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MM. Passy and de Tocqueville, in the midst of the groups, described that
when they were Ministers they had always entertained an uneasy suspicion
of a coup d'état, and that they clearly perceived this fixed idea in
the brain of Louis Bonaparte. M. de Tocqueville added, "I said to myself
every night, 'I lie down to sleep a Minister; what if I should awake a
prisoner?'" Some of those men who were termed "men of order," muttered
while signing the degree of deposition, "Beware of the Red Republic!" and
seemed to entertain an equal fear of failure and of success. M. de
Vatimesnil pressed the hands of the men of the Left, and thanked them for
their presence. "You make us popular," said he. And Antony Thouret
answered him, "I know neither Right nor Left to-day; I only see the
Assembly."
The younger of the two shorthand writers handed their written sheets
to the Representatives who had spoken, and, asked them to revise them at
once, saying, "We shall not have the time to read them over." Some
Representatives went down into the street, and showed the people copies
of the decree of deposition, signed by the members of the "bureau." One
of the populace took one of these copies, and cried out, "Citizens! the
ink is still quite wet! Long live the Republic!"
The Deputy-Mayor stood at the door of the Hall; the staircase was crowded
with National Guards and spectators. In the Assembly several had
penetrated into the Hall, and amongst them the ex-Constituent Beslay, a
man of uncommon courage. It was at first wished to turn them out, but
they resisted, crying, "This is our business. You are the Assembly, but
we are the People." "They are right," said M. Berryer.
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