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are too busy in their own counting…rooms； shops and factories to lose
so much time。 In the next place； they are too sensible； to docile； and
too honest to go and lord it over their magistrates in the H？tel…de…
ville； or regard themselves in their various sections as the sovereign
people。 Moreover； they are disgusted with all this bawling。 Lastly；
the streets of Paris； especially at night； are not safe； owing to so
much outdoor politics； there is a great increase of caning and of
knocking down。 Accordingly； for a long time； they do not attend at the
clubs； nor are they seen in the galleries of the National Assembly；
nor will they be seen again at the sessions of the municipality； nor
at the meetings of the sections。 Nothing； on the other hand； is
more attractive to the idle tipplers of the cafés； to bar…room
oracles； loungers； and talkers； living in furnished rooms；＇40＇ to the
parasites and refractory of the social army； to all who have left the
social structures and unable to get back again； who want to tear
things to pieces； and； for lack of a private career； establish one for
themselves in public。 Permanent sessions； even at night； are not too
long either for them； or for lazy Federates； for disordered
intellects； and for the small troop of genuine fanatics。 Here they are
either performers or claqueurs； an uproar not being offensive to them；
because they create it。 They relieve each other； so as to be always on
hand in sufficient number； or compensate for a deficiency by
usurpations and brutality。 The section of the Théatre…Fran？ais； for
instance； in contempt of the law； removes the distinction between
active and passive citizens； by granting to all residents in its
circumscription the right to be present at its meetings and the right
to vote。 Other sections＇41＇ admit to their sittings all well…disposed
spectators； all women； children； and the nomads； all agitators； and
the agitated； who； as at the National Assembly； applaud or hoot at the
word of command。 In the sections not disposed to be at the mercy of an
anonymous public； the same herd of frantic characters make a racket at
the doors； and insult the electors who pass through them。 Thanks to
this itinerant throng of co…operating intruders； the Jacobin
extremists rule the sections the same as the Assembly； in the sections
as in the Assembly； they drive away or silence the moderates； and when
the hall becomes half empty or dumb； their motion is passed。 Hawked
about in the vicinity； the motion is even carried off； in a few days
it makes the tour of Paris； and returns to the Assembly as an
authentic and unanimous expression of popular will。＇42＇
At present； to ensure the execution of this counterfeit will； it
requires a central committee； and through a masterpiece of delusion；
Pétion； the Girondist mayor； is the one who undertakes to lodge；
sanction； and organize the committee。 On the 17th day of July；＇43＇ he
establishes in the offices belonging to the Commune； 〃a central bureau
of correspondence between the sections。〃 To this a duly elected
commissioner is to bring the acts passed by his section each day； and
carry away the corresponding acts of the remaining forty…seven
sections。 Naturally； these elected commissioners will hold meetings of
their own； appointing a president and secretary； and making official
reports of their proceedings in the same form as a veritable municipal
council。 As they are elected to…day； and with a special mandate； it is
natural that they should consider themselves more legitimate than a
municipal council elected four or five months before them； and with a
very uncertain mandate。 Installed in the town hall of Paris （H？tel…de…
ville）； only two steps from the municipal council； it is natural for
them to attempt to take its place； to substitute themselves for it；
they have only to cross over to the other side of a corridor。
IV。
Vain attempts of the Girondins to put it down。 Jacobin alarm；
their enthusiasm； and their program。
Thus； hatched by the Girondins； does the terrible Commune of Paris
come into being； that of August 10th； September 2nd 1792 and May 31st。
1793。 The viper has hardly left its nest before it begins to hiss。 A
fortnight before the 10th of August＇44＇ it begins to uncoil； and the
wise statesmen who have so diligently sheltered and fed it； stand
aghast at its hideous； flattened head。 Accordingly； they back away
from it up to the last hour； and strive to prevent it from biting
them。 Pétion himself visits Robespierre on the 7th of August； in order
to represent to him the perils of an insurrection； and to allow the
Assembly time enough to discuss the question of dethronement。 The same
day Verginaud and Guadet propose to the King； through the medium of
Thierry； his valet…de…chambre； that； until peace is assured； the
government be carried on under a regency。 Pétion； on the night of
August 9…10； issues a pressing circular to the sections； urging them
to remain tranquil。＇45＇
But it is too late。 Fifty days of excitement and alarm have worked
up the aberrations of morbid imaginations into a delirium。 On the
second of August； a crowd of men and women rush to the bar of the
Assembly； exclaiming； 〃Vengeance！ Vengeance！ our brethren are being
poisoned！〃＇46＇ The fact as ascertained is this： at Soissons； where
the bread of the soldiery was prepared in a church； some fragments of
broken glass were found in the oven； on the strength of which a rumor
was started that 170 volunteers had died； and that 700 were lying in
the hospital。 A ferocious instinct makes men see their adversaries in
their own image and thus justify them to take those measures which
they imagine their enemies would have taken in their place。＇47＇
The committee of Jacobin leaders states positively that the Court is
about to attack； and； accordingly； has devised 〃not merely signs of
this； but of the most unmistakable proof。〃＇48＇ 〃It is the Trojan
horse；〃 exclaimed Panis； 〃We are lost if we do not succeed in
disemboweling it。 。 。 。 The bomb explodes on the night of August 9…
10。 。 。 Fifteen thousand aristocrats stand ready to slaughter all
patriots。〃 Patriots； consequently； attribute to themselves the right
to slaughter aristocrats。 Late in June； in the Minimes section； 〃a
French guardsman had already determined to kill the King；〃 if the King
persisted in his veto。 When the president of the section wanted to
expulse the regicide； it was the latter who was retained and the
president was expelled。＇49＇ On the 14th of July； the day of the
Federation festival； another predecessor of Louvel and Fieschi；
provided with a cutlass； had introduced himself into the battalion on
duty at the palace； for the same purpose； during the ceremony the
crowd warmed up； and； for a moment； the King owed his life to the
firmness of his escort。 On the 27th of July； in the garden of the
Tuileries； d'Espréménil； the old Constituent＇50＇； beaten； slashed； and
his clothes torn； pursued like a stag across the Palais Royal； falls
bleedings on a mattress at the gates of the Treasury。＇51＇ On the 29th
of July； whilst one of Lafayette's aides； M。 Bureau de Pusy； is at the
bar of the house； 〃they try to have a motion passed in the Palais
Royal to parade his head on the end of a pike。〃＇52＇ At this level
of rage and fear； the brutal and the excited can wait no longer。 On
the 4th of August；＇53＇ the Mauconseil section declares 〃to the
Assembly； to the municipality； and to all the citizens of Paris； that
it no longer recognizes Louis XVI。 as King of the French〃。 Its
president； the foreman of a tailor's shop； and its secretary； employed
in the leather market； support their manifesto with three lines of a
tragedy floating vaguely in their minds；＇54＇ and name the Boulevard
Madeleine St。 Honoré as a rendezvous on the following Sunday for all
well…disposed persons。 On the 6th of August； Varlet； a post…office
clerk； makes known to t