The U.S. Ambassador to France, Elihu Washburn, witnessed the whole process of this huge demonstration that shocked the world!
In his notes, he recorded scenes from the demonstrations.
"The death of journalist Victor Nova has completely ignited the anger in the hearts of the entire Paris working class. The citizens have reached an unbearable level against the emperor's brutal rule!"
"There were not only workers and ordinary citizens in the parade, but also the elderly, women and children. They shouted slogans and took to the streets to protest against the emperor's brutal rule. The huge crowds of people are no longer enough to describe the spectacular scene at this moment! "
"This is not a disorderly agitation, this is an organized and orderly event! I can clearly see that there are different workers' representatives in the team, who are organizing the demonstration as grassroots cadres. It is very likely that their identities are Union leaders at all levels!”
"Although the scene was chaotic, it was still orderly. There were no violent incidents on the street where more than 250,000 people gathered! Although there were some violent workers who smashed some shop windows along the street, most of them were just to throw things into the room. It’s just a flyer.”
"It's really hard to imagine that there were no robberies, fights, or other violent incidents during the entire demonstration. The occasional minor disturbances were quickly suppressed by the organizers."
"What's even more unbelievable is that during the entire demonstration, the French authorities certainly maintained great restraint, and the police were monitoring from a distance. No one stepped forward to stop them, and the military camps in the city were also closed. There were no soldiers on the streets at the gate to help the police maintain order."
"This is really a gratifying signal! It seems that Napoleon III has expressed the possibility of reconciliation with practical actions. It seems that the situation in France is developing for the better..."
"Oh my God, what's going on? There's a commotion in the streets, and a gorgeous carriage is surrounded by a parade!"
Facts have proved that demonstrations have never been gentle and harmonious since ancient times. No matter how well the organizers control them at the beginning, as time goes by, the fire in people's hearts will burn stronger and the situation will become more and more out of control. more.
"Damn it! It's Earl Phil's wife, that vicious old woman! My brother died in their marble workshop, and in the end he didn't even get any pension!" Someone in the crowd shouted loudly.
"Seize her! Drag her off the carriage! This damn vicious woman, let him pay for my brother's life!"
Count Phil's wife was also an unlucky person. She took a carriage and circled three or four streets, trying her best to avoid these crazy parades and escape out of the city. However, she never expected that she would eventually let the hater of him get away. The workers were blocked.
The business of mining and processing marble is inherently dangerous. In the factory, marbles smashed legs and feet, and even lives were often lost.
In the eyes of the countess, life and death are determined by destiny, and wealth is determined by heaven. When recruiting workers, the risks have been clearly stated.
The boss will never care about the life and death of your workers. Your injury can only prove that your hands and feet are not agile enough, and it can only prove that your academic skills are not good enough.
Why are there so many workers in the factory and no one else is injured, but you are the only one who is? Why is it that no one else died but you? This only shows that you have no ability and that you are a short-lived ghost.
Therefore, in his family's marble workshop, there has been no compensation at all over the years. No matter whether you lost your limbs or your life, there has never been a single franc in compensation.
But what she thought was a matter of course, in the eyes of these workers, it was heinous and rebellious!
This opportunity just happened to happen today. Workers filled with hatred blocked her carriage, smashed the door and dragged the duchess out of the carriage alive.
"Damn old woman, give back my brother's life! He was smashed to death in your factory, and you didn't even get a franc's pension! You vicious woman, give back my brother's life!"
At this time, the emotions of the people demonstrating were at their most sensitive. The large number of people gave them the illusion that the law was not punishable. At this moment, they felt that the whole world was no match for them, and their courage was beyond the sky!
"The vicious capitalist and those nobles are all vampires! Beat him to death!" There was a sudden cry of beating and killing among the crowd.
The old woman and the maid were so frightened that they hugged each other like little chickens. They knelt on the ground and shivered, shouting helplessly, "God bless! God bless me! Please God bless me!"
"I'm really not a murderer. I really didn't kill anyone. I really didn't kill anyone. Please let me go. I can give you money. I can give you whatever money you want."
"We don't want money, we just want our brothers' lives! Give us back our lives!"
Just when these people were about to be cruel, several organizers of the demonstration squeezed in from the crowd, "Everyone stop! Everyone stop! We are not here to be thugs today, we are here to show our strength to the world." The civilized and polite side! We want the whole world to know that we are the righteous ones!"
"Do you want to imitate those despicable nobles who can shoot our reporters without going through legal trial? Do you want to be like them and kill these people without going through any trial?"
"Even if they are criminals, they must go through legal trials before they can be punished! You are wrong to use lynching! Back off, you all back off!"
"My destination today is Père Lachaise Cemetery. I am not asking you to go down the street shouting and killing! Let them go, let this old woman go..."
At the critical moment, the organizers of the demonstrations played a decisive role. These people are all well-known among the workers. Some of them are doctors, some are lawyers, and some are factory foremans. They are all union leaders with good character and wide connections.
With the persuasion of these organizers and leaders, these irritable workers finally regained a little bit of their calmness. They clenched their fists, looked at the frightened old woman, and suppressed the anger in their hearts!
Finally, the worker whose brother died stomped forward and spit a mouthful of thick phlegm directly into the old woman's face!
"You are lucky today. You vicious snake, I will not let you go. When the new government is established, I will be the first to take you to court!"
"Yes! That's right, after our government is established, we will bring all these despicable vampires to court, and then punish him with the law!" The crowd suddenly echoed.
Bah, bah, bah... The demonstrators walked past the old woman one by one, spitting thick phlegm on her body.
