The Ministry Molt-Guizot, SfC. 893 



were the emanation of the " pensee immuable," its conductors were 

 of course revengefully prosecuted ex ojfficio, tried, fined, and impri- 

 soned. But as these severe means did not sufficiently silence the 

 press, and as the jury were thought too liberal arid too merciful, 

 Louis Philippe demanded and obtained those exceptional laws by 

 which the liberty of the press has been totally extinguished, and the 

 independence and utility of the jury almost annihilated. Thus 

 Louis Philippe and his tools have become less exposed to be pub- 

 licly and openly opposed in their endeavours to arrive at absolute 

 despotism. 



Such is the source of the numerous secret conspiracies which 

 are daily discovered in France ; hence the great dissatisfaction of 

 the French nation at large ; hence the plots and repeated attempts 

 against the life of the present king or tyrant of France, and the par- 

 tial disorganization and discontent of the army and of the national 

 guards ; hence, finally, the present turbulent and unsettled state which 

 threatens at no distant period another revolutionary eruption in that 

 country. 



However, until the 1 1th of January last, although even then every 

 intelligent being was convinced of the existence of the despotic dic- 

 tatorship of the mock citizen king of the French, there was not yet 

 any positive proof of his being the only real cause of all the evil 

 that is perpetrated in that country under the sanction of the ministry. 

 At length the late president of the council, and minister for foreign 

 affairs, the once favourite champion and supporter of the modern 

 Dionysius of Europe, the little Mr. Thiers, having been impeached 

 for arbitrary, perfidious, and unconstitutional acts against Switzerland, 

 which had taken place during his administration, has disclosed some 

 secret, and has declared in plain language, and in the presence of 

 the deputies of France and of the whole world, that Louis Philippe 

 reigns entirely uncontrolled, and that his ministers are his con- 

 stitutional tools, enjoying nearly the same independence that the 

 members of the Ottoman Divan enjoy. His words are truly deserv- 

 ing to be engraven on the memory of all those who wish to have 

 some idea of the present state of France : "As president of the council 

 and minister for foreign affairs," said Mr. Thiers forcibly, " / should 

 have known all; but I knew nothing." Such is the real character, 

 such is the honest constitutional conduct of the present brutal despot 

 of France, who has been so much puffed as the elected of the nation, 

 while in truth he was only chosen by the Doctrinaires, and a few mis- 

 guided patriots, and some bribed heroes of July. The worst and 

 most dangerous maxims of the Machiavellian policy are indeed 

 honourable and praiseworthy axioms when compared with the vil- 

 lainous and cunning mal-practices of the present government of 

 France. 



We beg to be allowed to remark here, as a singular and curious 

 fact, that the apostate ex-carbonaro Thiers, in order to fulfil the dic- 

 tates of his then patron, Lafiitte, and to forward his own private 

 interest and elevation, on the 29th July, 1830, was the first who 

 dared to speak in favour of the until then abhorred Duke of Orleans, 

 and certainly his eulogiums of the republican general of Gemappes and 



