preserved from anarchy, obstacles will
be removed, rivalries will have disappeared, for all will respect, in
the decision of the People, the decree of Providence.

"Given at the Palace of the Elysee, 2d December,
1851. LOUIS NAPOLEON BONAPARTE."

[Sidenote: The Second December]

[Sidenote: Summary executions]

[Sidenote: Proscription]

During the same day the Assembly was dissolved by troops. Attempts at
public protests were roughly suppressed. A few barricades were thrown up,
but the crowds were quickly dispersed, and those agitators who were caught
were hurried off to prison. On December 4, the troops were ordered out in
force, and proceeded to clear the streets. Nearly a thousand persons were
shot during the course of the day. The insurrection was stamped out. A few
days later, when the National Assembly tried to meet again, a hundred and
eighty members were arrested. Then appeared two parallel lists of names.
One contained the names of those who could be counted on for the purposes
of Prince Napoleon. They were all created members of a consultative
committee, which was to sit "until the reorganization of the legislative
party." The other list contained the names of those who were proscribed
from French territory, from Algeria, and from the colonies "for the sake of
public safety." Among them were Victor Hugo, Thiers, Baune, Laboulaye,
Theodore Bac, and Lamarque. Many hundreds of compromised Republicans fled
before they were proscribed. Others were transported across the borders
without any publication of the fact. Still others were summarily shot in
the barrack courtyards.

[Sidenote: The plebiscite]

[Sidenote: Foreign congratulations]

[Sidenote: Palmerston dismissed]

On December 21, the result of the so-called popular plebiscite was
announced. Louis Napoleon had been elected President for ten years by an
alleged vote of 7,473,431 ays against 641,341 nays. He was clothed with
monarchical power and was authorized to issue a constitution for France.
Outside of France the results of the _coup d'etat_ were received with
equanimity. Pope Pius IX. went to a review held by General Gemeau in Rome
and begged him to congratulate Prince Louis Napoleon for him. Lord
Palmerston in London, it was stated, told the French Ambassador that he
"entirely approved of what had been done, and thought the President of the
French fully justified." The British Ambassador at Paris was instructed to
m