Page:Coubertin - France since 1814, 1900.djvu/97

 of the Ministry and reject them one by one, or refuse to support it absolutely and à priori by inserting a clause to this effect in the answer to the Speech from the Throne. A more experienced party would have adopted the former course without hesitation ; the Left adopted the latter. It was the honester and the clearer course, but it had this disadvantage, that it precipitated the conflict, and caused the King to be mixed up in it. Otherwise the Address was couched in the most respectful language, and was very well drawn up. But it positively insisted on a change of Ministry.

Charles X., whose Speech from the Throne bad been unnecessarily irritating in its tone, at once took up the challenge. He had a certain militant temperament that even age had not subdued. The very next morning he announced to his Ministers his resolution to prorogue the Chambers till the 1st of September; it was now the 17th of March (1830). The dissolution of the Chamber seemed inevitable ; although the Ministers were by no means agreed upon that point, the King was determined, and the dispute became more and more his private quarrel.