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Tocqueville, Alexis de, 1805-1859

"Conversations of Alexis de Tocqueville with Nassau William Senior from 1834 to 1859, Volume 2"


And perhaps we ought to have inquired. We busy ourselves about our own
affairs, and neglect too much those of other countries. In that sense
you have a right to say that we chose to be ignorant, since our conduct
was such as necessarily to make us ignorant. But it was not because Louis
Napoleon was our ally that we chose to be ignorant, but because we
habitually turn our eyes from the domestic affairs of the Continent, as
things in which we have seldom a right to interfere, and in which, when
we do interfere, we do more harm than good.'
We talked of the manner in which the _loi de surete publique_ has been
carried out. And I mentioned 600 as the number of those who had suffered
under it, as acknowledged to me by Blanchard in the beginning of March.
'It is much greater now,' said Lanjuinais. 'Berryer on his return from
Italy, a week ago, slept in Marseilles. He was informed that more than
900 persons had passed through Marseilles, _deportes_ under the new law
to Algeria. They were of all classes: artisans and labourers mixed with
men of the higher and middle classes. To these must be added those
transported to Cayenne, who were sent by way of Havre.


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