Chapter 5

THE CHAMBER OF 1815.

1815-1816.

Fall of M. de Talleyrand and Fouche.--Formation of the Duke de Richelieu's Cabinet.--My Connection as Secretary-General of the Administration of Justice with M. de Marbois, Keeper of the Great Seal.--Meeting and Aspect of the Chamber of Deputies.--Intentions and Attitude of the Old Royalist Faction.--Formation, and Composition of a New Royalist Party.--Struggle of Classes under the cloak of Parties.--Provisional Laws.--Bill of Amnesty.--The Centre becomes the Government Party, and the Right, the Opposition.--Questions upon the connection between the State and the Church.--State of the Government beyond the Chambers.--Insufficiency of its Resistance to the spirit of Re-action.--The Duke of Feltri and General Bernard.--Trial of Marshal Ney.--Controversy between M. de Vitrolles and Me.--Closing of the Session.--Modifications in the Cabinet.--M. Laine Minister of the Interior.--I leave the Ministry of Justice and enter the State Council as Master of Requests.--The Cabinet enters into Contests with the Right-hand Party.--M. Decazes.--Position of MM. Royer-Collard and De Serre.--Opposition of M. de Chateaubriand.--The Country declares against the Chamber of Deputies.--Efforts of M. Decazes to bring about a Dissolution.--The King determines on it.--Decree of the 5th of September, 1816. 97