Page:A Scene from Contemporary History.djvu/19

528 you know what that has cost France!—(Noises from the centre and from the right)

M Le Marquis de Piré—Endeavour not to be as you were in 1848

M Le Comte de la Tour—In 1866 you demanded neutrality only M Thiers You did not ask for anything else

M Thiers—Thatis not exact But to-day the principal demand that was addressed to Prussia, that which ought to be the principal and which the ministry had assured us was the only one, this demand has received a favourable reply (Denials from a great number of benches) You will not tire me (From the left Very good! Very good!)

I have the sentiment that I represent here—

M Horace de Choiseul—Independence!

M Thiers—Not the passion nor the transports of the country but its well-considered interests

Several voices—We listen to you

M Le Comte do Keratry—I demand the word

M Thiers—I have the certitude, the conscience in myself that I fulfil a difficult duty that of resisting passions patriotic, if you will, but imprudent (Come then!)

From the left —Yes! Yes! Very goody Very good!

M Thiers—Be convinced that when a man has lived forty years—(Interruptions) in the midst of agitations and political vicissitudes and when he fulfils his duty and has the certainty of fulfilling it, nothing can shake him, not even outrage

M Le President Schneider—I just now demanded from the majority calm and silence so that one may hear I demand immediately from this side (pointing to the left) that the orator may not be interrupted

From the left—We applauded we did not interrupt!

M Eugene Pelletan, sharply—We do not interrupt M Le President!

We protest against the interruptions of the majority