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LETTER XXXIV.

Friday, July 7.

THE gardens and all the gates of the Tuileries were this day shut and doubly guarded; and of this measure I was unable to guess the occasion until I perused the debates of last night in the chamber of representatives, and until I met our friend who dined yes

terday with the Duke of Vicenza, and told me, that the keeper of the Tuileries had received orders from the Count of Artois to prepare his apartments in the palace, and had sent to the government to know what to do; in consequence of which he had instantly been commanded to lock up all the rooms, to put a double guard over them, and not suffer the court or garden gates to be opened the next day until further notice. The message from Monsieur seems to have been given in concert with a scheme laid by the royalists, to occupy, during the night, all the principal posts of the palaces by force, to overturn the government, dissolve

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the two chambers, and proclaim the king. M. Bory de St. Vincent announced this plot in the chamber last night, adding, that a factious minority were afraid lest all their hopes should be crushed by the arrival of the allied sovereigns, whose liberal intentions they feared would confirm the independence of France. Some voices called for the order of the day; but the same member continued to say, that he had himself seen some of the king's body guard in uniform; and M. Dumolard read a note handed down from the president, stating, that the government had been informed of the plot, and that Marshal Massena was on his guard to prevent it; a fact confirmed by M. Regnault de St. Jean d'Angely, who added, that, at eight o'clock in the evening, the marshal had communicated the discovery to the chiefs of the national guard, and had taken every means to thwart the designs of the traitors.

It is very clear that the royalists are afraid of the liberal intentions of the allies, (I hope they may have reason for their alarm), and that they wish to give the chiefs of the enemy an excuse for saying, that they did not place, but found, Louis upon the throne. But the government and chambers have taken the only dignified line of conduct, by refusing to lend themselves to such a subterfuge, which, perhaps, might save

them from personal violence, but would tarnish the conclusion of an unfortunate but honourable career. Louis, in his two proclamations, which appeared in the Moniteur of this day, leaves full latitude for any vengeance, and it is impossible to say what his body guard and volunteers of Picardy, who are said to be with him, may not attempt, if suffered to enter the capital. The members of the government know they risk their lives by their magnanimity; the time of forgiving treason being included between the departure of Louis from Lille, and his entry into Cambray on the 28th of June, excludes from pardon all present resistance of his legitimate claims. "To-morrow," said the Duke of Vicenza, “I

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may be denounced, the next day in prison, "the third lose my head; but I must do my duty." The same feeling must present itself to every patriot of the legislature.

The chamber, however, continued its labours without interruption, and, upon the report of M. Manuel, took into consideration and adopted many articles of its new constitution, and resolved, finally, that its commissaries with the army should communicate with the government, and provide for the payment of the troops. M. Dumolard, in this sitting, noticed, with deserved contempt, the denunciation against himself in

the Journal de L'Empire, and agreed, that the unlimited liberty of the press, and the baseness of the attack, made it advisable to take no measures against such impotent detraction. Another instance of equal moderation appeared in the treatment of the apostate Malleville, whose defence was voted to be read by the member that had just accused him, and who escaped only with the observation, that he ought to be confined amongst the madmen of Charenton, his two opposite opinions of proscription and recall of the Bourbons being printed and published in opposite columns. M. Lafayette reassured the representatives of the inclinations of the allied sovereigns to preserve the independence of France, and not to interfere in the form of her government; and the chamber voted that its declaration to the French should be presented to these sovereigns by five commissaries of their own body, who were chosen immediately. In the house of peers the other declarations of the representatives were referred to a commission.

This day the commanders of legions, and the majors of the national guard, replied to the exhortation of Marshal Massena in the following address, which is placarded.

"Les soussignés, chefs de legion, et majors de "la garde nationale de Paris, en reponse à l'ordre

"de ce jour, 6 Juillet 1815, ont l'honneur de dé "clarer à M. le Marechal Prince d'Essling, "leur commandant en chef, qu'ils tiendront à "l'honneur de conserver à jamais les couleurs na"tionales, qui ne pourraient être abandonnées sans "danger.

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"Ils osent affirmer, que leur opinion individu"elle est celle de la très-grande majorité de leurs frères d'armes; en consequence, ils ont l'honneur "de prier M. le Marechal de mettre cette de"claration sous les yeux des membres de la com"mission de gouvernement, et de les inviter à lui faire donner la plus grande publicité, afin de prévenir les désordres qui pourraient résulter de "toute incertitude à cet égard." Here follow the signatures.

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Nothing is still seen but the tri-coloured cockade; poor old M. Viosménil had the imprudence to wear a white cockade in the Tuileries yesterday, and was quietly conveyed to the guardhouse. A lady, with a bouquet of lilies, was civilly entreated to displace that emblem; and, on refusal, had it removed from her bosom with as little rudeness as possible, by one of the national guards. -No violence has happened-many English officers are in the streets-from some of my friends amongst them I have learned that the Duke of Welling

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