CHAPTER XXV.
THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT.
In the Hotel de Ville, closely closeted, sat the Provisional Governmentof France. Over that stern old citadel, over the dismantled Palace ofthe Tuileries, from the tall summit of the Column of Vendome, over theHotel des Invalides and in the Place de la Bastille is seen a blood-redbanner, streaming out like a meteor on the keen north-western blast.Eighty thousand armed men invest the Hotel de Ville, and wave on wave,wave on wave, the living and stormy tide eddies and welters and dashesaround that dark old pile. All its avenues are held; its courts arethronged; ordnance frowns from its black portals and against its gates;drums roll--banners stream--bayonets glitter; and from those tens ofthousands of hoarse and stormy voices goes up but one shout of menaceand command:
"Vive la Republique! Vive la Republique! No kings! No Bourbons!Down--down forever with the kings!"
And upward to that dark old pile of despotism, as to the temple ofLiberty herself, are turned those tens of thousands of swarthy faces,dark with the smoke of battle, yet livid with excitement andexhaustion--and as they realize that within those walls the question oftheir fate and that of their country is then being settled--that fromthat night's counsels in that vast and ancient edifice are to flow peaceand prosperity, and freedom and plenty, or else all the untold terrorsof anarchy, civil war, bloodshed, violence and strife--what wonder thatthe sitting of the council seemed endless and their own impatiencebecame intolerable--that all imaginable doubts and fears and absurdapprehensions took possession of their inflamed imaginations?--that atone time the rumor should fly, and win credence as it flew, that theProvisional Government were consulting with the friends of Henry V.--oragain, that they were considering the question of a Regency--and thatunder such influences they should roar and yell, and thunder foradmission at the gates, and burden the air with their shouts?
"No Bourbons! No kings! No Regency! Death--death to all kings! LaRepublique! La Republique! La Republique!"
At times, in terrific concert, would the thousands of uplifted throatsroar forth the chorus of that startling canticle of '92:
"Vive la republique! Vive la republique! Debout, peuple Francais! debout, peuple heroique! Debout, peuple Francais! Vive la republique!"
Then the song would change and the mournful notes of the "Death Hymn ofthe Girondins,"--"Mourir Pour la Patrie"--would swell in wild yet solemncadence on the wintry blast:
DEATH HYMN OF THE GIRONDINS.
By the voice of the signal cannon, France calls her sons their aid to lend; "Let us go," the soldier cries, "to battle! 'Tis our mother we defend!" To die on Freedom's Altar--to die on Freedom's Altar! 'Tis the noblest of fates; who to meet it would falter!
We who fall afar from the battle, Lone and unknown obscurely die, But give at least our parting blessings Unto France and Freedom high. To die on Freedom's Altar--to die on Freedom's Altar! 'Tis the noblest of fates; who to meet it would falter!
And thus all that terrible night, even until the morning's dawn,thronged those men of the barricades around the Hotel de Ville, and allthe night, even until the morning's dawn, calmly continued those men ofthe Provisional Government of the French Republic, amid menace andmandate, uproar and confusion, in their noble, yet arduous work. Atmidnight a proclamation of the Provisional Government was read bytorchlight to the excited masses by Louis Blanc, from the steps of theHotel de Ville, declaring for a government of the people by itself, withliberty, equality and fraternity for its principles, while order wasdevised and maintained by the people--which served somewhat to allaytheir apprehensions and distrust. This proclamation appeared in all themorning journals, and was placarded all over the city the next day.
That day was Friday, the 25th of February. But still the ProvisionalGovernment remained in session, and still the armed masses of thebarricades, in congregated thousands, rolled in tumultuous billowsaround the Hotel de Ville. At length the populace, exasperated byimpatience, hunger and sleeplessness, with brandished bayonets rushedinto the very chamber of council, with furious cries, and with threatswhich were well nigh accomplished. Again and again, at the entreaty ofhis colleagues, did the brave, the eloquent, the wise Lamartine presenthimself upon the steps of the Hotel de Ville to assuage and quiet therising tempest. Again and again, throughout that fearful day, did hecome forth, single-handed, to wrestle with violence, turbulence, anarchyand strife; and again and again, beneath the magic of his eloquenttongue, the storm lulled, the tempest ceased. Again and again,throughout all that fearful day, were the acts of that noble Governmentmatured and sent forth. Proclamation followed proclamation, and nobranch of society seemed forgotten.
The names of the members of the Provisional Government were againpublished. Caussidiere and Sobrier were confirmed in the policedepartment, and Etienne Arago in that of the post-office. Merchants ofprovisions were recommended to supply all who were in need; and thepeople were recommended to still retain their arms. The Chamber ofDeputies was dissolved, the Peers were forbidden to meet, and theconvocation of a National Assembly was promised. To all laborers laborwas guaranteed and compensation for labor. At noon the garrison of thefort of Vincennes was announced to have acknowledged the Republic, justas the people were about to march upon it. To insure order andtranquillity, the Municipal Guard was disbanded, and the National Guardentrusted with the protection of Paris under M. Courtais, thecommandant, who was ordered immediately to recruit twenty-fourbattalions for active service. All articles pledged at theMont-de-Piete, from February 4th, not exceeding in value ten francs,were ordered to be returned, and the Tuileries was decreed the futureasylum of invalid workmen. An attack on the machinery of some of theprinting offices was checked by a proclamation.
General Bedeau was appointed Minister of War, General Cavaignac Governorof Algeria, and Admiral Baudin to the command of the Toulon fleet. Onthe part of the army Marshal Bugeaud and on the part of the clergy thevenerable Archbishop of Paris gave in their adhesion to the Republic,while the entire press, Bourgeoisie and the Provinces hesitated not aninstant. Indeed, from all quarters came in adhesions to the Republic.The Bonapartes were among the first. Barrot and Thiers also came, buttoo late to save themselves from contempt. Mr. Rush, the AmericanMinister, the first of foreign ambassadors acknowledged the Republic.The son of Mehemet Ali was next. The Papal Nuncio succeeded, togetherwith the Ministers of the Argentine Republic and Uruguay. Next came theambassador of England; but those of Austria, Prussia, Russia and Hollandawaited instructions from home--little dreaming of the news they wereabout to receive! The city of Rouen sent three hundred of its citizensas a deputation, with abundant supplies of arms, by the morning cars ofthe railway.
At about noon, the Pont Louis Philippe was destroyed by fire. Henceforthit is to be "Le Pont de la Reforme." And so with all other names. Royalis to give place to Republique, and "Liberte, Egalite et Fraternite" isto be again inscribed on all public monuments.
The children of citizens killed in the Revolution were declared adoptedby the country. The civil, judicial and administrative functionaries ofthe Royal Government were announced released from their oaths of office,the colonels of the twelve legions of National Guards were dismissed,and all political prisoners set free. Every citizen was declared anelector, and absolute freedom of thought, the liberty of the press, andthe right of political and industrial associations secured to all wereproclaimed.
A warrant for the arrest of the late Ministers was issued by the newProcureur-General, M. Portalis, based on an act of accusation presentedto the Court of Appeals. But all of them had fled. Guizot is said tohave escaped from the Foreign Office in a servant's livery. When thepeople broke into his hotel, they found only his daughter, and retired.The other members of the Ministry are said to have leaped from a lowwindow of the Tuileries, and to have escaped at the moment of the King'sabdication. M. de Cormenin was appointed Conseilleur d'Etat and M.Achille Marras
t Procureur-General to the Court of Appeals in Paris, inplace of the refugees.
Such were some of the acts of the seven men constituting the ProvisionalGovernment of the French Republic, during their first extraordinarysession of sixty-four hours--from the hour of four o'clock in theafternoon of Thursday after the dissolution of the Chamber of Deputiesto the hour of four o'clock in the morning of Sunday, the 27th ofFebruary, when the people of Paris consented to retire to their homes.But during all of this period, night and day without intermission, everymoment was the Hotel de Ville surrounded by tumultuous masses infuriatedby suspicion, apprehension and distrust. For two whole days and twowhole nights armed men incessantly inundated the square, the courts andhalls of the Hotel de Ville. They insisted on giving to the Republic thecharacter, the attitude and the emblems of the first Revolution--theyinsisted on a Republic violent, sweeping, dictatorial and terrorist, inlanguage, in gesture and in color, in place of that determined on,moderate, pacific, legal, unanimous and constitutional. At the peril oftheir lives the Provisional Government resisted this demand. Twentytimes during those sixty-four hours was Lamartine taken up, dragged,carried to the doors and windows or to the head of the grand staircase,into the courts and the square, to hurl down with his eloquence thoseemblems of terrorism, with which it was attempted to dishonor theRepublic. But the vast and infuriated mass refused to listen, anddrowned his voice in clamor and vociferation. At length, when well-nighexhausted in defence of the emblem of a moderate Republic, he exclaimed:"The red flag has been nowhere except around the Champ-de-Mars, trailedin the blood of the people, while the tri-color has been around theworld with our navy, our glory and our liberties!"
The furious and hitherto obdurate and bloodthirsty populace becamesoftened--tears were shed, arms were lowered--flags were thrown away,and peaceably they departed to their homes. Never--never was there amore glorious triumph of eloquence--of patriotism!
It was on the morning of Sunday, the 27th day of February, that theProvisional Government deemed it prudent and proper for them to bring toa close their initiative labors, and once more, for the last time,Lamartine descended the steps of the great staircase of the Hotel deVille, and, presenting himself in front of the edifice surrounded by hiscolleagues, announced to the vast assembly the result of theirprotracted toil:
Royalty abolished--
A Republic proclaimed--
The people restored to their political rights--
National workshops opened--
The army and National Guard reorganized--
The abolition of death for political offences.
With louder and more prolonged acclamations than any other decree wasthis last received. And, instantly, in accordance with thisproclamation, the director of criminal affairs, on the order of M.Cremieux, Minister of Justice, dispatched on the wings of the wind, allover France, the warrant to suspend all capital executions which were tohave taken place, in virtue of Royal decrees, until the will of theNational Assembly, at once to be convened, should be promulgated on thesubject of the penalty of death. The effects of this decree, as it spedon the lightning's wings, like a saving angel, all over France, may beimagined perhaps, but portrayal is impossible! Who can imagine even thejoy, the rapture it brought to many a dungeon-prisoner, who was countingthe hours that yet remained to him of life and preceded his awful doom,or to those who sorrowed over his untimely--perchance his unjust fate!
Leaning on the arm of Louis Blanc, the youngest member of theGovernment, the venerable Dupont de l'Eure, the eldest, accompanied bythe other members, now appeared on the balcony of the room formerlycalled the Chamber of the Throne, but now the Chamber of the Republic!Lamartine then advanced a step before his colleagues, and in a brief andeloquent address proclaimed to that immense throng the existence of theRepublic.
The announcement was received with, acclamations of joy, and shouts of"Vive le Gouvernement!"--"Vive Lamartine!"--"Vive Louis Blanc!" mingledwith those of "Vive la Republique!" loudly rose.
From the Hotel de Ville, the Provisional Government proceeded in a body,despite the rain which fell in torrents, accompanied by the people, tothe Place de la Bastille, there officially to inaugurate the Republic,agreeably to announcement.
At the appointed hour, the Place de la Bastille was thronged. TheNational Guard, consisting of two battalions from each of the twelvelegions of Paris, together with the Thirteenth Legion of cavalry and twobattalions of the Banlieu, were drawn up from the Church of theMadeleine to the Column of July. And, there, at the base of that columnerected in commemoration of the Revolution which had made Louis PhilippeKing of the French, his downfall was commemorated, and on the ruins ofthe throne then established was now inaugurated a Republic!
During the ceremony of the inauguration, the "Marseillaise" was sung bythe National Guard and the people, and, at its conclusion, about thehour of three, the troops filed off before the Column of July to thethrilling strains of the "Marseillaise" and the "Mourir Pour la Patrie"of the Girondins. The members of the Provisional Government, preceded bya detachment of the National Guard and accompanied by the pupils of thePolytechnic School and the Military School of St. Cyr, then descendedthe boulevards, followed by the whole of the military and civic array,who chanted the national songs. The effect was stupendous. Hour afterhour the immense procession moved on like a huge serpent through thestreets of Paris; and, at length, when its head was at the Hotel deVille, its extremity had hardly left the Column of July.
It was night, on Sunday, the 27th of February, when the members of theProvisional Government, for the first time during four days, returned totheir homes. But their work was accomplished. A Republic was gained,proclaimed and inaugurated!