massacres of the south-第65章

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the　poor…box；　and　pulled　the　books　to　pieces。　　A　detachment　of　troops
arrived　just　in　time　to　prevent　their　setting　the　building　on　fire。

The　next　day　passed　more　quietly。　　This　time　the　disorders　were　of
too　important　a　nature　for　the　prefect　to　ignore；　as　he　had　ignored
so　many　bloody　acts　in　the　past；　so　in　due　time　a　full　report　was
laid　before　the　king。　　It　became　know　the　same　evening　that　General
Lagarde　was　still　living；　and　that　those　around　him　hoped　that　the
wound　would　not　prove　mortal。　　Dr。　Delpech；　who　had　been　summoned
from　Montpellier；　had　succeeded　in　extracting　the　bullet；　and　though
he　spoke　no　word　of　hope；　he　did　not　expressly　declare　that　the　case
was　hopeless。

Two　days　later　everything　in　the　town　had　assumed　its　ordinary
aspect；　and　on　the　21st　of　November　the　king　issued　the　following
edict：

〃Louis；　by　the　grace　of　God；　King　of　France　and　of　Navarre；

〃To　all　those　to　whom　these　presents　shall　come；　greeting：

〃An　abominable　crime　has　cast　a　stain　on　Our　city　of　Nimes。
A　seditious　mob　has　dared　to　oppose　the　opening　of　the　Protestant
place　of　worship；　in　contempt　of　the　constitutional　charter；　which
while　it　recognises　the　Catholic　religion　as　the　religion　of　the
State；　guarantees　to　the　other　religious　bodies　protection　and
freedom　of　worship。　　Our　military　commandant；　whilst　trying　to
disperse　these　crowds　by　gentle　means　before　having　resort　to　force；
was　shot　down；　and　his　assassin　has　till　now　successfully　evaded　the
arm　of　the　law。　　If　such　an　outrage　were　to　remain　unpunished；　the
maintenance　of　good　government　and　public　order　would　be　impossible；
and　Our　ministers　would　be　guilty　of　neglecting　the　law。

〃Wherefore　We　have　ordered　and　do　order　as　follows：

〃Art。　1。　　Proceedings　shall　be　commenced　without　delay　by　Our
attorney；　and　the　attorney…general；　against　the　perpetrator　of　the
murderous　attack　on　the　person　of　Sieur　Lagarde；　and　against　the
authors；　instigators；　and　accomplices　of　the　insurrection　which　took
place　in　the　city　of　Nimes　on　the　12th　of　the　present　month。

〃Art。　2。　　A　sufficient　number　of　troops　shall　be　quartered　in　the
said　city；　and　shall　remain　there　at　the　cost　of　the　inhabitants；
until　the　assassin　and　his　accomplices　have　been　produced　before　a
court　of　law。

〃Art。　3。　　All　those　citizens　whose　names　are　not　entitled　to　be　on
the　roll　of　the　National　Guard　shall　be　disarmed。

〃Our　Keeper　of　the　Seals；　Our　Minister　of　War；　Our　Minister　of　the
Interior；　and　Our　Minister　of　Police；　are　entrusted　with　the
execution　of　this　edict。

〃Given　at　Paris　at　Our　Castle　of　the　Tuileries　on　the　2lst　of
November　in　the　year　of　grace　1815；　and　of　Our　reign　the　21st。

（Signed）　Louis〃


Boissin　was　acquitted。

This　was　the　last　crime　committed　in　the　South；　and　it　led
fortunately　to　no　reprisals。

Three　months　after　the　murderous　attempt　to　which　he　had　so　nearly
fallen　a　victim；　General　Lagarde　left　Nimes　with　the　rank　of
ambassador；　and　was　succeeded　as　prefect　by　M。　d'Argont。

During　the　firm；　just；　and　independent　administration　of　the　latter；
the　disarming　of　the　citizens　decreed　by　the　royal　edict　was　carried
out　without　bloodshed。

Through　his　influence；　MM。　Chabot…Latour；　Saint…Aulaire；　and　Lascour
were　elected　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　in　place　of　MM。　De　Calviere；
De　Vogue；　and　De　Trinquelade。

And　down　to　the　present　time　the　name　of　M。　d'Argont　is　held　in
veneration　at　Nimes；　as　if　he　had　only　quitted　the　city　yesterday。






End