People of another generation, who were not alive at that period, can form no idea of the effect this news produced when on the morning of the 7th March we read the following lines in the Moniteur:—
"PROCLAMATION.
"We adjourned the Chambers on the 31st of last December until the Session of May 1st, during which interval we have striven unceasingly in every way that could contribute to the tranquillity and the welfare of our peoples. That tranquillity is threatened, and that welfare may be compromised by malevolence and treachery."
Imagine, dear readers, one of those worthy citizens who subscribe to the Moniteur,—there are some who do, although not many,—imagine a mayor, a magistrate, a deputy magistrate; anyone, in fact, who by duty, by position, or by a sense of responsibility, is obliged to read Government prose: imagine one of these men, carelessly opening his official news-sheet, which he reads every morning from conscientious motives, falling upon this first paragraph, with its final disturbing expressions of malevolence and treachery.
"Dear, dear, dear, whatever is the matter now!"
And he goes on:—
"If the enemies to our country have founded their hopes in its divisions, which they are ever seeking to foment, its supporters, its legitimate upholders, will cancel that criminal hope by the invulnerable strength of an indestructible union."
"By all means let us crush such a criminal hope," says the worthy citizen, who does not yet know what they are driving at.
"By all means let us crush such a criminal hope," says the public functionary, who imagines it means some conspiracy among subordinate officers.
And the citizen turns to his wife, nods his head, and repeats—
"... 'By the invulnerable strength of an indestructible union! '"adding, "How well the Government puts it!"
Then the reader, whether citizen or public functionary, reads as follows:—