"Given at Paris, in Permanent Session, December 4, 1851."

As I finished signing this decree, Durand-Savoyat entered and whispered
to me that a woman had asked for me, and was waiting in the ante-chamber.
I went out to her. It was Madame Charassin. Her husband had disappeared.
The Representative Charassin, a political economist, an agriculturist, a
man of science, was at the same time a man of great courage. We had seen
him on the preceding evening at the most perilous points. Had he been
arrested? Madame Charassin came to ask me if we knew where he was. I was
ignorant. She went to Mazas to make inquiries for him there. A colonel
who simultaneously commanded in the army and in the police, received her,
and said, "I can only permit you to see your husband on one condition."
"What is that?" "You will talk to him about nothing." "What do you mean
Nothing?" "No news, no politics." "Very well." "Give me your word of
honor." And she had answered him, "How is it that you wish me to give you
my word of honor, since I should decline to receive yours?"

I have since seen Charassin in exile.

Madame Charassin had just left me when Theodore Bac arrived. He brought
us the protest of the Council of State.

Here it is:--

"PROTEST OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE.

"The undersigned members of the Council of State, elected by the
Constituent and Legislative Assemblies, having assembled together,
notwithstanding the decree of the 2d of December, at their usual place,
and having found it surrounded by an armed force, which prohibited their
access thereto, protest against the decree which has pronounced the
dissolution of the Council of State, and declare that they only ceased
their functions when hindered by force.

"Paris, this 3d December, 1851.

"Signed: BETHMONT, VIVIEN, BUREAU DE PUZY, ED. CHARTON, CUVIER, DE
RENNEVILLE, HORACE SAY, BOULATIGNIER, GAUTIER DE RUMILLY, DE JOUVENCEL,
DUNOYER, CARTERET, DE FRESNE, BOUCHENAY-LEFER, RIVET, BOUDET, CORMENIN,
PONS DE L'HERAULT."

Let us relate the adventure of the Council of State.

Louis Bonaparte had driven away the Assembly by the Army, and the High
Court of Justice by the Police; he expelled the Council of State by the
porter.

On the morning of the 2d of December, at the very hour at which the
Representatives of the Right had gone from M. Daru's to the Mairie of
the Tenth Arrondissement, the Councillors of State betook themselves to
the Hotel on the Quai