The History of a Crime: The Testimony of an Eye-WitnessHugo, Victor
History
The History of a Crime: The Testimony of an Eye-Witness
Hugo, Victor
France -- History -- 1789-1900
us from the Right. The people knew that the only Representatives
remaining free were the members of the Left. They adopted Noël Parfait's
advice.
I read aloud the decree of deposition. It was couched in these words:--
"DECLARATION.
"The Representatives of the people remaining at liberty, by virtue of
Article 68 of the Constitution, which runs as follows:--
"'Article 68.--Every measure by which the President of the Republic
dissolves the Assembly, prorogues it, or obstructs the exercise of
its authority, is a crime of High Treason.
"'By this action alone the President is deposed from his office; the
citizens are bound to refuse him obedience; the executive power
passes by right to the National Assembly; the judges of the High
Court of Justice should meet together immediately under penalty of
treason, and convoke the juries in a place which they shall appoint
to proceed to the judgment of the President and his accomplices.'
"Decree:--
"ARTICLE I.--Louis Bonaparte is deposed from his office of President
of the Republic.
"ARTICLE II.--All citizens and public officials are bound to refuse
him obedience under penalty of complicity.
"ARTICLE III.--The judgment drawn up on December 2d by the High Court
of Justice, and which declares Louis Bonaparte attainted with the
Crime of High Treason, shall be published and executed. Consequently
the civil and military authorities are summoned under penalty of
Treason to lend their active assistance to the execution of the said
judgment.
"Given at Paris, in permanent session, December 3d, 1851."
The decree having been read, and voted unanimously, we signed it, and
the Representatives crowded round the table to add their signatures to
ours. Sain remarked that this signing took time, that in addition we
numbered barely more than sixty, a large number of the members of the
Left being at work in the streets in insurrection. He asked if the
Committee, who had full powers from the whole of the Left, had any
objection to attach to the decree the names of all the Republican
Representatives remaining at liberty, the absent as well as those
present. We answered that the decree signed by all would assuredly
better answer its purpose. Besides, it was the counsel which I had
already given. Bancel had in his pocket on old number of the _Moniteur_
containing the result of a division.
They cut out a list of the names of the members of the Left, the names
of those who were arrested were erased, and the list was added to the
decree.[11]
The name of Emile de Girardin upon this list caught my eye. He was still
present.
"Do you sign this decree?" I asked him.
"Unhesitatingly."
"In that case will you consent to print it?"
"Immediately."
He continued,--
"Having no longer any presses, as I have told you, I can only print it
as a handbill, and with the brush. It takes a long time, but by eight
o'clock this evening you shall have five hundred copies."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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