spectacle. Three hundred thousand armed men and as many spectators, were mingled together for seven or eight hours with the greatest cordiality. The illumination in the evening was brilliant and general-even the suburbs being lighted.

Meanwhile, the election for representatives to the National Assembly had taken place, [April 23-4.] They excited great and universal interest-there being reason to suppose that the republic was not as popular in the provinces as in Paris. Two great parties existed. One composed of moderate men, favourable to the republic, and opposed to the wild schemes of Ledru Rollin and others of his stamp ; the other denouncing Lamartine and the provisional government, demanding a common distribution of wealth for the whole nation, and interpreting the words liberty and equality to mean, the privilege of doing as they pleased, and of reducing all, except themselves, to poverty. Amid scenes of great excitement, the elections took place at the time appointed. In several places disgraceful riots occurred, while in others, especially in Paris, thousands abstained from voting, thus proving, that although ready enough to take part in a military revolution, they cared little about any other manner of securing liberty. The republican party were eminently triumphant. Late on Monday night, April 24, the ballot boxes were closed, and the elections terminated. The general examination of votes was reserved for the 28th, when the senior mayor of Paris presided. The candidates who obtained more than two thousand votes were then proclaimed by the mayor representatives of the people." Their number had been previously fixed at nine hundred. Lamartine was elected by nine of the principal cities of the republic. The announcement of the names was received by the people amid the wildest shouts of enthusiasm.

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The 4th of May was the day chosen to publish to the people official notice of the new republic. On that day an immense multitude assembled at the Place de la Concorde, on the bridge, and around the national palace. At the request of General Courtais, commander of the national guard, the whole assembly appeared before the people, and proclaimed the republic amid the waving of innumerable banners, the firing of artillery, and the shouts of the delighted multitude. A resolution passed the previous day to liberate all slaves, either in France or her colonies, and to deprive

of citizenship any one engaged directly or indirectly in the slave trade was received with rapturous applause.

On the following day, the assembly met at noon, and after receiving a verification of their powers, entered into an election for president. M. Buchez was chosen by a large majority. The members of the provisional government then appeared, and one by one submitted reports of their proceedings since the 24th of February. Their resignations were then received, and the thanks of the country tendered to them.

On the following Wednesday, the assembly appointed five of their number as an executive committee, to act in place of the provisional government. These names were Arago, Garnier Pagès, Marie, Lamartine, and Ledru Rollin.

Meanwhile, the doctrines of the ultra-republicans-the questions of socialism and communism had excited scenes of a rather serious character at Rouen, Elbœuf, and other manufacturing towns. In the former place, a report had been circulated that M. Deschamps, the communist candidate, would not poll the number of votes necessary to his election, and in consequence groups of workmen began to collect, crying "Down with the National Assembly!" "Down with the aristocrats!" They were dispersed, however, by the dragoons. The night passed away without any serious occurrence, but on the following morning the disorder was renewed with alarming violence. The people threw up barricades, skirmishes were carried on until sunset, and at night the national guard were assaulted by volleys of stones. At length the troops fired, killing ten or twelve of the rioters, and by a vigorous charge compelling the remainder to disperse. On Friday the riots were renewed, and more blood shed; but the soldiery having been reinforced by the garde mobile of Paris, were enabled to restore order by Saturday morning. Twenty-two lives had been. sacrificed. The avowed object of these movements was to bring about a reaction in the new republic, favourable to the dissolution of the then existent condition of society, and establish their absurd schemes of a community of goods and manners. Though often defeated, the advocates of this theory, led by the celebrated Louis Blanc and others, clung to their opinions with fanatical tenacity, and watched gloomily for the moment when they would be favoured by fortune to assert them with force of arms.

Yet famine,

Ere clean it o'erthrow nature, makes it valiant:
Plenty and peace breed cowards; hardness ever
Of hardness is mother.

SHAKSPEARE.

THE operations of the provisional government had been conducted in such a manner as to disarm in a great measure the bitterness of faction, and induce all parties to hope for the accomplishment of good to themselves. It was no doubt this hope-the expectation of good to follow-which contributed largely to the maintenance of peace, and the abolition, to a great extent, of mob law. So long as the

curiosity of men can be kept in a state of excitement, they may easily be persuaded to suspend darling designs, by the prospect of having them executed without trouble to themselves. But no sooner did this state of suspense terminate-no sooner had the temporary government resigned in favour of the substantial one-no sooner had the long expected relief gratified the hopes of one party, and blasted those of the other, than the restrained waters of commotion burst forth, fiercer, from accumulated strength, and swept in torrents through the populace, charged with all the rancour, prejudice, and revenge of incurable party hatred. Royalty had passed away as a by-gone tale; the flag of the republic floated in triumph over deserted palaces, and the shout for liberty, equality, fraternity, was on every tongue; but republicanism was to have its day of darkness; the song of freedom was to be changed for the yell of battle; and the manes of royalty, rising dark and horrible over the ruins of thrones and sceptres, was yet to make one terrible struggle for revenge.

The first serious outbreak occurred on the 15th of May. Early in the morning, the Paris clubs, and an immense assemblage of the people, met in the capital to express sympathy with the Polish patriots, who had lately attempted a revolution. The most inflammatory addresses were made, the National Assembly denounced, and red flags hoisted side by side with others bearing emblems of the feeling for Poland. They finally appointed a committee to present petitions to the assembly, requesting French intervention in the Polish quarrel. An immense crowd, numbering more than fifty thousand persons, followed the deputies to the national chamber.

Meanwhile, the assembly had convened at noon, a number of national guards being posted outside in order to prevent an outbreak. Discussions commenced on the relations with Italy and Poland; but after some time they were interrupted by the noise of loud and prolonged shouting from outside. This became louder at every moment, until at length speaking ceased in the assembly, and was succeeded by the dread, fearful silence of men. waiting some anticipated though indefinite crisis. In a short time a violent knocking was heard at the door, which in a little while was forced open. Amid great agitation, M. Degousse ascended the tribune, and announced that the commander of the na

tional guards, General Courtais, had allowed the mob to pass his soldiers without the least interruption. The excitement following this declaration is indescribable; but before the members could decide upon any course of action, the tribunes at the end of the hall were invaded by an overwhelining crowd, bearing banners and branches of trees, and shouting for Poland. Those in the galleries, including many ladies, rushed in one mass to the door, but the representatives entreated them by voice and signs to remain, as the mob outside would prevent all egress. M. Clement Tho

mas then ascended the platform, to present the petition, but could not be heard. M. Barbès, one of the leading supporters of the Communist party, followed, but his voice also was drowned in the tumult. A shot was heard outside, and a second crowd poured into the chamber, with deafening shouts, and were soon joined by numbers from the galleries, who descended from a height of forty feet, by sliding down the pillars. Men were knocked down and trampled on, the females rushed from the hall, the seats of deputies and reporters were invaded, some of the representatives borne down by the press, and a scene of uproar and anarchy ensued which no language can describe. The noise of the angry multitude resembled the loud thunderings of a cataract. At length the appearance of Louis Blanc near the president's chair, caused a slight cessation, which he improved by proposing that the petition in favour of Poland be read. Amid deafening cheers, M. Raspail then read the petition, the conclusion of which was received with shouts that lasted several minutes. M. Blanqui, a prominent member of the clubs, then succeeded in making himself heard. After expatiating on the necessity of France having a "strong will and a universal determination" manifested in favour of Poland, he reverted to the massacres of Rouen, and demanded that the prisons of that city should be opened, and all persons confined there for the late disturbances set at liberty. He declared that the people had been neglected by the provisional government, and that the national assembly "must, without intermission, without stop, without manifestation of fatigue, continuously concert together to give work, to give bread to the people. After being rapturously cheered, he was followed by M. Rollin, who, after speaking of the justice of their demand in favour of Poland, and of the "admirable good sense of the people of Paris," de