Cavaignac and the June Revolution

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Marx wrote “Cavaignac and the June Revolution” as an editorial introduction to a series of articles published under the tide “Herr Cavaignac” in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 142 (second edition), No. 145 (special supplement), No. 146, No. 147 (second edition), No. 157 (supplement) and No. 158, November 14, 17, 18 and 19, December 1 and 2, 1848. These articles were reprinted (with certain changes) from the newspaper La Presse where they were published from November 7 to 11, 1848, under the general title: “M. Cavaignac devant la Commission d'Enquête sur l'insurrection du 23 Juin”, their author being smile Girardin, editor of the newspaper, republican and later follower of Bonaparte.

E. Girardin is pitiable in his apologia for the imperialistic cretin Louis Napoleon, the “little constable”  ; he is likeable in his attacks on Cavaignac, the warrior hero of M. Marrast. Since November 7 he has been publishing in consecutive issues a philippic against the hero of the European bourgeoisie, which has fallen in love with his Arabian nightcap. Perfidious as this bourgeoisie is, it has sacrificed him to the Sipehsalar [supreme commander] Jellachich, who is now the lion of the European hucksters.

We give our readers in full the acte d'accusation made by La Presse. In contrast to all European newspapers of great or small format, we have conceived the June revolution in a way that history has confirmed. We insist on coming back from time to time to its chief factors and chief dramatis personae, since the June revolution is the centre around which the European revolution and counter-revolution revolve. The distance from the June revolution, as we stated at the time when it was taking place, marked the zenith of counter-revolution, which had to make its tour of Europe. The return to the June revolution is the real beginning of the European revolution. Therefore, back to Cavaignac, to the inventor of the state of siege.