Manifestation of May 15th, 1848

The Parisian popular demonstration of May 15th, 1848 had as as result to decapitate the republican movement progressist of the Second Republic the day before the political offensive of the conservatives of the constituent Assembly.

Context

The results of the elections of April 23rd, 1848 to the constituent Assembly are very unfavourable to the republicans progressists. The male vote for all, applied for the first time since 1792) sent to the crushing Parliament one majority of " republicans of the lendemain" (in fact of the monarchists and the camouflaged Bonapartists). The new government elected by the Parliament, the Executive commission, is composed of moderate republicans unfavorable to the social measures which had been imposed by the provisional government the shortly after the Révolution of February 1848.

Once joined together, the Parliament tries to free itself from the Parisian popular pressure. May 10th, she refuses the proposal of Louis Blanc, the constitution of a ministry for the Progress which would have dealt with the improvement of the situation of the popular classes. May 12th the Parliament prohibited with the political clubs to send delegations lira of the petitions to the Parliament (old practice of the Parisian Sans-culotte of 1792-1794, taken again since February 1848).

The Parisian republicans are dissatisfied the opposition to progress with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Jules Bastide, which refuses to help the Poles then crushed by the Prussian and Austrian troops. It does nothing but continue the foreign policy of the provisional government which under the impulse of Lamartine, on March 4th, had barred from all interventions in favor of the revolted people (Italian, Polish, German…). Such an attitude is misunderstood by the republicans progressists who live in the memory of the Revolution of 1792, where France, the Great Nation, went to the help of the " people oppressed by their princes".

The manifestation of May 15th

There is then in Paris of many national guards come for the ceremony from handing-over of the flags planned for on May 14th. This ceremony is suddenly cancelled in front of the refusal of the workers' delegates sitting at the palate of Luxembourg, to take part in the ceremony. The provincial ones désoeuvrés remain however in the capital. Polish delegates come from Posnen and Lemberg, obtain via a former compatriot elected appointed of the Seine, Wolowski, that the Parliament discusses on May 15th of the Polish question. It is this day there that the Parisian clubs choose to organize a demonstration of support with the Polish cause (in spite of the little of enthusiasm of the republican chiefs like Raspail, Barbès or Blanqui.

The demonstration begins place of the Bastille and must gain the place of the Harmony while passing by the Boulevards. Many foreign delegations there are seen (Irish, Italian, Polish). The demonstrators move towards the Palate-Bourbon where seat the Parliament. Crowd forces the entry of the room of the meetings. One reads the petition in favor of Poland there. Then Huber request at the assembly to dissolve. Crowd goes then to the Town hall of Paris where the list of an insurrectionary government is drawn up (Blanqui, Ledru-Rollin, Albert, Louis Blanc, Huber, Thoré, Cabet, Pierre Leroux, Raspail). However the National guard rameutée by Lamartine and Ledru-Rollin, besieges the Town hall and dislodges the demonstrators of them.

Consequences of the demonstration

The Parliament and the Executive commission take again in hand the situation. The republican chiefs are stopped (they will be translated into High court during the winter 1849). Caussidière is dislocated of its functions of prefect of police (he resigns of its mandate of deputy) and is replaced by a banker manceau Found-Chauvel. The general De Courtray, ordering the National guard of Paris, which had shown some sympathies to the manisfestants is stopped and replaced by the general Clément Thomas. Jules Favre, in vain tries to obtain from the assembly the committal for trial of Louis Blanc. Buchez, which had been shown without reaction vis-a-vis the demonstrators, loses the presidency of the Parliament where the ex-prosecutor succeeds to him rouennais Senard. The conservatives then have the freehands to carry out the offensive against their pet peeve: the national Workshops.

Sources

Philippe Vigier, the Second Republic , PUF, collection do I That-Know?
Georges Duveau, 1848 , Gallimard, collection Ideas.

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