Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1836-1840

The only son of the Duc de Mortemart, who died in consequence of a fall from a carriage.

133

On October 15, 1840, about six o'clock in the evening, Louis-Philippe was returning from Paris to Saint-Cloud with the Queen and Madame Adélaïde. They were driving along the Quai des Tuileries, and had reached the Poste du Lion, when an explosion was heard; but the weapon which the assassin Darmès had used against the King had burst and the charge had exploded backwards. As soon as the assassin had been arrested and imprisoned it became necessary to amputate his left hand, which was entirely shattered.

134

Madame de Flahaut was an Englishwoman, daughter of Admiral Keith (Lord Elphinstone). He was ordered to notify Napoleon I., when he sought hospitality on the English coast in 1815, that he was a prisoner of the allies. He was also ordered to prepare for the prisoner's transport to St. Helena.

135

Thiers and his Ministry went out on October 29, 1840, and were replaced by M. Guizot. Thiers was not to return to power under the reign of Louis-Philippe.

136

The Pope was then Gregory XVI.

137

The new Cabinet was composed as follows: Minister of War and President of the Council, Marshal Soult; Foreign Affairs, M. Guizot; Public Works, M. Teste; the Interior, M. Duchâtel; Finance, M. Humann; Education, M. Villemain; Justice, M. Martin du Nord; Commerce, M. Cunin-Gridaine; Naval Affairs, Admiral Duperré.

138

The opening session of the Chamber of Deputies.

139

The Duc de Chartres.

140

Lord Palmerston was unwilling to make any concessions.

141

M. Sauzet.

142

This manifesto of Queen Christina to the Spanish nation will be found in the Appendix.

143

Victoria, Crown Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, was born on November 21, 1840. By her marriage with Prince Frederick William of Prussia she afterwards became Empress of Germany. She was the mother of the Emperor William II.

144

A conflict arising from the revolution of July 1830 broke out in Poland, where the Russians and the insurgents fought terrible battles under the walls of Warsaw. On September 7, 1831, Warsaw was obliged to capitulate in spite of a desperate resistance, and the event caused great grief and sympathy throughout France. An attempt was made to begin a revolt in Paris and to overthrow the Ministry of Casimir-Perier, who had recognised the impossibility of supporting Poland.

145

An allusion to the Œil de Bœuf in the castle of Versailles, where Court intrigues were hatched.

146

The Duc Pasquier.

147

An allusion to the deed to which Louis-Philippe placed his signature in February 1831, the day after the Archbishop's residence was destroyed and Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois was plundered. M. Laffitte, who was too inclined to consider resistance to sedition impossible, induced the Sovereign to publish the following decree: "In future the State seal will represent an open book, bearing these words, 'Charter of 1830,' surmounted by a closed crown with a sceptre and a hand of justice in saltire, and tricolour flags behind the escutcheon, with inscription, 'Louis-Philippe, King of the French.'" Thus it was that the lilies disappeared which had hitherto been represented upon the State seal throughout the realm.

148

At that time the Duc de Broglie.

149

From the Journal des Débats of January 1, 1836.

150

M. Odilon Barrot.

151

M. Casimir Perier.

152

M. Saint-Marc Girardin.

153

From the Journal des Débats of January 7, 1836.