John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[64] of patriotism and fidelity, Dana as early as December of that year did not hesitate to declare that he had “no faith in the sincerity of Louis Napoleon's adherence to the republic,” and expressed the belief that “he would rather be emperor than president.” In this epigrammatic opinion Dana's insight had made him prophetic, while in others dealing with more complicated subjects, as for instance in the expression which he credits to “a shrewd observer,” that “the ultimate triumph of socialism is certain,” he was at least premature.

Dana's first letter from Paris was written June 29, 1848, and gives a graphic account of the contest which was raging in the streets between the temporary government, representing the conservative interests of society, and the proletariat, composed of the working-men who wanted better wages and conditions, assisted by the professional agitators, who wanted notoriety or social change. It will be recalled that Louis Philippe had been deposed and driven out early in the year, the monarchy had been replaced by the republic, and General Cavaignac had been called to the head of the provisional government with absolute authority to restore and maintain peace. The government had undertaken to find work for the unemployed in and about Paris, but as it had neither workshops nor business organizations, neither factories nor machinery, and was without knowledge of what the public stood in need, it was ignorant of what to produce or how to find a market for it. In pursuance of its benevolent but fatuous policy, the workmen were in one instance set to work wheeling earth from one side of the river to the other, and when they had no more room in which to pile it up, they were required to wheel it back to the place from which they took it. In another they were sent to the country with the promise that work would be ready for them, but the country authorities, having no work for