ed governor-general of
Algeria, and until his arrival here, the functions of governor-general
_ad interim_ will be discharged by General Changarnier. Submissive
to the national will, I depart; but in my place of exile my best
prayers and wishes shall be for the prosperity and glory of France,
which I should have wished still longer to serve.

H. D'ORLEANS.

The greatest problem which demanded solution from the Provisional
Government was how to make twenty-five cents do the work of a dollar.
The first Minister of Finance appointed, threw up his portfolio
in despair. Lamartine refused to sanction any arbitrary means of
raising money. At last, by giving some especial privileges and
protection to the Bank of France, and by mortgaging the national
forests, a sufficient sum was provided for immediate needs. The
people, too, throughout the provinces, made it a point of honor to
come forward and pay their taxes before they were due. The priests
preached this as a duty, for the priests were well disposed towards
the Revolution of 1848. Lamartine had put forth a proclamation
assuring priests and people that his Government was in sympathy
with religion.

In the Provisional Government itself there were two, if not three,
parties,--the party of order, headed by Lamartine; the Socialists,
or labor party, headed by Louis Blanc; and the Red Republicans, or
Anarchists, headed by Ledru-Rollin. The latter was for adopting
the policy of putting out of office all men who had not been always
republicans. Lamartine, on the contrary, said that any man who
loved France and desired to serve her was not incapacitated from
doing so by previous political opinions.

Elections for a Constitutional Assembly, which was to confirm or
to repudiate the Provisional Government, were held on March 24, and
the new Assembly was to meet early in May. Meantime all kinds of
duties and anxieties accumulated on Lamartine. The Polish, Hungarian,
Spanish, German, and Italian exiles in Paris were all anxious that
he should espouse their causes against their own Governments. He
assured them that this was not the mission of the Second French
Republic, whatever might have been that of the First, and that
the cause of European liberty would lose, not gain, if France,
with propagandist fervor, embroiled herself with the monarchical
powers. A deputation of Irishmen, under Smith O'Brien, waited upon
him to beg the assistance of fifty thousand French troops in Ireland