ABSTRACT

While I was thus watching on the private stage of Germany one of the acts of the great drama of the European revolution, unexpected and alarming news called my attention back to France and our own affairs. 2 I learned of the almost unbelievable check to our army before the walls of Rome, the abusive debates arising therefrom in the Constituent Assembly, the agitation in the country due to these two causes, and finally the general election results, which, against the expectations of both parties, brought a hundred and fifty Montagnards into the new Assembly. However, the demagogic breeze that suddenly blew up over part of France had not prevailed in the department of La Manche. On the contrary, all those former members for the department who had broken away from the Conservative Party had been voted out. Of the thirteen representatives in question, only four had survived. I had received more votes than any of the others, although I had been away and silent, and though I had openly voted for Cavaignac the previous December. Nevertheless everybody supported me, less on account of my political opinions than because of the great personal consideration I enjoyed outside of politics. That was certainly an honourable position, but one hard to maintain in the midst of parties, and one that would become very precarious if ever the parties turned to violence and consequently became exclusive.