Make France Great Again-Chapter 117: Parliamentary Struggle

May 13, 1849.

On this day after the beginning of summer, with Grain in Ear approaching, the Paris Legislative Assembly elections were drawing to a close.

The night the election results were announced, a torrential rain fell over the urban area of Paris.

Despite the continuous drizzle outside, the Bourbon Palace was still brightly lit.

The candles on the crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling were all lit, enveloping the entire National Assembly hall in candlelight.

Not only the chandeliers, but even two candles on the podium were also lit, under whose glow Speaker Masterla sat sternly, awaiting the start of the assembly.

The time gradually approached 8 p.m., the rain began to lessen, and the sound of insects chirping emerged from the alleys of the urban area of Paris. Amidst these intermittent chirping sounds, the first session of the Legislative Assembly officially commenced.

Speaker Masterla banged the gavel in his hand and shouted loudly, "Quiet!"

The previously noisy assembly quieted down instantly, and people fixed their gaze on Masterla, the "Upright Doll" on the podium.

"Ahem... ahem," facing the silent assembly and the uniform gaze of the representatives, Masterla cleared his throat and said, "Representatives, after two months of preparation and elections, as we wave goodbye to the Constitutional Assembly, the Legislative Assembly has finally been established. This is a victory for democracy for the French Republic!"

As soon as Masterla’s words fell, thunderous applause erupted from below. The former Order Party, now the "Freedom Alliance," was the most enthusiastic group applauding.

After experiencing the January military maneuvers and the threat of a coup, the Republicans and the Mountain Party lost the ability to contend with the Order Party entirely. Many Moderate Republican representatives joined the Order Party, allowing the Order Party to secure 450 seats in the following two months, thus changing their name to the "Freedom Alliance." How could they not be grateful to the Legislative Assembly?

The Mountain Party, which played the losing role in the January parade, unexpectedly also gained 240 seats, naturally making them the "second largest party" in the assembly.

[The assembly includes only three major parties.]

As for the Republicans, they were even more pitiful, securing only 60 seats.

Under the strong attack of the Order Party, the Republicans, who once had seats closely behind the Order Party, were completely ousted.

The Mountain Party replaced them as the second target for the Order Party to expel.

Figures like Thiers in the Order Party clearly did not wish to see those marked with Robespierre’s brand, especially rightists from the Catholic Faction like Montalambre, who detested such elements even more and were already sharpening their knives to act against the Mountain Party.

The Mountain Party was completely unaware of all this, bewildered by becoming the second largest party in the assembly, they could only proceed cautiously, step by step.

After concluding his long-winded official speech, it was time for the government’s representative, Audion Barrot, to deliver his speech and report.

Holding his speech manuscript, Audion Barrot ascended the podium, placed the manuscript on it, stood upright, and began to speak in a standard Parisian accent: "First, on behalf of the government, I congratulate the establishment of the Legislative Assembly!"

"Good!" the Order Party members jeered loudly.

Audion Barrot smiled confidently and continued, "In the past six months, our government has strived against all odds to minimize expenditure, keeping everything else unchanged..."

Audion Barrot shamelessly claimed that under his wise leadership, the French Government’s expenditure for the first half of the year did not exceed the budget, and there was even a surplus.

However, he forgot that the reinstatement of the salt tax and wine tax policies brought nearly a billion francs to France’s revenue, yet the fiscal surplus amounted to less than 20 million francs, meaning the expenditure for the first half of 1849 had already exceeded that of the first half of 1848.

"I believe that the future of France’s economy will only get better!" Audion Barrot, like a victorious general, bowed to the attending representatives upon finishing his report and awaited their inquiries.

"Prime Minister, may I ask!" Ledru Roland stood up, questioning Audion Barrot, ready to expose Barrot’s lies: "You repeatedly say the government has not exceeded the budget, but as far as I know, the government has far exceeded last year’s budget. We didn’t reinstate the salt tax and wine tax last year yet!"

"Back then, we had not abolished the personal income tax either!" Audion Barrot retorted sarcastically. After the June Revolution, the Mountain Party and the Republicans had jointly abolished the personal income tax.

"Now is not the time to discuss this!" Ledru Roland retorted in annoyance, then calmed down and continued, "I would like to ask the Prime Minister how to explain the public bonds recently issued by the Ministry of Public Works. I heard that the first batch of bonds issued amounts to nearly 20 million. Shouldn’t this be considered government expenditure!"

[The actual amount of the first batch of public bonds was 200 million francs.]

"These bonds were specifically issued by the Ministry of Public Works for railway construction! Everything is self-financed by the Ministry of Public Works, so it does not count!" Audion Barrot immediately responded and confidently stated, "We have already developed a comprehensive set of regulations for railway investment and management, ensuring no issues like before! Senator Ledru, we are stimulating France’s sluggish economy, boosting employment and consumption, and it’s still self-financed by the Ministry of Public Works, the assembly has no right to interfere with departmental operations!"

Audion Barrot’s explanation left Ledru Roland with nothing to refute, as unemployment had always been a major issue for the Republic.

"As far as I know, the Paris-Marseille railway construction has already started, and I believe it won’t be long before we can travel directly to Marseille!" Audion Barrot said, mischievously shifting concepts: "These railways require not a single penny from the national budget!"

The Order Party members, who understood the inside story, applauded immediately, leaving the Mountain Party and the Republicans, who wanted to find fault, somewhat unwilling.

Having achieved his goal, Audion Barrot stepped down amidst applause, and Masterla returned to the podium to announce the seat distribution for each party, after which the first session of the Legislative Assembly ended, and everyone left the assembly.

Audion Barrot, Thiers, Molay, Duke Broi (Orthodox Faction), Count of Montalambre, and Count Falu gathered on Puyatie Street for a chat after the assembly concluded.

"Prime Minister, your speech was wonderful! Roland was almost driven mad!" Montalambre, sitting on the sofa, commended Audion Barrot with a tone of gloating.

"You’re too kind!" Audion Barrot responded modestly.

Duke Broi suddenly chimed in, "By the way, did you notice that the loyal dog of that Italian lad didn’t seem to show up today!"

[Referring to Chief Secretary Percy]

"Percy might be helping his master build his ’little toy’!" Thiers said with a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Little toy?" Duke Broi’s eyes were filled with confusion. Having just arrived in Paris from the countryside, he didn’t quite understand what Thiers meant.

"It’s the military secretariat! Our President’s thoughts seem to remain in the era of the Great Revolution; this is no longer the time when whoever controls the army controls Paris!"

Having experienced two dynasties, Thiers no longer believed in the idea of dominating Paris through the army. To him, the army was just a dispensable armed force.

Did you not see how Charles X and Louis Philippe, who controlled the army, fell from their thrones; only by firmly grasping the National Assembly can one hold the future.

Thiers firmly believed in this.

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