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With the rest of the army it was otherwise. Military honor was
indignant, and roused the civic virtue. Notwithstanding the pressure
which was exercised, although the regiments deposited their votes in
the shakos of their colonels, the army voted "No" in many districts of
France and Algeria.
The Polytechnic School voted "No" in a body. Nearly everywhere the
artillery, of which the Polytechnic School is the cradle, voted to the
same effect as the school.
Scipio Dumas, it may be remembered, was at Metz.
By some curious chance it happened that the feeling of the artillery,
which everywhere else had pronounced against the coup d'état,
hesitated at Metz, and seemed to lean towards Bonaparte.
Scipio Dumas, in presence of this indecision set an example. He voted
in a loud voice, and with an open voting paper, "No."
Then he sent in his resignation. At the same time that the Minister at
Paris received the resignation of Scipio Dumas, Scipio Dumas at Metz,
received his dismissal, signed by the Minister.
After Scipio Dumas' vote, the same thought had come at the same time to
both the Government and to the officer, to the Government that the
officer was a dangerous man, and that they could no longer employ him,
to the officer that the Government was an infamous one, and that he
ought no longer to serve it.
431
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