Make France Great Again-Chapter 132 Applying for a State of Martial Law

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is already July 1st.

The minor heat is approaching, and not a cloud graces the sky over Paris. The summer sun blazes down every street in Paris, and even the air carries a scorching sensation. People on the streets hasten their steps to return home under the blazing sun.

Despite such hot weather, the Paris First District Supreme Court is bustling as ever.

Gentlemen in black tailcoats and high top hats sit sweating in the audience, wiping uncontrollable beads of sweat from their foreheads with handkerchiefs. Some informal gentlemen even loosen their tailcoats to reveal white shirts in an attempt to catch a trace of coolness.

Today marks the most crowded day in the Supreme Court since the establishment of the Second Republic. The audience seats were fully booked two hours before the trial commenced, forcing many to squeeze into the corridors of the audience seating. Soon, both left and right corridors are equally packed, with people eagerly waiting for the trial to begin.

It’s said they’re going to try some high-profile figure.

"The big show is about to begin!" Thiers turned to Count Morel beside him and said.

Count Morel nodded in response, "Indeed, it’s an exciting spectacle!"

"Exactly!" Thiers smiled back and then regrettably glanced at the empty seat beside him, sighing, "Too bad, Prime Minister Barrow isn’t here!"

"Barrow? Humph! That guy is almost losing himself in the position of Prime Minister! He almost forgets who initially pushed him to that position!" Count Molé snorted in derision.

At 10 a.m., the Supreme Court officially began.

Five judges, wearing wigs and black robes, or rather, grand justices, slowly emerged from the corridor beside the podium. They bore stern expressions and solemnly seated themselves on the podium.

The grand justice in the middle tapped the gavel and said solemnly, "Silence!"

The disturbance in the audience instantly quieted down, all eyes focused on the five grand justices on the podium.

The five grand justices placed their hands on the five constitutions laid on the podium, solemnly swearing to uphold the constitution and impartially enforce the law.

After the oath was completed, the grand justice again tapped the gavel and stated resonantly, "The trial begins now, summon the defendant Lederer Roland... to the court!"

Under the escort of the judicial police, Lederer Roland and his scores of associates arrived at the defendant’s position.

Next, the five grand justices verified some information about Lederer Roland. Once confirmed, the court formally proceeded to the litigation phase.

"Now let the prosecutor read the indictment!" The grand justice turned to the prosecutor and said solemnly.

"Upon lawful examination, it was found that around 9 a.m. on June 13, 1849, the defendant Lederer Roland..., attempted to incite rebellion within the National Guard aiming to overthrow the Republic... Defendant, what have you to say in your defense?" the prosecutor questioned Lederer Roland and his associates.

Lederer Roland, after a brief silence, raised his head and resolutely declared, "I am innocent!"

Then, pointing at the grand justices in the court, he shouted hoarsely, "It is you who are guilty! You accomplices! You are destroying the sacred constitution of the Republic, and you..." Lederer Roland pointed towards members of the Order Faction in the audience.

A commotion emerged from the corridor behind the audience. Many Parisians, approaching the trial with a spectator’s mentality, began to whisper, while some small-time reporters buried their heads, recording the trial content to ensure it would catch more eyes when published tomorrow.

Seeing the increasingly chaotic scene, the grand justice tapped the gavel, shouting, "Order! No noise in the Supreme Court!"

The murmuring in the corridor ceased, and the grand justice continued, "Defendant, do you have any appeals?"

"I accuse you!" Lederer Roland pointed at the grand justices, continuing to roar, "I accuse you of turning black into white and accusing without distinction! I accuse the National Assembly, accuse the Cabinet, accuse the Government!"

Lederer Roland’s voice grew louder, and to preserve the trial’s "legitimacy," several judicial officers had to fully restrain the agitated Lederer Roland.

Under the solemn declaration of the grand justice, Lederer Roland and his associates were sentenced to 10-15 years of imprisonment. They would be exiled to colonies in South America, never to return to France for the rest of their lives.

"Now, I announce the Supreme Court’s judgment confirmed!"

The five grand justices departed in succession, and Lederer Roland and others were escorted back to prison by the judicial police.

"A just trial!" Thiers, having witnessed the entire farce, praised.

"Indeed! A just trial!" Count Morel nodded in agreement as well.

The following morning.

The major newspapers have all published news about the trial of Lederer Roland, and the vast majority of them have maintained an attitude consistent with the government towards Lederer Roland.

They angrily condemned Lederer Roland as an ambitious person attempting to overthrow the Republic, a remnant of "Robespierre."

Only a few sparse newspapers viewed Lederer Roland as a "fighter" for the Constitution.

Jerome Bonaparte, residing in the Elysee Palace, sat on the sofa reading a newspaper called "People’s Daily": "A farcical trial has completely expelled the Mountain Party from the assembly, the Janus-faced Constitutional Republic has revealed the other side of its legislative power, and the Supreme Court, with its clownish demeanor, announced the trial contents against Lederer Roland and others..."

As he continued reading, Jerome Bonaparte felt more and more that the style of this article was very similar to a certain someone, no, it should be said exactly the same, with its pungency.

However, that person should still be in Prussia!

Jerome Bonaparte suddenly recalled that in the original history, it seemed someone had already been expelled from Prussia and should now be residing in France.

Jerome Bonaparte quickly flipped to the back of the "People’s Daily," where in the byline section he saw the name of the person he most wanted to see, yet feared to meet.

"Karl Marx!" Jerome Bonaparte muttered softly, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

Once envisaging having a cross-era dialogue with him, Jerome Bonaparte now had no desire to see this name, or rather, he never wanted to meet him.

With the passage of time, he had become the leader of the new era, creating a specter that the entire capitalist world feared.

Whereas he himself had become a conservative, a specter of Bonapartism.

Jerome Bonaparte and Karl Marx had completely become two opposing figures.

Of course, Jerome Bonaparte did not think he could compare himself with someone like Dr. Ma, as he was at best a poor imitator wearing his uncle’s guise, just as Dr. Ma had said.

While Jerome Bonaparte was lost in thought, Percy entered to report to Jerome Bonaparte: "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Barro requests an audience!"

Snapping back to reality, Jerome Bonaparte placed the "People’s Daily" on the walnut coffee table and commanded Percy to bring in Audion Barrot. He then returned to his desk to await Audion Barrot’s arrival.

Led by Percy, Audion Barrot entered the study. He immediately said after sitting across from the President: "Mr. President, I request martial law in the Paris region!"

"Martial law?" Jerome Bonaparte spread his hands and shook his head: "Prime Minister, Lederer Roland and his comrades have already been judged by the Supreme Court, there’s no need for martial law in Paris at this stage!"

"Mr. President!" Audion Barrot explained to Jerome Bonaparte: "From what I understand, although the main culprits like Lederer Roland have been captured and judged, some associates are still entrenched in Seine Province and the Outer Province. If we cannot eliminate these influences, the whole of Paris and France could be at risk of being overturned at any moment."

Although Audion Barrot’s words were somewhat alarmist, upon careful thought, Jerome Bonaparte realized that martial law seemed to be all advantageous for him.

He could completely shift the blame to the Order Party and split the benefits equally between the two sides.

"Prime Minister, how do you plan to implement martial law?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired of Audion Barrot, not believing Audion Barrot would hastily impose martial law without a suitable plan.

"Mr. President, this is the plan drafted by the Cabinet!" Audion Barrot opened his briefcase and handed the plan to Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte leafed through the contents of "martial law" page by page.

Barro’s martial law was divided into two parts, one of which dealt with restrictions on newspaper publications. The plan indicated that apart from some specified newspapers, all unauthorized newspapers would be considered illegal, any newspaper beyond the "National Newspaper" would be banned, and there was also the consolidation of journalists in Paris, with some "foreign journalists" being marked as "expelled" by Barro, including the well-known Karl Marx and Proudhon.

The other part concerned the reorganization of the military and issues with clubs. Barro planned to gradually investigate troops inclined towards the Mountain Party and weed them out one by one, while disbanding the entire 8th, 9th, and 12th corps of the National Guard. Plans for clubs included forcibly disbanding all clubs, and any secret groups would be immediately dissolved upon discovery.

Having finished reading Audion Barrot’s "martial law," Jerome Bonaparte couldn’t help but marvel at Audion Barrot’s ruthlessness.

The saying "where you stand depends on where you sit" never gets old. The Barro who played the opposition advocating for freedom of speech in the Orleans Kingdom had become the kind of person he once despised.

It can only be said that power changes people.

Returning the draft martial law to Audion Barrot, Jerome Bonaparte said: "I think we need to make some changes!"

"Go ahead!" Audion Barrot responded.

"I hope the cabinet is also moved a bit!" Jerome Bonaparte saw the vigilant look in Audion Barrot’s eyes, and explained: "Mr. Barrow, we must draw and incorporate some talents from the Republican Faction!"

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