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Techniques of Repression: The Control of Popular Protest in Mid-Nineteenth-Century France*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

Roger Price
Roger Price
Affiliation:
University of East Anglia
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Extract

The purpose of the article is to examine the official response to the widespread series of disorders occurring in France following poor harvests in the 1840s and 1850s. A large number of studies of popular protest have been written in recent years. Most have failed to consider the forms of repression employed, and yet this is an essential means of understanding both the scale and the characteristics of protest. Our essential concern is thus with the techniques of repression employed in this period prior to the development of modern police and bureaucratic systems.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , December 1982 , pp. 859 - 887
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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References

1 See e.g. Procureur-généiral (PG) Bordeaux, 13 April 1847, in Archives nationales (hereafter AN) BB19 37; PG Orléans, 3 Feb. 1853 in AN BB30 382.

2 PG Bordeaux, 3 Feb. 1854 in AN BB30 374.

3 PG Angers, 11 Sept. 1846 in Archives historiques de la Guerre (hereafter AHG) E5 157.

4 Minister of interior to minister of agriculture, 18 Sept. 1846 in AN F11 2758.

5 General officer commanding (hereafter GOC) 16th Division militaire (hereafter DM), 3 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 158; Officer commanding (hereafter OC) gendarmerie Finistére, report on May 1847 in AN F7 4002.

6 PG Angers, 26 Aug. 1846 in AN BB19 37.

7 GOC 1st DM, 24 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 154.

8 Lieutenant gendarmerie Melle, 1 Dec. 1846; GOC 12th DM, 4 Dec. 1846 in AHG E5 157.

9 See e.g. PG Angers circular, 21 Jan. 1847 in AN BB19 37.

10 See e.g. OC gendarmerie Creuse, report on Nov. 1846 in AN F7 3978.

11 PG Rennes, circular to Procureurs-du-Roi (hereafter PRs), 29 Nov. 1845 in AN BB18 1436.

12 Payne, H. C., The police state of Louis Napoléon Bonaparte 1851–60 (Seattle, 1966) pp. 83, 110, 113, 131.Google Scholar

13 PG Bordeaux, 3 Feb. 1854 in AN BB30 374.

14 PG Orléans, 3 Feb. 1853 in AN BB30 382.

15 Payne, Police state, pp. 244–5.

16 Reports on Jan. 1857 in AN F7 4050, and AN F7 4091 respectively.

17 Procés-verbal Besançon 1851; OC gendarmerie Pyrénées-Orientales on Feb. 1856 in AN F7 4132.

18 Lieutenant gendarmerie Issoire, 16 Dec. 1846 in AHG E5 159.

19 PG Paris, 18 Feb. 1854 in AN BB30 383.

20 Minister of war to minister of interior, 2 Feb. 1847 in AN BB19 37; Payne, Police state, pp. 22, 131, 235; W. Zaniewicki, ‘L'armée française en 1848’, doctorat de 3e cycle, Univ. de Paris, 1966, p. 28.

21 OC gendarmerie Haute-Saoône on August 1846 in AN F7 4150.

22 OC gendarmerie Doubs on May 1846, Jan. and Feb. 1847 in AN F7 3985.

23 Prefect Haute-Loire to GOC 19th DM, 1 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 159; OC gendarmerie Creuse, report on Dec. 1846 in AN F7 3978.

24 PG Angers, 18 Nov. 1846 in AN BB19 37; Sous-préfet Montluçon, 26 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 159.

25 OC gendarmerie Maine-et-Loire, on Jan. 1847 in AN F7 4071; GOC 4th DM, 16 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155.

26 OC gendarmerie Corréze, 11 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 159.

27 OC gendarmerie Cher, 16 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 159; minister of interior to minister of war, 19 Mar. 1847.

28 PG Angers, 26 Aug. 1846 in AN F11 2758.

29 Brigadier gendarmerie Lencloître (Vienne), 4 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155; OC gendarmerie Saône-et-Loire report on Jan. 1847 in AN F7 4154; Lieutenant gendarmerie Bellac (Haute-Vienne) 31 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158; A. Thuillier, ‘La crise des subsistances dans la Niévre en 1846–7’, Actes du goe Congrès des sociétés savants 1965, 111 (1966).

30 See e.g. Lieutenant gendarmerie Provins (Oise), 20 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 154, describing events at Bray-sur-Seine on the 19th.

31 See e.g. PG Metz, 23 Jan. 1854 in AN BB30 380.

32 See e.g. Sous-préfet Montluçon, 26 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 159; GOC Charente, 13 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 156.

33 PG Bourges, 17 Jan. 1847 in AN BB19 37; Prefect Cher, I9Jan. 1847 in AN F11 2758. For an analysis of these disorders see R. Price, The modernisation of rural France: communications networks and agricultural market structures in the nineteenth century (forthcoming).

34 See e.g. OC gendarmerie Eure-et-Loir, report on Dec. 1846 in AN F7 3996.

35 GOC 5th DM, 5 July 1847 in AHG E5 156.

36 OC gendarmerie Calvados, on July 1847 in AN F7 3946; Brigadier gendarmerie Lencloître (Vienne) 5 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155.

37 OC gendarmerie Saône-et-Loire, 1 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 159.

38 OC 7th Légion gendarmerie, 17 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158.

39 See e.g. PG Rennes, 26 Jan. 1847 re national guards at Loudeac in AN BB19 41.

40 PG Bourges, 19 Jan. 1847 in AN BB19 37.

41 See e.g. OC 7th Légion gendarmerie, 28 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 157.

42 See e.g. GOC 4th DM, 13 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155, report on discussion between himself, GOC Vienne and Prefect Vienne; GOC 15th DM, 25 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158.

43 OC gendarmerie Finistére on Jan. 1847 in AN F7 4002.

44 OC 7th Légion gendarmerie, 28 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158.

45 OC gendarmerie, Meurthe, on June 1846 in AN F7 4088.

46 GOC 4th DM, 11 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155; GOC 15th DM, 16 Jan. 1847; GOC Indre to GOC 4th DM, n.d., in AHG E5 158; OC gendarmerie Ille-et-Villaine 10 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 157; OC gendarmerie Nord on May 1847 in AN F7 4106; GOC 18th DM, 10 Aug. 1847 in AHG E5 159.

47 GOC Haut-Rhin, 27 June 1847; GOC 5th DM, 27 June 1847 in AHG E5 157.

48 Prefect Indre, 27 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158.

49 28 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 153 (emphasis in the original).

50 GOC 1st DM, 19 and 24 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 154.

51 Minister of agriculture to minister of war, 19 Nov 1846 in AHG E5 159, and confidential circular from minister of interior, 18 Jan. 1847, quoted by A. Thuillier, ‘La crise’, pp. 258–9.

52 GOC 4th DM, 19 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158; GOC 10th DM, 2 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 156; minister of interior to minister of war, 18 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 157; GOC 1st DM, 31 Mar. 1847 in AHG E6 154.

53 OC 7th Légion gendarmerie, 22 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 155; minister of interior to minister of war, 23 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158; Prefect Rhône, 25 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 159.

54 PG Angers, 4 and 16 Oct. 1853 in AN BB30 432.

55 E.g. OC gendarmerie Sarthe, 7 Jan. 1848 in AN F7 4158; Paris préfect of police, 22 Sept. 1867 in Papiers et correspondence de la famille impériale, 11 (Paris, 1870), 267.Google Scholar

56 See e.g. GOC 4th DM, 2 Apr. 1847 in AHG E5 155 contrasting Legitimists and Republicans in Sarthe.

57 1 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 159.

58 OC gendarmerie Finistére, 15 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 157; OC gendarmerie Doubs, report on January 1847 in AN F7 3985.

59 Le Siècle, 7 Mar. 1847.

60 Minister of interior to minister of war, 26 Jan. 1847 and latter's reply in AHG E5 154. 61 In AHG E5 159 and E5 157 respectively.

62 In AHG E5 158.

63 GOC 1st DM, 31 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 154.

64 Minister of interior to minister of war, 9 and 26 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 157 and E5 158 respectively.

65 See e.g. Mayor of Bar-le-Duc, to minister of interior, 1 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 154; GOC 15 DM, 28 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 158.

66 GOC 12th DM, 28 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 158.

67 Zaniewicki, ‘L'armée française’, p. 24; GOC 11 th DM, 5 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 156.

68 GOC 1st DM, 5 July 1847, in AHG E5 154; OC gendarmerie Finistère, report on Feb. 1847 in AN F7 4002.

69 GOC Lot-et-Garonne, 1 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 156.

70 Letter to M. de Loynes of 24 Nov. 1846 in E5 154; GOC 1st DM, 25 and 26 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 155 and 153; Lt-Col. L'Heureux, attached to ministry of war, reporting from Tours, 16 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158.

71 GOC 5th DM, 27 June 1847 in AHG E5 156.

72 See e.g. GOC 13th DM, 28 June 1847 in AHG E5 157.

73 OC gendarmerie Indre-et-Loire on Nov. 1846 in AN F7 4028; GOC 1st DM, 19 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 154.

74 OC 7th Légion gendarmerie, 31 Dec. 1846 in AHG E5 155; PG Riom, 1 Feb. 1847 in AN BB19 42; GOC Place de Paris to GOC 1st DM, 30 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 159.

75 Minister of interior to minister of war, 3 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 156; GOC 4th DM, 11 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155.

76 GOC 9th DM, 14 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 159.

77 GOC 12th DM, 30 Apr. 1847 in AHG E5 157.

78 Prefect Corrèze to minister of war, 13Mar. 1847 and minister's reply, 19 Mar. i847 in AHG E5 159.

79 Vidalenc, J., ‘La crise des subsistances de 1817 dans la Seine Infèrieure’, Actes du 93e Congrès des sociétés savants (Paris, 1971), p. 342; GOC 1st DM, 14 Apr. 1847 in AHG E5 159; minister of interior to minister of war, 2 Apr. 1847 in AHG E5 159.Google Scholar

80 Ministry of war internal memo, ‘Mouvements de troupes ordonnées par suite de troubles survenus à cause de la cherté des grains’, in AHG E5 153.

81 See e.g. Maréchal de, Castellane, Journal, 111 (Paris, 1896), 377, entry of 15 Jan. 1847.Google Scholar

82 Mayor of Montluçon (Allier) to prefect, 23 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 159.

83 See e.g. OC gendarmerie Cher, 16 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 159.

84 OC gendarmerie Indre on June 1846 in AN F7 4025. On this tradition see Price, R., ‘Popular disturbances in the French provinces after the July Revolution of 1830’, European Studies Review, (1971), p. 336.Google Scholar

85 GOC 3rd DM, 30 Aug. 1846 in AHG E5 154; 7th Légion gendarmerie, 28 Nov. 1846 in AHG E5 157 respectively.

86 OC gendarmerie Eure-et-Loir, 20 Mar. 1847 in AHG E5 154; PR Lille, 7 May 1847 in AN BB19 38; GOC 1st DM, 29 Apr., 14 and 30 May in AHG E5 154.

87 OC gendarmerie Pas-de-Calais, on June 1847 in AN F7 4118; PR Rennes circular of 29 Nov. 1845 in AN BB18 1436.

88 OC gendarmerie Pas-de-Calais on Dec. 1846 in AN F7 4118; Brigadier gendarmerie Lencloître, 5 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155.

89 OC gendarmerie Maine-et-Loire on Sept. 1846 in AN F7 4071.

90 PG Angers, 26 Aug. 1846 in AN BB19 37; GOC 4th DM, 3 Dec. 1846 in AHG E5 155.

91 See e.g. OC 13th Légion, 2 Feb. 1847 in AHG E5 156.

92 GOC Indre to GOC 15 DM, n.d., in AHG E5 158.

93 GOC 15th DM, 16 and 23 Jan. 1847; ministry of war memo of 21 May 1847 in AHG E5 158.

94 GOC 15th DM, 25 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158.

95 PG Bourges, 15 Jan. 1847 in AN BB19 37; OC 7th Légion gendarmerie, 22 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155; GOC 15th DM, 21 and 27 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158.

96 Prefect's report quoted by Dautry, J. in preface of Vallès, J., Les blouses (Paris, n.d.), p. 139; minister of interior to minister of justice, 3 Aug. 1847 in AN BB21 502B.Google Scholar

97 GOC 13th DM, 27 Nov. 1846; Lieutenant gendarmerie St-Amand, 2 Dec. 1846 in AHG E5 158; OC gendarmerie Cher on Nov. 1846 in AN F7 3959.

98 PG Angers, 7 Sept. 1846 in AHG E5 157.

99 OC gendarmerie Ille-et-Villaine, report on Jan. 1847 in AN F7 4022.

100 Gendarmerie lieutenant Bellac (Haute-Vienne), 31 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 158. See slightly different account in Corbin, A., Archaisme et modernité en Limousin au 19e sièle (Paris, 1975), pp. 498–9.Google Scholar

101 Procureur-impérial (hereafter PI) Bordeaux, 2 May 1854 in AN BB24 448–56; PI Dreux, 8 Dec. 1854 and telegraph despatch secrétaire-géneral of prefecture of Eure-et-Loir to PG Paris, 2 p.m. 8 Dec. 1854 in AN BB18 1537.

102 See e.g. circular from prefect Allier to sous-préfets and mayors, 16 Nov. 1846 in AN F11 2758; and from PG Rennes to PRs, 29 Nov. 1845 in AN BB18 1436, and minister of justice to PG Nancy, 23 June 1846 in AN BB18 1444–7.

103 OC 7th Légion gendarmerie, 8 Dec. 1846 in AHG E5 155; PG Besançon, 13 Dec. 1856 in AN BB24 500–6; PG Orléans, 31 Dec. 1847 in AN BB24 327–47.

104 Report on extraordinary assizes of liie-et-Villaine, 15–30 Mar. 1847 in AN BB20 141; report on assizes of Côtes-du-Nord, 2nd trimester 1847, ibid.

105 PG Angers, 11 Sept. 1846 in AN F11 2758.

106 PG Caen, 9 Dec. 1847 in AN BB18 1454.

107 OC 7th Légion gendarmerie, 22 Jan. 1847 in AHG E5 155.

108 Ministry of interior confidential circular to prefects of 18 Jan. 1847, quoted by A. Thuillier, ‘La crise’, pp. 258–9; see also reports in AN BB24 327–427.

109 See e.g. Prefect Doubs, 3 Nov. 1846 in AN BB19 39.