The second Thiers cabinet .28March .E2.80.93 October 1840.29 July Monarchy

1 second thiers cabinet (march – october 1840)

1.1 return of napoleon s ashes
1.2 colonization of algeria
1.3 middle eastern affairs, pretext thiers fall

the second thiers cabinet (march – october 1840)

adolphe thiers, honoré daumier.

soult s fall compelled king call on main left-wing figure, adolphe thiers. guizot, 1 of remaining right-wing alternatives, had been named ambassador london , left france. thiers aim definitively establish parliamentary government, king reigns not rule , , cabinet drawn parliamentary majority , answerable it. henceforth, opposed louis-philippe s concept of government.

thiers formed government on 1 march 1840. first pretended offer presidency of council duc de broglie, , soult, before accepting , taking foreign affairs @ same time. cabinet composed of young politicians (47 years old on average), thiers himself being 42.

relations king difficult. louis-philippe embarrassed thiers suggesting nominate friend horace sébastiani marshal, expose him same criticisms had suffered on political favoritism , abuse of governmental power. thiers decided postpone sébastiani s advancement.

thiers obtained easy majority during debate on secret funds in march 1840 (246 votes 160). although classified centre-left, thiers second government highly conservative, , dedicated protection of interests of bourgeoisie. although had deputies pass vote on government bond conversion, left-wing proposal, sure rejected peers, happened. on 16 may 1840, thiers harshly rejected universal suffrage , social reforms after speech radical françois arago, had linked ideas of electoral reform , social reform. arago attempting unite left-wing tying universal suffrage claims , socialist claims, had appeared in 1840s, concerning right of work (droit au travail). believed electoral reform establish universal suffrage should precede social reform, considered urgent.

on 15 june 1838, thiers obtained postponement of proposal made conservative deputy of versailles, ovide de rémilly who, equipping himself old demand of left, sought outlaw nomination of deputies salaried public offices during elective mandate. thiers had supported proposition, acutely criticized left.

since end of august 1838, social problems related economic crisis started in 1839 causedstrike actions , riots in textile, clothing , construction sectors. on 7 september 1839, cabinet-makers of faubourg saint-antoine started put barricades. thiers responded sending out national guard , invoking laws prohibiting public meetings.

thiers renewed banque de france s privilege until 1867 on such advantageous terms bank had commemorative gold medal cast. several laws established steamship lines, operated companies operating state-subsidised concessions. other laws granted credits or guarantees railway companies in difficulties.

return of napoleon s ashes

the transfer of napoleon s ashes on board of la belle poule on 15 october 1840. painting eugène isabey.

while thiers favored conservative bourgeoisie, made sure satisfy left s thirst glory. on 12 may 1840, minister of interior, charles de rémusat, announced deputies king had decided remains of napoléon transferred invalides. british government s agreement, prince de joinville sailed saint helena on frigate la belle poule retrieve them.

this announcement struck chord public opinion, swept along patriotic fervor. thiers saw in act successful completion of rehabilitation of revolution , of empire, had attempted in histoire de la révolution française , histoire du consulat et de l empire, while louis-philippe, reluctant, aimed @ capturing himself touch of imperial glory, had appropriated legitimist monarchy s glory in château de versailles. prince louis-napoléon decided seize opportunity land in boulogne-sur-mer on 6 august 1840, aim of rallying 42nd infantry regiment (42e régiment de ligne) along accomplices including 1 of napoléon s comrades in saint helena, general de montholon. although montholon in reality double agent used french government spy, in london, on louis-napoléon, montholon deceived thiers letting him think operation take place in metz. however, bonaparte s operation complete failure, , detained men in fort of ham, picardy.

their trial took place before chamber of peers 28 september 1840 6 october 1840, general indifference. public s attention concentrated on trial of marie lafarge, before cour d assises of tulle, defendant being accused of having poisoned husband. defended famous legitimist lawyer pierre-antoine berryer, bonaparte sentenced life detention, 152 votes (against 160 abstentions, out of total of 312 peers). not kill insane people, right! confine them, declared journal des débats, in period of intense discussions concerning parricides, mental disease , reform of penal code.

colonization of algeria


siege of constantine in 1837

the conquest of algeria, initiated in last days of bourbon restoration, confronted abd-el-kader s raids, punishing marshal valée , duc d orléans s expedition portes de fer in autumn 1839, had violated terms of 1837 treaty of tafna between general bugeaud , abd-el-kader. thiers pushed in favor of colonising of interior of country, edges of desert. convinced king, saw in algeria ideal theater son cover house of orléans glory, , persuaded him send general bugeaud first governor general of algeria. bugeaud, lead harsh repression against natives, officially nominated on 29 december 1840, few days after thiers fall.

middle eastern affairs, pretext thiers fall

thiers supported mehemet ali, pasha of egypt, in ambition constitute vast arabian empire egypt syria. tried intercede in order have him sign agreement ottoman empire, unbeknownst 4 other european powers (britain, austria, prussia , russia). however, informed of these negotiations, british minister of foreign affairs, lord palmerston, negotiated treaty between 4 powers sort out eastern question . when revealed, london convention of 15 july 1840 provoked explosion of patriotic fury: france had been ousted zone traditionally exercised influence, while prussia, had no interest in it, associated treaty. although louis-philippe pretended join general protestations, knew take advantage of situation rid of thiers.

the latter pandered tp patriotic feelings decreeing, on 29 july 1840, partial mobilization, , starting, on 13 september 1840, works on fortifications of paris. france remained passive when, on 2 october 1840, british navy shelled beirut. mehemet ali dismissed viceroy sultan.

following long negotiations between king , thiers, compromise found on 7 october 1840: france renounce support mehemet ali s pretensions in syria declare european powers egypt should remain @ costs independent. britain thereafter recognized mehmet ali s hereditary rule on egypt: france had obtained return situation of 1832. despite this, rupture between thiers , louis-philippe definitive. on 29 october 1840, when charles de rémusat presented council of ministers draft of speech of throne, prepared hippolyte passy, louis-philippe found aggressive. after short discussion, thiers , associates collectively presented resignations king, accepted them. on following day, louis-philippe sent marshal soult , guizot return paris possible.