onspired against the existing Government in order to
overthrow it and establish a republic." They were acquitted by the jury,
because they proved that they had in no way conspired, but had simply
uttered their convictions publicly. "Yes, we desire the overthrow of
this feeble Government, we wish for a republic." Such was the refrain of
all their speeches before the tribunal.

While on one side the serious Republicans draw the sword and growl with
words of thunder, the _Figaro_ flashes lightning, and laughs and swings
its light lash most effectually. It is inexhaustible in clever sayings
as to "the best republic," a phrase with which poor Lafayette is mocked,
because he, as is well known, once embraced Louis Philippe before the
Hotel de Ville and cried, "Vous etes la meilleure republique!" The _Figaro_
recently remarked that we of course now require no republic, since we
have seen the best. And it also said as cruelly, in reference to the
debates on the civil list, that "_la meilleure republique coute quinze
millions_." The Republican party will never forgive Lafayette his blunder
in advocating a king. They reproach him with this, that he had known
Louis Philippe long enough to be aware beforehand what was to be expected
of him. Lafayette is now ill--_malade de chagrin_--heart-sick. All! the
greatest heart of two worlds must feel bitterly the royal deception. It
was all in vain that he in the very beginning continually insisted on the
_Programme de l'Hotel de Ville_, on the republican institutions with
which the monarchy should be surrounded, and on similar promises. But he
was out-cried by the _doctrinaire_ gossips and chatterers, who proved
from the English history of 1688 that people in Paris in July, 1830, had
fought simply to maintain the Charter, and that all their sacrifices and
struggles had no other object than to replace the elder line of the
Bourbons by the younger, just as all was finished in England by putting
the House of Orange in place of the Stuarts. Thiers, who does not think
with this party, though he now acts as their spokesman, has of late
given them a good push forward. This indifferentist of the deepest dye,
who knows so admirably how to preserve moderation in the clearness,
intelligence, and illustration of his style, this Goethe of politics, is
certainly at present the most powerful defender of the system of Perier,
and, in fact, with his pamphlet against Chateaubriand he well-nigh
annihilated tha