up d'etat_ not less daring than any that marked the
earlier annals of that country. It is asserted that the personal security
of the President was menaced with imminent danger, when, on the evening of
the 1st of December, he came to the resolution to strike the first blow.
The measures he immediately took were, to issue an appeal to the people
denouncing the conduct of the Assembly, and declaring it dissolved; a
proclamation to the army, telling them that "to-day, at this solemn
moment, I wish the voice of the army to be heard;" and a decree "in the
name of the French people," of which the articles were--"1. The National
Assembly is dissolved; 2. Universal Suffrage is re-established--the law of
the 31st May is abrogated; 3. The French people is convoked in its
elective colleges from the 14th of December to the 21st of December
following; 4. The state of siege is decreed through the first military
division; 5. The Council of State is dissolved; 6. The Minister of the
Interior is charged with the execution of the present decree." The appeal
to the people contained these further propositions; "Persuaded that the
instability of power, that the preponderance of a single Assembly, are the
permanent causes of trouble and discord. I submit to your suffrages the
fundamental basis of a constitution which the Assemblies will develop
hereafter--1. A responsible chief named for ten years; 2. The Ministers
dependent on the executive alone; 3. A Council of State formed of the most
distinguished men, preparing the law, and maintaining the discussion
before the legislative corps; 4. A legislative corps, discussing and
voting the laws, named by universal suffrage, without the _scrutin de
liste_ which falsifies the election; 6. A second Assembly formed of all
the illustrious persons of the nation--a preponderating power, guardian of
the fundamental pact and of public liberty." At an early hour, on the 2d,
these manifestoes were found covering the walls of Paris, and at the same
time the principal thoroughfares were filled with troops of the line.

The President had taken precautions that the National Guard should not be
called out. The Generals Changarnier, Cavaignac, Bedeau, Lamoriciere,
Leflo, Colonel Charras, MM. Baze, Thiers. Brun, the Commissary of Police
of the Assembly, and others of the leading heads of parties, were arrested
before they had risen for the day. Many members of the Assembly gathered
at the house of M. Daru, one of the