Chapter 7 - Constant's legacy

Summary

THE 1830 REVOLUTION

The years surrounding the Law on Sacrilege (1824–5) were a watershed moment in French history. The stubbornly rightward thrust of Charles X's policies and his support of “Jesuitism” alienated large sections of the population; increasingly, it became evident that his reign was doomed. Starting with the November 1827 elections, the liberals made dramatic gains. Charles' response to the expressed will of the voters was to take even more drastic steps to reinforce his rule. Eventually, during the so-called Three Glorious Days of July 27–29, 1830, the people of Paris rose up and replaced him with his more pliable cousin, Louis-Philippe d'Orléans.

Constant's contribution to these events, and thus to the survival of constitutional government in France, was critical. Throughout the Restoration, he had tirelessly advocated liberal causes in the Chamber of Deputies and in his copious writings. He had also been an excellent tactician for the liberal opposition and an effective grassroots organizer. Constant was prodigious. While parliamentary work took up most of his time, he also wrote an extraordinary number of articles for liberal newspapers. From January to August 1828, he made forty-nine speeches in the Chamber; then, between April and June 1829, he published twenty-four articles in the Courrier français alone.