lood had been shed. Many portions of this report were much applauded,
and at the close there was great enthusiasm.

"He was succeeded by Ledru Rollin, the minister of the interior, who
read a report of the acts of his administration, which he read with
great vehemence, but without exciting applause, except of a very partial
kind from a small minority.

"The minister of justice (M. Cremieux) next ascended the tribune, and
proceeded to read a report of his official acts, in which he recounted
all the ameliorations applied to the administration of justice, the
abolition of capital punishment for capital offences, abolition of the
pillory, &c.

"The next member of the government who ascended the tribune was M. Louis
Blanc, who excited a smile by his first act, which was to stoop and
arrange a _tabouret_, or footstool, on which to raise himself high
enough to be seen. The voice that came from this small form was firm,
clear, and loud; and he, instead of reading, delivered an extempore
oration in favour of his _Organisation du Travail_, to which he said
the government stood committed by its promises to the people assembled
before the Hotel de Ville the day after the revolution. The assembly
received his oration with a coldness which augured ill.

"M. Carnot, the minister of public instruction, was afterwards heard,
and was succeeded by M. Bethmont, the minister of commerce, who
deposited on the table the _expose_ of the state of his department. M.
Gamier Pages, minister of finance, concluded his report on the financial
condition of the country.

"M. Arago, the minister of war and marine, and M. Marie, the minister
of public works, next presented the situation of their departments; and
were succeeded by M. Lamartine, minister for foreign affairs, who took
a short review of the aspect of affairs throughout Europe. The general
tone of his remarks was pacific, and in accordance with the principles
of his address some time before to the diplomatic agents of France.

"In the course of the sitting a note from Beranger, the poet, resigning
his seat for Paris, was read; but the assembly unanimously refused to
accept the resignation.

"A stormy discussion then arose on the motion of M. Domes, offering the
thanks of the assembly to the provisional government for their conduct
in the administration of affairs, and nominating a committee of five to
act as a government _ad interim_, until the permanent government of the
country had