Chapter 22

DEBATES IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ON THE DAYS OF JUNE.

SESSION OF NOVEMBER 25, 1848.

What had to be determined before the Assembly and
the country was upon whom devolved the heavy responsibility
for the painful days of June. The Executive Committee was
then in power; ought it not to have foreseen
and provided against the insurrection? General Cavaignac,
Minister of War, and, moreover, invested with dictatorial
powers by the National Assembly, had alone issued orders.

Had he issued them in time? Could he not have crushed
the riot at the outset instead of permitting it to gain
strength, spread and develop into an insurrection? And,
finally, had not the repression which followed victory been
unnecessarily bloody, if not inhuman?

As the time for rendering an account approached
Cavaignac became thoughtful and his ill-humour was
manifest even in the Chamber.

One day Crémieux took his seat on the ministerial bench,
whence he approved with an occasional "Hear! Hear!"
the remarks of the orator who occupied the tribune. The
speaker chanced to belong to the Opposition.

"Monsieur Crémieux," said Cavaignac, "you are making
a good deal of noise."

"What does that matter to you?" replied Crémieux.

"It matters that you are on the ministerial bench."

"Do you want me to leave it?"

"Well--"

Cremieux rose and quitted his bench, saying as he did so:

"General, you compel me to leave the Cabinet, and it
was through me that you entered it."

Crémieux, in point of fact, had, as a member of the
Provisional Government, had Cavaignac appointed Minister of
War.

During the three days that preceded the debate, which
had been fixed for the 25th, the Chamber was very nervous
and uneasy. Cavaignac's friends secretly trembled and
sought to make others tremble. They said: "You will
see!" They affected assurance. Jules Favre having
alluded in the tribune to the "great and solemn debate"
which was to take place, they burst into a laugh. M.
Coquerel, the Protestant pastor, happening to meet
Cavaignac in the lobby, said to him: "Keep yourself in hand,
General!" "In a quarter of an hour," replied Cavaignac
with flashing eyes, "I shall have swept these wretches
away!" These wretches were Lamartine, Gamier-Pages,
and Arago. There was some doubt about Arago, however.
It was said that he was rallying to Cavaignac. Meanwhile
Cavaignac had conferred the cross of the Legion of
Honour upon the Bishop of Quimper, the Abbé Legraverand,
who had accepted it.

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