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1198 gfll? aea&gy. ^ _____ [SatorDAY)
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THE MASKED « EMPIRE " IN FRANCE. [Fuoji ...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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1198 Gfll? Aea&Gy. ^ _____ [Satorday)
1198 gfll ? aea & gy . ^ _____ [ SatorDAY
The Masked « Empire " In France. [Fuoji ...
THE MASKED « EMPIRE " IN FRANCE . [ Fuoji oub own Correspondent . ] Paris , Thursday , December 11 , 1851 . — In medias res , without preface . The time is short , and the summary of events crowded into so small a space of t J me must be crowded into a still smaller space of
paper . On Sunday evening I went to deliver my letter of introduction , which C had kindly given rue to a friend from whom I should obtain reliable intelligence . Singularly enough I found him just in the act of finishing a letter which he had been -writing to us . I found him in a state of feverish dejection and excitement , wounded in spirit , oppressed , almost heart broken . It seemed to be a real consolation to him to be able to vent his grief and indignation , and
to pour his pent up feelings into a friendly and sympathizing ear . After a few moments of hurried and anxious question and reply as to the truth or probability of the various reports flying about , I begged him to read me his letter . He said how fortunately timed my visit was , as it saved him the possible risk of sending the letter . Here it is . I don ' t change a word , as I should be afraid to weaken its force and meaning . You know how moderate and calmly judging the writer is . " Paris , December 10 , 1851 .
" Sir , —I know not whether this letter will reach you , notwithstanding the precautions I intend to employ to have it posted . You will not be surprised to find it not signed ; but I think you will recognize the hand . I earnestly recommend you to make what use of it you can to enlighten public opinion ; but I beg you not to reply to it nor to name me as the writer . If you publish it , I shall be much obliged to you not even to send me the journal , at least for the present ; for I see no use in my being arrested , as I certainly should be if it were supposed that I am
your correspondent . Although , in truth , I am by natural bent of mind disposed to write you nothing but the most exact and moderate relation of facts , yet this exact truth is so damning and terrible for the successful conspirators who , by a nocturnal assault , have just made themselves masters of Paris ! I shall not repeat the numerous details you will find in all the newspapers , but I am desirous to enlighten you upon the character and the real meaning of the struggle in which the population of Paris has lately succumbed . First , as to this population , you should know how in these last four years it has been
diminished in number in its most active and energetic portion , partly by the diminution of work , especially in the building employ , partly in consequence of the unhappy days of June ' 48 and of the deportation which followed . Besides the population is , for the most part , completely disarmed . In its moral condition , too , I will not attempt to dissemble that it is seriousl y weakened . In one sense by the too exclusive influence of doctrines of material interests , preached by certain of the Socialist sect ; and in another , by the consciousness of defeat , now three years and a half ago , in those days of June of which
I have just spoken , in which it wasted so untimely , and by u deplorable perversion , all that energy and enthusiasm , which are now wanting even for the service of a most just and holy cause . Add to this the general distrust and contempt with which the whole People regarded the majority of the National Assembly ; and the deep astuteness with which Louis Bonaparte presented himself as the restorer of Universal Suffrage ; and you will no longer be nurprised at what I now aflirm that , in the struggle of last week , the masses , the body of the people , the people properly so called , who never meddle in politics but on grand occasions , this * People . ' did not
stir . The men who fought were few ; they were either Republican *! of the bourgeoisie , or a few revolutionary workmen , the elite of the most intelligent operatives in Paris . Besides the actual combatants these two classes furnished many dements to that incessant agitation which was intended to harass the troops . ? Such was the condition of the one camp . Now let us pass to the other . There were at Paris last week upwards of 100 , 000 soldiers perfectly armed , equipped , well fed , and plied with liquor , and well commanded . I ask you if the Democracy had u chance of hucccsb ! Success was only feasible ? , in case of defection among the troops ; and it wjih to cuuhc thus defection that some little resistance was
sustained . Hut no defection took place . M . I , o " uis Bonaparte had attached to his cause the maun of the soldiers and the majority of the oflicer . s by odious menus , for which , 1 trust , the army will hereafter bliiHh with shame , but which , for the moment , were certainly effectual . I write it with pain , for 1 am obliged to Btato the fact , grievous as it is ( and I do ho with real grief ) , the standard of honour in the French army is lowered . Thin in the truth . The soldiers received one franc extra ^ e ? " diem ; the noncommiHHioncd olIiceiH one franc and u half ; the artillery three- l ' rniicB , besides distributions oi wine , biuudy , and victuals . The fuct ia that tho tohole oj
last week many of our soldiers were not sober . Money , too , was distributed among officers , even in the higher ranks . Colonels , chefs de hataillon , received some thousands of francs , more or less . Generals d fortiori . Their debts were paid . Much was given , and more was promised . " Doubtless the majority of the officers did not partake of these shameful bribes . Doubtless many of these acted , with extreme repugnance . Doubtless among the non-commissioned officers ( the most
Democratic element in , the army ) there were many who would rather have fought in the Republican , than in the Bonapartist , camp . But the severest orders had been given to shoot the first waverer : they were entangled in a machine from which there was no escaping but at the cost of their lives , and the violation of military formalism . The result is that the French army , although Democratic in its essence and in its spirit , has won the battle for despotism . A significant lesson , which , it behoves the Democracy never to forget !
" I now come to the struggle and to its various incidents . Generally speaking , the population was indisposed to engage in a regular and close resistance . Their object was to wear out the troops . " An incessant agitation , frequent barricades slightly defended , quickly abandoned and thrown up again at intervals ; such was the plan instinctively adopted by the Republicans . The enemy knew this well , and all their efforts were exerted to bring about a close and decisive combat . In this they succeeded on Thursday , the 5 th instant . They allowed the barricades to be raised till nearly seven o ' clock in the evening , and then save the order for their
destruction . The struggle lasted till nearly midnight . I shall not trouble you with accounts you may have read elsewhere ; but I content myself with giving you a few details , on the complete exactitude of which you can rely . For the most part few men were behind the barricades ; very few men armed ; the greater number having neither gutos nor ammunition ; many not even a morsel of bread . The barricades at the Porte St . Denis and the Rue Montorgueil , which were the best defended , were manned chiefly by workmen . The scattered shots at the troops in various parts of the city were principally fired by bourgeois , or by what you would
call gentlemen . The cruelty of the soldiers was horrible . It icas by command " ; and , as I have already told you , the men were drunk almost to a man . On the Boulevards , a few , very few isolated shots from windows , were replied to by a general random volley from the troops , which being quite sudden and without any warning given , wounded or killed people who happened to be passing by or standing about , or even in their houses at their windows , or on the balconies . I was on the spot , and was present at this murderous execution . Such are the tactics of war M . de St . Arnaud has imported from Kabylie into France !
" This firing lasted several minutes even on the boulevards ; the Boulevard Montmartre especially , where not a shot had been fired upon the troops . The bullets rained into the rooms . The soldiers loaded and discharged and loaded again , like skirmish ing parties , firing low or high , or straight before them , or across to one side of the street or to the other , at random . In front of one house which I know , four men were killed , of whom three were passers by , and one a shopboy standing at the door . In the Passage Jouffroy , ten persons , elderly men for the most part , all well dressed , some wearing the Legion of Honour riband , were killed by a volley fired down the passage . All this took place in quarters where the soldiers had not been attacked . In houses from which a single
shot had been fired the disaster was far more dreadful . Cannon was employed . They penetrated into the houses and slew all the persons they found in the rooms , even women , even children . As for prisoners taken behind barricades , they were shot without quarter . Such were the orders . But it i . s quite certain that the chief loss is not among those who fought , or who manned the barricades , but among inoffensive people , among many even of the reactionary party , many Bonapartists ; among old men , women , and children . There are few quartern of" Paris , perhaps not one , where there is not mourning' for the loss of one or more of the inhabitants who had gone out that morning to transact their business or to visit friends , and who never returned home .
" 1 am relatingthe . se horrors with the most complete calmness and composure . 1 do not exaggerate ; rather the reverse ; I am not . spinning phrases . " I leave to the future ; , to all I'Yance , to the army itself , when it has recovered from intoxication , to judge the acts of MM . Bonaparte ami . St . Arnaud . This St . Arnaud ( perhaps you are not aware ) in a reckless and lawless adventurer , who was formerly cashiered for most disgraceful malpractices ; for degrading 1 uh couunnumm , by swindling , forgery , notorious debauchery . It is this ruined man of lost character that M . Bonaparte has picked up in Africa to make his Countable ; for it is he who ban had the whole conduct , of thin military revolution , and who biiB assured it . » huccchh . What can I say more ? Paris him done its duty ; it Iuih done what it could . It in for tho departments to act . It i » for eoxno distant
regiments to efface the stain the whole arrmTr ^*" and to purge the honour of FrancT Will ft % f ^ l You will know when you receive this letter W ° T know not yet . I am convinced that all i « , w I over . That a certain part of the population is for M * Bonaparte is not to be denied . The petite bmJ ¦ ¦ ' especially , the shopkeepers will giy / i ? tit £ ZT " sion , not because they honour him ; but becau ^ tiT " are ignorant , uncultivated , destitute of ^ JT feelings , far less intelligent than the working ouT * and because they are released from that usrlv S ! mare of 1852 ! But the masses are gloomv and ri ; heartened ; profoundly humiliated . All men of hi *
* and of a little clearness nf iiirio-mor . * - „ 'ea and of a little clearness of judgment are readv t renew the struggle . At the least assurance of serious insurrection in any part of Europe , Paris , v , n take fire again . In any case the present state ci things cannot last . This is the universal conviction Louis Bonaparte is not the man to put down th revolution ; he has committed too heinous a crime to be allowed to enjoy its fruits in peace . May God grant us to see better davs ! "
Such is our friend ' s letter . I recommend it to vom most anxious attention . It throws a broad clear h ' eht on the atrocities of last week . I need not remind you how calm , and temperate , and practical , is the mind of the writer ; how humane and gentle his disposition . It was really painful to me to witness his grief . I add a few remarks in the way of comment , I have been assured by another friend , who is in a position to arrive at facts , that the number of killed is 2700 , according to the registers . Of this number two-thirds had as little to do with the insurrection as Regent-street or the Strand . They were not even people collected to the spot by a rash curiosity ( as many of our countrymen , the most insatiable of sightseers , might have been ) , but persons who were passing from house to house on domestic errands , unconscious
of what was going on ; or standing in doorways , or on balconies , or even sitting quietly in upper rooms . The soldiers ( more than one eyewitness assures me ) were unmistakeably maddened with brandy , and instigated by bribes . The fairest parts of this fair city were given up to their brutality , like a hostile city taken by storm . They fired at citizens as if they were vermin ; if a shopman was closing the front , if a visitor was entering a house , or coming out into the street , he was shot down ; if a curtain stirred or a blind fluttered , a volley of musketry was discharged into the room . I have been in houses where the
inhabitants were lying on the floor for hours in constant fear ; or huddled into back rooms ; and even then they were threatened witli the irrruption of these wild beasts , who spared neither sex , nor rank , nor age . So conscious arc the soldiers that it is the higher classes and the bourgeoisie who have suffered most , that they call the Thursday of last week tfce " JournCc des Paletots . " A captain said to a Irienii oi mine : — " We know we are assassins ; but it was our orders , and what were we to do ? " . That General St . Arnaud is even ^ > r « c than he i described in the letter of our frif-d . l ! iave Ju ,: " It he first
i arifculars of hls ^ cdcnts- seems was in the Gardes du Corps ; ke was cashiered for swindling ; then he became « vendor of old iurmturc ; then a tenth rate actor at one of the Theatres on the Boulevards under a feigned name . After the devolution of ™ 0 he managed to get himself into the army again , and he has since been in Algeria , always beaniiB ^ worst reputation . M . I .. Bonaparte had designed him for the coup d'etat , as a man who had no t . uactcr to lose ; bo he was sent on the recent ™ V ^™* Kabylie , for the sake of a little eclat ; am as y < know , was recalled to France and made MmU War only a few weeks since . He is a nio . s lit i Btrumcnt for the work he has to do ; but how r cat the degradation of the army to submit to such
command ! . r <; . ™/> twn > Uxnt Saturday you might have seen at the Cunuic r . Montmartre , long files of corpses buried up to t « chest in order that friends and relatives might ruo " niav "" Been V— , to whom C— had also , Won me a letter , three times ; twice at Ins own bonne . a ¦ he has just left my room . The first time 1 how ^ he was terribly depressed and '"«<™^ " ^^ m , not onl tneflo c .
a very long conversation , y on ^ but on the political state of France since 'IN- u _ faults committed by all parties—on the gen ¦ ^ dition and prospects of the . Republican I " J {() Ililon the immense injury that an allmnce wii . iKirtimn and the idolatry of the Umpire , < n < . u h by the Liberals since the Restoration ami »¦•» ^ , bad done to the Democratic cause . J »»* . ,, d'etat will at least have done one good h - . ^ «! ¦¦ ¦
will have oiliictually and finally < Hv « n « ••» Tf rtll « l from the Umpire . No more " Imperial K loi » -. eouvenirs" ! hv Hiin > riM ' - It seems that the army itself was taken !** , ! l 0 Republican at heart , it fancied lt ™* Hvniu > » ' battle of the Republic . The verv o"P » » ( U , fcn ( lmi known .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 20, 1851, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20121851/page/2/
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