Although the Three Glorious Days of July 1830 involved the participation of various political groups, including Republicans, the outcome led to the establishment of a second constitutional monarchy under Louis-Philippe. The ultimately benefited the liberal bourgeoisie, who were better positioned and organized to form a new regime and who generally opposed the creation of a republic. As a result, Republican opposition to the new constitutional monarchy continued.
Republicans at the dawn of the July Monarchy
Disappointment with the new regime
Following the July Revolution of 1830, known as the Three Glorious Days, France experienced a surge in political activity. New political societies were established, and organizations active during the Bourbon Restoration were revived. Notable among them were the , the Society of Human Rights, and the Society of the Constitution. The Society of the Friends of the People became particularly active, opposing the accession of King Louis-Philippe I and advocating for a republican form of government. Universities formed leagues to promote literacy, and on 21 September 1830, a public gathering commemorated the Four Sergeants of La Rochelle, who had been executed in 1822. The July Revolution also influenced events beyond France, including the Belgian Revolution against Dutch rule, uprisings in Poland against Russian authority, and movements linked to Italian unification. While absolutist governments viewed the developments in France with apprehension, liberal groups in Europe and the United States—where preparations were underway to commemorate the Treaty of Paris (1783), initially received the new regime with cautious approval. However, early optimism diminished in the following months. Expectations that the July Monarchy would embody republican ideals, as described by Adolphe Thiers as a "republic disguised as a monarchy," quickly faded. While the government distributed "July medals" to participants in the revolution, these symbolic actions did not prevent growing criticism. In September 1830, the new Minister of the Interior, François Guizot, initiated legal action against individuals accused of "inciting hatred against the king," including some who had received medals. Republicans criticized the 1830-elected chamber as lacking legitimacy, and the rejected it as inconsistent with revolutionary objectives.: Le parti républicain sous la monarchie de Juillet Although some reforms were enacted, such as the abolition of hereditary peerage, the chamber also passed restrictive measures reminiscent of those under the Restoration, including press censorship and limitations on political associations. These policies led to protests, including student strikes. At Benjamin Constant's funeral in 1830, Republican leader Ulysse Trélat declared the July Monarchy an adversary, signaling their commitment to continue the struggle.
La Fayette, who had played a significant role in supporting Louis-Philippe's accession to the throne, later expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the regime. In December 1830, he resigned as commander of the National Guard, reportedly under pressure from the government. The resignation of Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure as Minister of Justice further highlighted growing divisions between Orléanists and Republicans. In response, figures such as Armand Marrast and Cavaignac, with the support of the newspaper Le National and the Aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera society, established new republican associations aimed at countering potential legitimist threats and reinforcing republican influence. The Republican movement was divided over strategy. Leaders such as Ulysse Trélat, Étienne Cabet, Philippe Buchez, Marrast, and Garnier-Pagès supported political engagement, while others, including Cavaignac, Jules Bastide, and Étienne Arago supported insurrection. Republican mobilization was evident during the trial of Charles X's ministers. When the court sentenced them to life imprisonment rather than execution, as some Republicans had anticipated, unrest broke out, though it was quickly suppressed. Additional incidents, such as the sacking of the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois during anti-Carlist demonstrations, contributed to political instability and the eventual fall of the Laffitte ministry. It was succeeded by the led by Casimir Pierre Périer. Casimir Périer vs. the Republicans
Casimir Périer summarized his political stance with the phrase: "At home, order without sacrifice to liberty; abroad, peace without cost to honor." His position toward Republican movements during the early July Monarchy soon became apparent. Although Périer initially supported moderate reforms—such as changes to the electoral system—he opposed more radical proposals, including the remuneration of deputies, a measure promoted by Republicans to ensure broader participation in politics. At the time, deputies were not salaried, which tended to favor wealthier individuals or those dependent on government patronage. Critics argued this allowed the executive to influence modestly resourced representatives by offering civil service appointments. One illustrative case was Paul Dubois, a former Carbonari and director of Le Globe, who accepted a high-level administrative role, signaling the regime’s strategy of integrating or sidelining dissident voices.
The also implemented a broader administrative purge, removing officials affiliated with Republican associations formed after the 1830 July Revolution. This included the dismissal of local officeholders—such as mayors, judges, and prosecutors—who were perceived as sympathetic to Republicanism. Odilon Barrot and Alexandre de Laborde resigned from their respective administrative posts: Barrot from the prefecture of the Seine and Laborde from the . Eugène Cavaignac, then a junior officer, was reportedly suspended after stating he would not take arms against Republican demonstrators. These actions were part of a wider strategy by the parti de la résistance to consolidate power and marginalize Republican activism.
In April 1831, Périer instructed public prosecutors to take strong legal action against Republican press outlets, initiating a series of prosecutions against editors and journalists. According to historian Georges Weill, newspapers such as La Tribune, faced frequent legal challenges. The government further targeted prominent Republican figures in what became known as the "Trial of the Nineteen", accusing activists, including Cavaignac, Guinard, Marrast, Trélat, and Bastide, of inciting unrest during the . However, the defense mounted by Republican lawyers, including Louis Michel, led to the acquittal of all nineteen defendants, an outcome that was met with public applause in the courtroom.
The Canut revolt in Lyon in November 1831 underscored growing social tensions and energized segments of the Republican movement advocating for workers' rights. Following the July Revolution of 1830, Republicans organized educational initiatives that challenged the traditional monopoly of the state and Church over schooling. Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure founded the Association pour l'instruction gratuite du peuple (Association for the Free Education of the People), and Lazare Carnot revived an earlier educational society. In response to these initiatives, François Guizot, Minister of Public Instruction, passed a major education reform law in 1833 that aimed to expand primary education across France. Meanwhile, Republican intellectuals began producing literature aimed at working-class readers as early as 1831, partly influenced by British religious and social reform movements and supported initially by Saint-Simonians. However, ideological tensions emerged between Republicans and Saint-Simonians, particularly over the latter’s limited interest in establishing a republican regime. In 1831, Étienne Cabet published Péril de la situation présente in support of the Canuts, and in 1833 he co-founded Le Populaire, a newspaper focused on workers' issues, with Philippe Buchez. Both figures became central to the emergent socialist-republican discourse.
The perceived momentum of the Republican movement led Périer to intensify government efforts to suppress it. In January 1832, a second wave of political trials—referred to as the "Trial of the Fifteen"—targeted members of the Société des Amis du Peuple (). As with the previous year's trial, the courtroom became a platform for Republican rhetoric. Ulysse Trélat and particularly François-Vincent Raspail used the occasion to denounce economic inequality, with Raspail asserting that two-thirds of France’s 32 million inhabitants were suffering from hunger. He was sentenced to two years in prison and fined 1,000 francs, but his courtroom speech resonated widely, gaining attention in Republican press outlets, the Chamber of Deputies, and student circles. Although the government managed to secure convictions, the Republican movement was bolstered by public sympathy and widespread criticism of Périer's repressive policies. His death from cholera in May 1832 was viewed by many Republicans as a potential turning point for a more conciliatory or reformist direction in the monarchy's governance.
Direct opposition to the Orléanists
Insurrection of 1832
On May 22, 1832, thirty-nine opposition deputies, including Republicans and liberals dissatisfied with the July Monarchy, met at the residence of banker Jacques Laffitte and issued the Compte rendu des 39 (Report of the 39). Intended to articulate the objectives of the left-wing opposition, the document primarily criticized the July Monarchy, characterizing the July Revolution of 1830 as a "wasted effort" and advocating for a republic as the only legitimate form of government. Signed on May 28, the report contributed to the growing confidence of Republican movements. The death of the young Republican Évariste Galois in a duel on May 31 attracted public attention and became a symbolic event for opposition groups. His funeral on June 2 reportedly served as a gathering point for Republicans, where the possibility of future uprisings was discussed. At the same time, ultra-royalist activity was resurging in parts of western France, including attempts to revive the . The death of General Jean Maximilien Lamarque on June 1, during a cholera epidemic, further galvanized Republican sentiment. Known for his opposition to the July Monarchy and support for liberal and nationalist causes, Lamarque was widely admired by Republicans and Bonapartists alike. A public funeral procession was organized in Paris for June 5 to honor him and to commemorate Polish nationalists killed during the November Uprising against Russian rule. On June 5, 1832, the funeral procession for Lamarque in Paris escalated into a violent confrontation when insurgents attempted to spark a Republican uprising—an event later known as the June Rebellion. The revolt received limited support from segments of the National Guard but failed to gain broader momentum. King Louis-Philippe responded swiftly by deploying government troops to suppress the insurrection. The rebellion began to falter as several opposition leaders, including those involved in the Compte rendu des Trente-Neuf, shifted from advocating for a republic to calling for constitutional reforms within the monarchy. Key figures such as General Lafayette distanced themselves from the uprising, while others were arrested or withdrew from public activity.