On the 16th of September, four journeymen tailors met in
a little Public-house in Berlin,to play a game at cards. The gensdarmes, Who smelt some terrible plot in the .congregation at one point of 10 many vulgar factions, surrounded the cabaret, and took the tailors in custody. A few loiterers stood still to see what was the Matter, but finding that the total of the whole did not amount to one man's concern, they quietly went on their way. Next day, the report of these proceedings was spread through the city ; and no- thing would serve the police but the garrison must appear under arms; and in a brief space, the palace square, the arsenal, and all the other squares, were crowded with horsemen, footmen, and ar- tillerymen; the streets were barricaded, and the Princes gallop from place to place, to the infinite amazement of the old women,— and all because four journeymen tailors had met in an alehouse to play arubber at whist. At length the King having received a true account of the matter, interposed ; the tailors were declared inno- cent, and the gensdarmes were suspended for their officiou,ness. There is a moral in this farce. How slender is the tie which, by his own acknowledgment, et-tmeets the head of an absolute government with his people, \\lien so trifling a circumstance can serve to excite such dread in him and in his minions!
" Uncasy lies the head that wears that crown."
The States Gazette of the 23d alludes to sonic reports of rioters having been killed in this strange insurreetion, to contradict them, but admits that sonic were wounded. Was the Devil among the tailors, or is the whole story a mystification of something really serious ?
Previous page
