d to
him, called upon God and men to bear witness, then read, with a foreign
accent which was displeasing, a speech that was interrupted at rare
intervals by murmurs of approval. He eulogized Cavaignac, and the eulogy
was noted and applauded.

After a few minutes he descended from the tribune, not like Cavaignac,
amid the acclamations of the Chamber, but amid an immense shout of "Long
live the Republic!" Somebody shouted "Hurrah for the Constitution!"

Before leaving Louis Bonaparte went over to his former tutor, M.
Vieillard, who was seated in the eighth section on the left, and shook
hands with him. Then the President of the Assembly invited the committee
to accompany the President of the Republic to his palace and have
rendered to him the honours due to his rank. The word caused the
Mountain to murmur. I shouted from my bench: "To his functions!"

The President of the Assembly announced that the President of the
Republic had charged M. Odilon Barrot with the formation of a Cabinet,
and that the names of the new Ministers would be announced to the
Assembly in a Message; that, in fact, a supplement to the Moniteur would
be distributed to the Representatives that very evening.

It was remarked, for everything was remarked on that day which began
a decisive phase in the history of the country, that President Marrast
called Louis Bonaparte "citizen" and Odilon Barrot "monsieur."

Meanwhile the ushers, their chief Deponceau at their head, the officers
of the Chamber, the questors, and among them General Lebreton in
full uniform, had grouped themselves below the tribune; several
Representatives had joined them; there was a stir indicating that Louis
Bonaparte was about to leave the enclosure. A few Deputies rose. There
were shouts of "Sit down! Sit down!"

Louis Bonaparte went out. The malcontents, to manifest their
indifference, wanted to continue the debate on the Printing Office Bill.
But the Assembly was too agitated even to remain seated. It rose in
a tumult and the Chamber was soon empty. It was half past 4. The
proceedings had lasted half an hour.

As I left the Assembly, alone, and avoided as a man who had disdained
the opportunity to be a Minister, I passed in the outer hall, at the
foot of the stairs, a group in which I noticed Montalembert, and also
Changarnier in the uniform of a lieutenant-general of the National
Guard. Changarnier had just been escorting Louis Bonaparte to the
Elysee. I heard him say: