The King was as dejected as the Parisian citizens, and still more anxious.  For several months he had frequently fallen into very low spirits, which was attributed to his grief at the death of his only sister, Madame Adelaide of Orleans, whose life had been always intimately associated with his, and who had just expired (December, 1847).  His most intimate friends urged him to charm away the crisis by changing his Ministry.  He still resisted, but every hour less vigorously.  The Cabinet was not even informed of his perplexities.  “Concessions forced by violence from all the legal powers are not a means of safety,” said Duchatel; “one defeat would quickly bring a second.  In the Revolution there was not much time between that of June 20th and August 10th, and to-day things advance more quickly than in those times.  Events, like travellers, now go by steam.”

The truth, however, was now becoming manifest, both in the King’s mind as to the tendency of his ideas, and in the eyes of his ministers as to the determination now being formed in the palace.  By the very statement of the question it was resolved upon.  Guizot and Duchatel thus expressed it to the King:  “It is for your Majesty to decide.  The Cabinet is ready either to defend to the last the King and conservative policy which we profess, or to accept without a murmur the King’s determination to call other men to power.  At present, more than ever, in order to continue the struggle successfully, the Cabinet has need of the King’s decided support.  As soon as the public should learn, as they inevitably must, that the King hesitates, the Cabinet would lose all moral influence and be unable to accomplish their task.”  The King seemed still in perplexity, and said he should prefer to abdicate.  “You cannot say that, my dear,” replied the Queen, who was present at the interview with the Dukes of Nemours and Montpensier; “you belong to France, and not to yourself.”

“That is true,” said the King, as Louis XVI had formerly said to Malesherbes; “I am more unfortunate than the ministers, I cannot resign.”  The ministers then in King Louis Philippe’s Cabinet had not resigned.  The King, having made his decision, said, “It is with the keenest regret that I separate myself from you, but necessity and the safety of the monarchy demand this sacrifice.  My will gives way; much time will be needed to regain the ground I am about to lose.”  There were tears in many eyes.  The King sent for Mole, and Guizot himself announced to the Chamber of Deputies the change of the Ministry.

There was much of astonishment and sorrow in the parliamentary majority, always strongly attached to the leaders they had so long followed in spite of occasional vagaries and good-natured weakness.  The imminence of a great danger engrossed their minds, together with the consciousness of a great defeat.  The anxiety of the Chambers was reechoed in the Tuileries; and for the last time the ministers assembled there, anxious at that last moment of their power to maintain order, now everywhere threatened.  Count Mole was laboriously occupied in the formation of a cabinet.  “To think that this resolution was formed in a quarter of an hour!” exclaimed the King when engaged with Jayr in some administrative details.