _started this day , at ono o ' clock p . m ., accompanied by fifteen perseins emly . Up te > the last moment tho _Ministers se ! t their faces against this expedition ; they manifested the _uuist _semihro uneasiness , tho most sinister _appredtensieiiiH , the meist gleiomy _presentments . " We ! aro ready tei create the Empire ! , " said they all , " anel wo wemlel rather preiedaim it _neiw

    than _seni yeiu start for the South . " Leans Bonuparto replied , " _f am not at this _nionieiiif sei anxious feir tho Empire as tei _itsccrtuin with my eiwn eyes antl ears the ae-. tual elispeisitiem of tho peipulotion in the South . " Then came the refusals tei _luweimpnny him ; each hole back , anel it reepiireel nothing less than a command to _mlue-o _thesei ' gentlemen tei cemiplinncc . The original arrangement , heiwewcr , whieh 1 mentioned last we ! _eik , hael to be » _mtidificel . It was agreed that _IVrsigny , tho great _ntHgo-muimger eif the Napoleonic drama , _nnel porh > V ] is about tho _solei unadulterated _Honapartist extant , should remain at Paris to meet events . Possessing , as he does , tho secrets of Gonoral Magnan

    Lettbks From Paris. [Fltom Ouk Own Corue...

    and of the other Generals of the _coup-cPetat , who _elread him , and walk before him like school-boys before an usher , it was thought that his presence would be sufficient to keep the army of Paris to duty and discipline in case of events . And then it is he who disposes of the telegraph . No journalist has been allowed to aecompany or follow the President ' s journey , so that during this month Persigny remains the sole journalist , absolutely without competition ; he alone receives the news , he alone publishes them and cooks them for the Moniteur . Paris will know nothing but what M . Le Comte de Persigny may be gracious enough to communicate .

    In case of mishap , Paris will remain at least a week in complete ignorance of what has happened , and during that week , St . Arnaud , Minister of War , and who is , by the latest arrangement , ordered to attend the President throughout his journey , will have time enough —1 . To rally the troops in the province where the mishap may have happened ; 2 . to despatch orders for the concentration of the rest of the forces ; 3 . to return to Paris , to keep the great city down . Such are the dispositions wb | ph these Bonapartist gentlemen think requisite to make against a population which has given them 7 , 500 , 000 votes!—against a population which , if we believe them , is mad with enthusiasm for them and their Bonaparte !

    Besides , all sorts of arrangements , even to a ridiculous minuteness , have been carried out to make this progress of Bonaparte an unexampled ovation . Enthusiasm has been transmitted from Paris at so much a ton . All the apparatus employed by the Administration in public rejoicings—coloured lamps , Chinese lanterns , illumination scaffoldings , down to the classic lampions , firework devices , flags , streamers , and all the thousand properties and appointments of the fetes at Paris have been despatched beforehand by the Lyons

    and Central Railways to the Eastern and Southern provinces . But this is not all : the most precise instructions have been given to the Prefects . The inhabitants of every commune in every department have received an imperative summons to present themselves , with banners flying , on the line -of the Presidential progress . Why not ? they voted , like soldiers , by word of command ; why not take rank on the passage of the President , in full dress , salute him with joy , and display their enthusiasm with shouts and cries ?

    To convince you that everything , even to the cheers and vivats , has been laid down by order , I send you the following decree of the Prefect of the Cher to his subordinates : " Considering the memorable votes of the tenth anel twentieth of December , which conferred on Louis Napoleon Bonaparte the supreme power : seeing that His Highness Louis Napoleon Bonaparte deigns to honour our department with his presence , the inhabitants of all the communes of the department of Cher are ordered atul enjoined to betake themselves to _Bourges on the 14 th inst ., at five o ' cloedc in the evening punctually , with their respective authorities at

    their beael . All tho communes will assemble together on the Place de Seranctiurt , to receive the banners anel the banderolles which will be distributed to them by the authorities . Each commune will assemble _rounel the post which will bear its name . Given at Bourges , tbis seventh of September , 1852 . " This Prefect of Cher is neit jeiking . " It is appointeel anel enjoined . " " Bravo peasantry , you will march to Bourges or to prison—whichever you ' please—ye > u are free to cheieise . " Such is the language of their Prefect . This evidence is undeniable , it is published in the two official journals of the _elepartment of the Cher . It is the same in all the

    either departments . In that of Isere , the communes have orders tei li ght bonfires em cve ! ry peak in their Alpine rango em the night of the President ' s arrival at Grenoble . In either departments the Prefects have given strict orders to illuminate . Tei such as art ! teio peieir to ulford this expense , lampswill be supplied , gratis , from Paris . This is neit all . Thei . Moniteur hael ostensibly dissuaded tho principal teiwns freim preparing an _expensive ) reccptiem for the President ; these vory teiwns have recoived secret instructions freim Paris tei vote considerable sums for the eiccasiem . Lyons received orders to vote , and bas votcel , 00 , 000 francs ( 24 , 001 . ) Marseilles has deine meire , notwithstanding its finane-ial

    difficulties , vetting a credit of 100 , 000 francs ( 4000 / . ) Avignem , which had left its Hotel elo Ville unfinished for want of funds , was obliged to veitt ! ' 25 , 000 francs ( 1000 / . ) . Grcneiblc the saute amount . Toulouse has veited a ereelit of 00 , 000 francs ( 2400 / . ) . Certain other towns have ' demo better . Finding it impossible lei fix a price- ii ] Kin their enthusiasm , they have veifeel unlimited _crt ! elits . All sorts of _oflie-ial _precautions have be . on taken to ensure a magnificent reception . On tho other hand , Persigny , who looks alter everything , from vthom preie ! e' ( _iel all _elirticfieuis , all _ceiinbinutieiiis , desired that there ! should bo a localy < M _« in every town . I tohl you in my last letter that tho Battle of Toulouse _whh

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 18, 1852, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_18091852/page/5/