measures the dissolution of the National Assembly, have
been posted to-day on the walls of Paris, that this fact of the
dissolution of the National Assembly by the President of the Republic
would be of the nature to constitute the case provided for by Article
68 of the Constitution, and renders, in the terms of the aforesaid
article, the meeting of the High Court indispensable.

"It is declared that the High Court of Justice is organized, that it
appoints[4] ... to fulfil with it the functions of the Public
Ministry; that M. Bernard, the Recorder of the Court of Cassation,
should fulfil the duties of Recorder, and in order to proceed
further, according to the terms of the aforesaid Article 68 of the
Constitution, the Court will adjourn until to-morrow, the 3d of
December, at noon.

"Drawn up and discussed in the Council Chamber, where were sitting
MM. Hardouin, president, Pataille, Moreau, Delapalme, and Cauchy,
judges, December 2, 1851."

The two Assistants, MM. Grandet and Quesnault, offered to sign the
decree, but the President ruled that it would be more correct only to
accept the signatures of the titular judges, the Assistants not being
qualified when the Court was complete.

In the meantime it was one o'clock, the news began to spread through the
palace that a decree of deposition against Louis Bonaparte had been drawn
up by a part of the Assembly; one of the judges who had gone out during
the debate, brought back this rumor to his colleagues. This coincided
with an outburst of energy. The President observed that it would be to
the purpose to appoint a Procureur-General.

There was a difficulty. Whom should they appoint? In all preceding trials
they had always chosen for a Procureur-General at the High Court the
Procureur-General at the Court of Appeal of Paris. Why should they
introduce an innovation? They determined upon this Procureur-General of
the Court of Appeal. This Procureur-General was at the time M. de Royer,
who had been keeper of the Seals for M. Bonaparte. Thence a new
difficulty and a long debate.

Would M. de Royer consent? M. Hardouin undertook to go and make the offer
to him. He had only to cross the Merciere Gallery.

M. de Royer was in his study. The proposal greatly embarrassed him. He
remained speechless from the shock. To accept was serious, to refuse was
still more serious.

There was risk of treason. On the 2d December, an hour after noon, the
_coup