Page:Life of Louis Philippe, late king of the French.pdf/23

Rh thus bound up in his family, the death of the Duke of Orleans, his eldest son, who was killed in jumping from his carriage, 13th July, 1842, was a severe affliction. Possessing an amiable disposition, the Duke endeared himself to the French, and his death. led to distressing anticipations. He left two children, Louis Philippe Albert, Count of Paris (born in 1838), and Robert Philippe, Duke of Chartres (born in 1840). The former was now heir apparent of the throne of France.

Instead of leaving the executive in the hands of the ministry, who were alone responsible, Louis Philippe was alleged to have interfered unduly in state affairs. This accusation, presuming it to be well-founded, would not have provoked severe remark, if the king had suited his policy to the awakening principles of constitutional freedom; but, unfortunately, his government, with M. Guizot as prime minister, adopted no means to redress abuses. The conduct of the king in withstanding reform is inexensable, seeing that he had taken an oath to reign in terms of the charter, and got the throne on the promise of favouring constitutional freedom; and if circumstances kept him from abiding by that promise, it was his duty to resign.

The events of February, 1848, are so well known that we need not here repeat them. A large body of reformers in Paris proposed to have a banquet, with a military procession, on Tuesday, 22nd February. This the ministry denounced as illegal, and it was accordingly abandoned; but much excitement prevailed, and some disturbanees ensued. The people cried for “reform," and in the course of Wednesday, the 23d, the insurrection became menacing; though it yet merely aimed at a change of ministry. In order to appease the discontented, Guizot was dismissed, and Count Molé appointed to form a new administration. The same evening, the crowd was fired on by the soldiers, and several persons having been killed, a cry