THE OVERTHROW OF THIERS.                  297
ment ; and while they were members of the government
of the Republic, they were doing all they could to destroy
it. The coalition had its troubles and its quarrels, and
there was a great deal of crimination and recrimina-
tion.
It was the fertile brain, the untiring energy and the
political ability and skill of M. Rouher, called the "Vice-
Regent of the Empire " before the fall of Napoleon, which
had organized the coalition which upset the government
of M. Thiers ; but his well-laid scheme went all wrong.
Instead of inuring to the Imperialists, it played them
out completely in France.
The National Assembly took a recess in August, 1873,
until the following November. There is generally more
political quiet in France when the Chamber is not in ses-
sion, but at this particular time there was a great deal of
political talk and discussion apropos of a change of gov-
ernment. M. Thiers had spoken with no uncertain sound
and had indicated a determination to make war on the
coalition. The fact that Marshal MacMahon, who was a
reactionist, had been placed at the head of the army, gave
the opposition great strength. M. Thiers had only been
upset by fourteen majority ; but as soon as MacMahon
came into power a large number of members, who had
stood by M. Thiers, went openly into the camp of the
new President. When the recess of the Assembly took
place, this majority of fourteen had reached one hundred
and thirty, and here was illustrated the truth that "his-
tory repeats itself." It was in that Assembly very much
as it was in the National Convention of the First Revo-
lution ; there was a large class of men who were known
as "The Plain," in derision, "the Belly" {le ventre)—
men without principle, firmness or courage, but a float-
ing, trimming, undecided mass, who went first with  one