ABSTRACT
On 8 May 1870, the Empereror Napoleon III sought the approval of the French people for recently instituted liberal changes within the Second Empire. The result of the plebiscite was a massive vote of confidence: by 7,358,000 votes to 1,571,000. This was reminiscent of the plebiscite of 1852 which had produced a vote of 7,824,000 to 253,000 in favour of the proclamation of the Empire and the end of the Second Republic.
