to the
seat of General Cavaignac, and cordially shook him by the hand. The new
president was then met by M. Odilon Barrot and his friends of the right,
who escorted him out of the hall. In leaving the hall the president was
accompanied by a great number of the members of the assembly, and passed
between a double line of soldiers and national guards, which extended
through the Salle des Pas Perdus to the gate upon the quay facing the
Place de la Concorde. There was no manifestation of enthusiasm at this
moment. A carriage waited for the president at the gate, in which he
left for the palace of the Elysee Bourbon, escorted by a squadron of
dragoons and lancers. The cannon of the Invalides were discharged as a
salute at the moment. General Changarnier attended on the occasion, and
directed the proceedings. It was remarked that, on the occasion of
this solemnity, all the enthusiasm of the assembly was shown to General
Cavaignac, and the utmost coldness towards Prince Louis.

"M. Marrast next announced that M. Odilon Barrot was charged with
the construction of the new cabinet, which would be communicated by a
message to the assembly. The house afterwards adjourned."

Such were the great events in France during the year 1818, events which
too nearly affected the connection of England with that country to be
given here in less detail.

During the progress of these transactions the relations of Great
Britain and France became delicate and critical; but the wisdom of the
provisional government on the one hand, and of the British government
on the other, prevented any collision. Diplomatic relations were
necessarily interrupted for a time by the revolution, and the flight
of the king; but her Britannic majesty, in her speech proroguing
parliament, expressed her satisfaction that she had been enabled to
resume the usual intercourse between the two governments. Several
occasions arose when even a slight deviation from international equity
on the part of the French provisional government might have involved the
two countries in war. In England the Chartists continued the agitations
already recorded, and made a grand demonstration, which will be related
in another section of this chapter. While they were preparing to put
forth this exhibition of strength, a correspondence was kept up by many
of their leaders with those of the French Communists, and the excitement
of the latter was intense as the hour approached for the grand
_den