On March 1, 1815, Napoleon returned from Elba and began the final act in
the great drama of his life. In a last effort to win Lafayette to his
side, he sent his brother Joseph Bonaparte on a special mission to
Lafayette with word that the latter's name was placed first upon
Napoleon's list of peers. Joseph returned with a refusal. "Should I ever
again appear upon the sea of public life," Lafayette had replied, "it
will only be as a representative of the people."
Waterloo!--and Napoleon disappeared forever from the world drama. Then
came back the Bourbons, first Louis XVIII, followed by Charles X. Step
by step, under the Bourbon _régime_, autocracy began to regain its grip
upon France. The year 1830 opened ominously. The rumblings of 1789 were
again heard. The French Chamber of Deputies protested against the
growing usurpations of the crown. The King boldly defied them, dissolved
the Chamber, annulled the electoral laws then in force, reduced the
number of deputies nearly one-half, and materially changed the
conditions of suffrage and representation.
Lafayette was at his country estate, La Grange, when the _Moniteur_ with
a copy of these decrees reached him. He immediately set out for Paris.
Revolt had already commenced, and war was raging in the streets of the
city. The revolutionists wanted a leader and all eyes turned to
Lafayette. He was called by acclamation to command the National Guard.
He was now seventy-two years of age, but he accepted the call.
Immediately he established his headquarters in Paris and passed the
whole night inspecting barriers and preparing for a renewal of the
battle on the morrow. At dawn it began again and the National Guard
under Lafayette drove back the royal troops and carried all before them.
On July 29, 1830, the Chamber of Deputies reassembled, organized a
provisional government, and formally invested Lafayette with the powers
of military dictator of France. "Liberty shall triumph," he replied in
his letter of acceptance, "or we will perish together."
Charles X, seeing the hopelessness of the royal cause, sent a deputation
to Lafayette to announce the revocation of the obnoxious decrees and the
nomination of a new and liberal ministry. "It is too late," Lafayette
sent word back, "all conciliation is impossible. The royal family has
ceased to reign." Thus ended the dynasty of the elder branch of the
Bourbons on the throne of France. The deposed king was allowed to pass
unmolested to another country.
The people who had accomplished the revolution, especially the citizen
army, loudly demanded a republic with Lafayette for its president.
Others begged him to mount the throne himself. But to all these
entreaties he turned a deaf ear. He thought not of himself but of France
alone.
A constitutional monarchy, under Louis Phillippe, followed. It was
successful at first, until the old, old story of attempted autocratic
usurpation was again repeated by the monarch. He was forcibly ejected,
and the Republic of 1848 was formed. But long ere this, moving gently
down the stream of life, the journey had ended, and Lafayette slept with
his fathers. _Vive l'ésprit de Lafayette!_
"The stars shall fade away, the sun himself
Grow dim with age, and nature sink in years,
But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth,
Unhurt amidst the war of elements,
The wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds."