Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/286

244 ORIGIN OF THE WAR OF 1853 Cii a p. of many other money speculations, Fersigny cuuld !_ truly say that he had made it for years his profes- sion, and had even tried as well as he could to raise it -to the dignity of a real political principle. But the part entrusted to Persigny on this occa- sion, though possibly an important one, was not of a conspicuous sort. It is said that, the firm- ness of the Prince Louis Bonaparte being distrusted by his comrades, Persigny, who was of a sanguine, hopeful nature, was to remain constantly at the Elys<$e in order to receive the tidings which would be coming in during the period of danger, and prevent them from reaching the President in such a way as to shake him and cause despondency. At all events, it would seem that the hand of Persigny was not the hand employed to execute the measures of the Elysde ; and to this circum- stance he owes it that he will not always have to stand in the same sentences with Morny, and Fleury, and Maupas, and St Arnaud, formerly Le Boy. ' contrivance It was necessary to take measures for paralys- lysingthe ing the National Guard ; but the force was under Guar*' the command of General Perrot, a man whose hon- esty could not be tampered with. To dismiss him suddenly would be to excite suspicion. The following expedient was adopted : The President appointed as Chief of the Staff of the National Guard a person named Vieyra. The past life and the then repute of this person Avere of such a kind, that General Perrot, it seems, conceived himself insulted by the nomination, and instantly resigned.