Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. V, October, 1850, Volume I.
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. V, October, 1850, Volume I.
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
eventful and changeful life. In 1830 that revolution occurred in France
which eventuated in the elevation of the Duke of Orleans to the throne.
The cause of the elder branch of the Bourbons having been pronounced
hopeless, the king in effect being discrowned, and the throne rendered
vacant, the Provisional Government which had risen out of the struggle,
and in which Laffitte, Lafayette, Thiers, and other politicians, had taken
the lead, turned toward the Duke of Orleans, whom it was proposed, in the
first instance, to invite to Paris, to become Lieutenant-general of the
kingdom, and afterward, in a more regular manner, to become King. The Duke
of Orleans, during the insurrection, had been residing in seclusion at his
country seat, and, if watching the course of events, apparently taking no
active part in dethroning his kinsman. M. Thiers and M. Scheffer were
appointed to conduct the negotiation with the duke, and visited Neuilly
for the purpose. The duke, however, was absent, and the interview took
place with the duchess and Princess Adelaide, to whom they represented the
danger with which the nation was menaced, and that anarchy could only be
averted by the prompt decision of the duke to place himself at the head of
the new constitutional monarchy. M. Thiers expressed his conviction “that
nothing was left the Duke of Orleans but a choice of dangers; and that, in
the existing state of things, to recoil from the possible perils of
royalty was to run full upon the republic and its inevitable violences.”
The substance of the communication having been made known to the duke, on
a day’s consideration he acceded to the request, and at noon on the 31st
came to Paris to accept the office which had been assigned to him. On the
2d of August the abdication of Charles X. and his son was placed in the
hands of the Lieutenant-general, the abdication, however, being in favor
of the Duke of Bordeaux. On the 7th the Chamber of Deputies declared the
throne vacant; and on the 8th the Chamber went in a body to the Duke of
Orleans, and offered him the Crown on the terms of a revised charter. His
formal acceptance of the offer took place on the 9th. From the accession
of Louis Philippe as King of the French, in 1830, his life is universally
known. His reign was marked by sagacity and upright intentions. He
committed the unpardonable error, however, of leaving the people entirely
out of his account, and endeavored to fortify himself by allying his
children to the reigning families of Europe. He married his eldest son
Ferdinand, Duke of Orleans (born 1810) to the Princess Helen of
Mecklenburg-Schwerin; his daughter Louisa (born 1812) to Leopold, King of
the Belgians; his son Louis, Duke of Nemours (born 1814) to the Princess
Victoria of Saxe Coburg Gotha; his daughter Clementina (born 1817) to
Prince Augustus of Saxe Coburg Gotha; his son Francis, Prince of Joinville
(born 1818) to the Princess Frances Caroline, of Brazil; his son the Duke
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