The preliminary measures for the investigation into the affair of
Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, we are told by the Moniker of the 23d, are in rapid progress. Nothing has as yet been done in public. It is said that the Prince and about fifteen of the principal rebels have been interrogated at the Coneiergerie, in the presence of Baron Pasquier, Chancellor of France ; and masses of' documentary evidence have been looked over. The Prince seemed very much cast down. He stated, that he considered himself the lawful heir of his uncle, the Emperor Napoleon ; that he thought the institutions of the Empire were those best suited to the French nation ; and that he was persuaded that the majority of the people, and above all the army, would support his at- tempt. lie still retained those opinions ; but admitted Big he had been misled, if not betrayed. When the money which had been found on board the steamer was alluded to, he exclaimed—" It is mine ; I beg it may ln! returned to me, in order that I may apply it to the wants of my fellow-sufferers." General 3Iontholon repeated that he was not aware of the Prince's intention when he went on board the steamer ; and he added, that he now believed himself to have been entrapped. Colonel NIontauban and Colonel Paquin frankly avowed their attachment to " the Imperial cause." The correspondent of the Times says, that the documentary evidence proves Madame Uordon—a person who attained some notoriety a little w bile ago, by her complaints of oppression in not being allowed to give concerts in different parts of France—is a princi- pal mover in the affair. Iler concerts were used as a blind, while she collected together partisans of tins " Imperial cause," who were her chief' attendants. The remainder were spies of the police. With that object she -visited towns in which there were large garrisons ; and she reported to the Prince that she had brought over whole regbnents of soldiers. The receipt of one of her despatches to that effect, induced.
Louis Napoleon to begin the general movement by the attempt no Boulogne. Another report is, that M. de Crony Chanel suggested a union between the Ihmapartists and the Republicans; but Louis Na- poleon would not sanction it. Nevertheless, Madame Cordon adopted the idea, and succeeded so far as to gain the journeymen-tailors of Paris. This is connected in the story with the strike among the tailors about two months back. A circumstance whielt throws doubt upon all that is said about Nladame Gordon, is the fact that she had not been arrested.
At Boulogne, on Thursday morning, another of the accomplices of Prince Louis Bonaparte was arrested, just as he was going to embark. on board the London steamer. Ile had a passport under a false name. The two individuals who obtained the passport have been also arrested.
Among the incidents connected with Louis Philippe's visit to Bou-
logne, the lisis'ogne Gazette states, that Mr. Mullaney, wine-merchant
of that town, who was on horseback, overtook his Majesty and suite at Mont de Pierre, where his Majesty had alighted front Isis carriage. On seeing Mr. Mullaney, his Majesty crossed over the road and entered.
into conversathm with him ia the most affable manner. After some time, the King expressing a desire to despatch an aide-de-camp to Bou- logne, Mr. Mullaney promptly offered his horse ; which was politely accepted by his Majesty, who proffered in return a seat in his own car- riage to convey 31r. Mullaney to Boulogne. This honour, however,
was modestly declined; but the King still insisting, Mr. Mullaney ac-
cepted it seat in one of his Majesty's other carriages, which was occupied by general officers and lathes of distinction.
'1'lle aurrier Francalse publishes a letter from M. Crony Chanel, contradicting the assertion that he had received 250,000 francs front Louis Bonaparte, but in such an indefinite manner, that the journalist asserts it amounts to an admission that his hands are not perfectly clean.
The German Gazette of Ike South boving copied an article from a Leipsie joarnal, in which it was asserted that Jerome Bonaparte was implicated in the conspiracy. of Prince Louis, the King of Wurtemberg had ordered proceedings to be instituted against the censor for allowing the insertion of" such a calumny."
Persons proceeding nano London to Boulogne, should be made aware of a new charge which it scents they have been obliged to pay since the recent attempted insurrection there. Previously to that event, it was unnecessary to take p:,sports from this country Nvlien proceeding to Boulogne; and the English visiters were allowed, although not pro- vided, to make trips to the adjacent oeighbourhood. It appears now, however, that before an English visiter can embark there for London, a passport is demanded, for which a charge of three or four francs is made at the British Consulate's.
The Reverend George Tuffnell, minister of the British Chapel at Bou- logne, has written to die Standard to correct the report of the words uttered by Louis Philippe relative to the preservation of peace. Mr. Tuffnell gives the following account of what occurred at the levee- " Immediately on recognizing the mm ithrm alb.: British Consul, his Majesty came up to him, and after a few words said, in allusion to the gales from wldeft be had so lately escaped, The political horizon is POITICAVIlat threatening, but I trust, like the clouds of' yesterday, these storms may be dispersed—it is my earnest desire Ilmt Meg shmdd; AIL"I'IlE SAME TIME, I CANNOT l'0RGE1"ElIAT 1 Am A rill:N(1M s."Illose who had the oiport unity orobserving the King's marked attention to the whole o• the English pre,e»t omo float occasion, ealt entertain no doulit of his friendly disposition towards oar nation ; but the em- phatic expression, '1 elnu.t.fi,tvet that 1 am a Frenebvvm,' shows ti at no personal fixlings will be allowed to intert'ere with the thrum mainte»ance oL that which be and his people, rightly or wrongly, deem essential to the interests and honour of their country."
The Standard observes that this statement is in no respect inconsis- tent with that before published, as it refers to a ilitferent occurrence. The incident on the staircase, when Louis Philippe replied to the rives of Mr. Coates, took place on Monday evening ; and Mr. Tuffnell's letter speaks of the transactions on Monday morning. On the first oc- casion, says the Standard, "the King might be naturally expected to use more freedom as expressing himself in what partook of the character of a private conversation, and in his public reception of the British he would properly use a more qualified style of speaking."
Previous page
