Make France Great Again-Chapter 178: Panic or Becoming Reality?

On November 10, 1849, the Paris police sub-bureau under the Police Department acted as expected by the Parisians.

Under the direction of Police Chief Kalie, the Paris sub-bureau launched a "heavy strike" against the Havas News Agency’s affiliated newspapers.

Havas News Agency’s most representative papers, "Observer" and "News Paper", were forced to pay fines, and other small and medium-sized newspapers were also "forced" to cease operations for rectification.

The leader of the Havas News Agency personally issued a publication to clarify the "inaccurate" reports by Havas, with an article titled "Address to the Legislative Assembly" appearing in both "Observer" and "News Paper".

The content of the article was an apology for the "potential" inaccuracies in recent Havas reports, while also expressing "understanding" for the actions taken by the Legislative Assembly directing the Paris Police Station against them.

To Parisians, this article was less of an "apology letter" than a provocative declaration, igniting protests against the Legislative Assembly by Parisians who were keen on giving the power institutions in Paris "something to do". They demanded that the "Legislative Assembly" issue an accurate rebuttal article, responding to the public on whether there were counter-revolutionary elements in central and southern France attempting to overthrow the Republic.

Seizing the opportunity, Jerome Bonaparte also chose to support the Parisians, intending to push the Legislative Assembly to the edge, and then cut the rope sending the Legislative Assembly to hell.

On November 13, under the directive of Jerome Bonaparte, the Bonaparte Newspaper published an article titled "We Should Not Be Silent".

The article encouraged Parisians to actively criticize the Legislative Assembly, arguing that without severe criticism, the Legislative Assembly could not make progress.

The Order Party, initially thinking it was just an ordinary public opinion crisis, immediately felt the situation had spiraled out of their control once Jerome Bonaparte expressed support for the citizens.

Despite not believing the President would collude with the "Left Wing" (in the eyes of the Order Party, the Republican Faction and Mountain Party are all "Left Wing") in the assembly, reality forced them to guard against the possibility of the President collaborating with the "Left Wing".

[In history, Napoleon III often threatened the Order Party by cooperating with the "Left Wing", forcing them to agree to plans. The Order Party, acting with caution, could only repeatedly compromise with Jerome Bonaparte, gradually losing military power to him.]

Puevert Street, headquarters of the Order Party.

Audion Barrot, Molay, and Thiers, who nearly broke ties during the June events, miraculously gathered again after a few months to discuss strategies, portraying the scene where only children care about right and wrong, while adults only care about interests, and their subject of discussion was Jerome Bonaparte.

"What on earth does that Napoleon fellow want! Does messing up Paris benefit him in any way?" Count Morel spoke with a sullen face and unpleasant tone, feeling an urge to tear that damn fellow to pieces.

"I don’t know either! It doesn’t seem to benefit him in any way!" Thiers said with a frown, unable to fathom what Jerome Bonaparte truly wanted.

"Although we don’t know exactly what that Napoleon fellow wants, I can be sure of one thing: that guy is a thoroughgoing opportunist!" Audion Barrot, who was surprisedly dismissed by Jerome Bonaparte, saw through Jerome Bonaparte’s ambitions, regaining his usual rational mind after losing power.

"What should we do now? Continue to let it be? Or take action?" Count Morel glanced at the pensive Thiers and Audion Barrot.

"Isn’t it a bit too early to act now... we aren’t ready yet..." Count Morel’s words left Audion Barrot slightly perplexed, and he gently advised against it.

From the current perspective, their chances of success were high, but not absolutely guaranteed.

If they could push the event to next year, they would have a higher chance of success.

"We can’t wait any longer... if we keep waiting, who knows what chaos might ensue!" Count Morel said firmly, glancing at Audion Barrot and Thiers with the corner of his eye: "Haven’t you noticed that more and more people are siding with that dog bastard Napoleon? If this continues, it will be very difficult for us to make progress! Just think, once that fellow gathers enough power, he will modify the constitution and extend his term; how are we going to fight him then?"

Count Morel’s words, though harsh, indeed served as a wake-up call for Thiers and Audion Barrot.

Having dismissed Audion Barrot, Jerome Bonaparte had already gained full administrative control over France.

If he gained a majority in the assembly as well, he might modify the constitution to extend his term.

By then, they would likely be eliminated from the duel.

Of course, Thiers had also considered the possibility of the President staging an armed coup, but compared to the slim chances of a coup, parliamentary struggle was evidently more beneficial to him.

Thiers saw through those Royalist Party members within the Order Party; their sole aim was to retain the crown, willing to accept Orleans, Bourbon, and even Bonaparte.

Once the President’s forces showed signs of overpowering the Legislative Assembly, those Royalist Party members would all flock to the President.

In Thiers’ eyes, not to mention them, even Audion Barrot, a major figure in the Order Party, was labeled as unreliable.

Although Audion Barrot stepped down, his brother Ferdinand Barrot is still in power.

There’s no telling if one day Audion Barrot might also side with Jerome Bonaparte, as political ideology is not equivalent to political allegiance.

Of course, Thiers himself is also not a devout royalist; everything he does is merely to replace Jerome Bonaparte and rise to power.

Thiers does not want to see himself, after four arduous years of preparation, end up in a scenario where Jerome Bonaparte continues to serve as President of France.

"Yes! It’s time to act!" Thiers nodded in agreement with Molay’s suggestion.

"If Napoleon intervenes, what will you do?" Audion Barrot questioned the feasibility of Molay’s plan, doubting that the president would remain idle.

"Mr. Barrow!" Thiers leisurely explained to Audion Barrot, "We can tell the president that it’s an unavoidable measure to prevent the red elements. To my understanding, the Elysee Palace’s economic situation is already at the point where inflow cannot meet outflow. Critical times may require us to use money to silence the president."

As Thiers and others were discussing, a knock on the door sounded. Thiers got up to open the door.

"Mr. Thiers... huff... huff... a letter from Gironde Province!" Thiers’s secretary Remisa, panting, handed the letter to Thiers.

Receiving the letter, Thiers opened it in the presence of Audion Barrot and Molay. After carefully reading the contents, Thiers smiled and said to Audion Barrot and Molay, "Gentlemen, our reason has arrived!"

While Thiers received intelligence from Gironde Province on Puevert Street, Jerome Bonaparte at the Elysee Palace also received a letter from Gironde Province.

The shrewd governor of Gironde Province sent the letter to both the assembly and the president, trying to balance between them.

After reading the letter from the governor of Gironde Province, Jerome Bonaparte displayed an expression of amused helplessness and muttered to himself, "Isn’t this a case of the counterfeit meeting the real one?"

In the letter, the governor claimed to have "uncovered" a conspiracy in Gironde Province aiming to overthrow the Republic. The instigators were said to be individuals from the "Social Democratic Faction," inciting enmity between the poor and the rich, and internal strife between workers and bosses. Perhaps influenced by the "Observer," the governor exaggeratedly labeled this as a few impoverished people taking foreign powers’ bribes, attempting to turn Bordeaux into a haven for the red elements.

[This is somewhat based on history, as after June 1849, central, eastern, and southern France were plunged into class warfare, with the poor killing the rich, and vice versa, alongside peasants killing landlords.

In April 1850, the Legislative Assembly, burdened by reports of strife, and seeing the increasing threat of the reds, revoked voting rights from one-third of the French populace.]

After reading the letter, Jerome Bonaparte realized that this could likely become the fuse for a new round of parliamentary conflict.

As anticipated by Jerome Bonaparte, that is exactly what happened.

As time progressed, the Legislative Assembly’s failure to propose a solution faced increasing skepticism.

Opposition leaders from the Republican Faction and the Mountain Party called out the Order Party’s inaction, advocating for new elections to uphold the dignity of the parliament.

Even though the Republican Faction and Mountain Party realized their appeal would be rejected, they were pleased to upset the Order Party within parliament.

The Congress’s cheery "Social Democratic Faction" was oblivious to the conspiracy quietly unfolding against them at the Elysee Palace.

"Mr. President, I assume you’ve seen that letter!" Thiers leisurely remarked while taking a sip of coffee on the sofa.

"I have," Jerome Bonaparte nodded in acknowledgment.

"Mr. President, I believe we should take action!" Thiers replied to Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte quietly looked at Thiers without speaking.

"Mr. President, I assume you don’t want to see the red elements seize parliament! We are on the same side!" Thiers eagerly reminded Jerome Bonaparte again.

"That’s correct! You are always good at compromising!" Jerome Bonaparte commented sarcastically, without context.

Sometimes compromise is for the next attack!

Faced with Jerome Bonaparte’s mockery, Thiers could only remain silent, as he dared not express his innermost thoughts to him.

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