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of their sticks。〃 There is no doubt but that the deputies of the
〃Right〃 and even the 〃Center；〃 would do well to go home and stay
there。 In fact； they are no longer seen in the Assembly。＇65＇ In the
afternoon； out of the 630 members still present the evening before；
346 do not answer the call； while about thirty others； had either
withdrawn before this or sent in their resignations。＇66＇ The purging
is complete； like that to which Cromwell； in 1648； subjected the Long
Parliament。 Henceforth the Legislative body； reduced to 224 Jacobins
or Girondins； with 60 frightened or tractable neutrals； will obey the
orders of the street without any difficulty。 A change has come over
the spirit of the body as well as over its composition； it is nothing
more now than a servile instrument in the hands of the seditious； who
have mutilated it； and who； masters of it through a first misdeed； are
going to use it to legalize other crimes。
VI。
Nights of August 9 and 10。 The sections。 Commissioners of the
sections at the H？tel…de…ville。 The revolutionary Commune is
substituted for the legal Commune。
During the night of the 9th and 10th of August their government forms
itself for action； it has been set up as it will behave； with violence
and fraud。 i In vain have they annoyed and worked on the sections
for the past fortnight； they are not yet submissive； only six out of
forty…eight at the present hour； eleven o'clock at night； being found
sufficiently excited or purged to send their commissioners forthwith；
with full power； to the H？tel…de…ville。 The others will follow； but
the majority rests inert or recalcitrant。＇67＇ It is necessary；
therefore； to deceive or force this majority； and； to this end；
darkness； the late hour； disorder； dread of the coming day； and the
uncertainty of what to do； are precious auxiliaries。 In many of the
sections；＇68＇ the meetings are already adjourned or deserted； only a
few members of the permanent bureau in the room； with a few men；
perhaps asleep； on the nearly empty benches。 An emissary arrives from
the insurgent sections； along with a company of trusty fellows
belonging to the quarter； and cries out； Save the country！ The
sleepers open their eyes； stretch themselves； raise their hands； and
elect whoever is designated； sometimes strangers and other unknown
individuals； who will be disowned the coming day at a full meeting of
the section。 There is no official report drawn up； no balloting； the
course pursued being the most prompt。 At the Arsenal section； six
electors present choose three among their own number to represent
1；400 active citizens。 Elsewhere； a throng of shrews； night…brawlers
and dishonorable persons； invade the premises； chase out the believers
in law and order； and win all the desired appointments。＇69＇ Other
sections consent to elect； but without consenting to give power of
attorney。 Several make express reservations； stipulating that their
delegates shall act in concert with the legal municipality；
distrusting the future committee； and declaring in advance that they
will not obey it。 A few elect their commissioners only to obtain
information； and； at the same time； to show that they intend earnestly
to stop all rioting。＇70＇ Finally； at least twenty sections abstain
from or disapprove of the proceedings and send no delegates。 Never
mind； they can be dispensed with。 At three o'clock in the morning； 19
sections； and； at seven o'clock； 24 or 25；＇71＇ are represented one way
or another at the Town…hall （H？tel…de…ville）； and this representation
forms a central committee。 Anyhow； there is nothing to prevent seventy
or eighty subordinate intriguers and desperadoes； who have slipped in
or pushed through； from calling themselves authorized delegates and
ministers plenipotentiary of the entire Paris population；＇72＇ and to
operate accordingly。 Scarcely are they installed under the
presidency of Huguenin； with Tallien as secretary； when they issue a
summons for 〃twenty…five armed men from each section；〃 five hundred
strapping lads； to act as guards and serve as an executive force。
Against a band of this description the municipal council； in session
in the opposite chamber； is feeble enough。 Moreover； the most moderate
and firmest of its members； sent away on purpose； are on missions to
the Assembly； at the palace； and in different quarters of Paris； while
its galleries are crammed with villainous looking men； posted there to
create an uproar； its deliberations being carried on under menaces of
death。 That's why； as the night passes； the equilibrium between
the two assemblages； one legal the other illegal； facing each other
like the two sides of a scale； disappears。 Lassitude； fear；
discouragement； desertion； increase on one side； while numbers；
audacity； force and usurpation increase on the other。 At length； the
latter wrests from the former all the acts it needs to start the
insurrection and render defense impossible。 About six o'clock in the
morning the intruding committee； in the name of the people； ends the
matter by suspending the legitimate council； which it then expels； and
takes possession of its chairs。
The first act of the new sovereign rulers indicates at once what they
mean to do。 M。 de Mandat； in command of the National guard； summoned
to the H？tel…de…ville； had come to explain to the council what
disposition he had made of his troops； and what orders he had issued。
They seize him； interrogate him in their turn；＇73＇ depose him； appoint
Santerre in his place； and； to derive all the benefit they can from
his capture； they order him to withdraw one…half of his men stationed
around the palace。 Fully aware of what he was exposed to in this den
of thieves； he nobly refuses； forthwith they consign him to prison；
and send him to the Abbaye 〃for his greater safety。〃 At these
significant words from Danton；＇74＇ he is murdered at the door as he
leaves by Rossignol； one of Danton's acolytes； with a pistol…shot at
arm's length。 After tragedy comes comedy。 At the repeated
entreaties of Pétion； who does not want to be requisitioned against
the rioters；＇75＇ they send him a guard of 400 men； thus confining him
in his own house； and； apparently in spite of himself。
On one side； sheltered by treachery and； on the other side； by
assassination； the insurrection may now go on in full security in
front of the terrible hypocrite who solemnly complains of his
voluntary captivity； and before the corpse； with shattered brow； lying
on the steps of the H？tel…de…ville。 On the right bank of the river；
the battalions of the Faubourg Saint…Antoine； and； on the left； those
of the Faubourg Saint…Marcel； the Bretons； and the Marseilles band；
march forth as freely as if going to parade。 Measures of defense are
frustrated by the murder of the commanding general； and by the mayor's
duplicity； there is not resistance on guarded spots； at the arcade
Saint…Jean； the passages of the bridges； along the quays； and in the
court of the Louvre。 An advance guard of the mob； women； children； and
men； armed with cutters； cudgels； and pikes； spread over the abandoned
Carrousel； and； towards eight o'clock； the advance column； led by
Westerman； appears in front of the palace。
VII。
August 10。 The King's forces。 Resistance abandoned。 … …The
King in the National Assembly。 Conflict at the palace and
discharge of the Swiss Guard。 The palace evacuated by the King's
order。 The massacres。 The enslaved Assembly and its decrees。
If the King had wanted to fight； he might still have defended himself；
saved himself； and even been victorious。＇76＇ In the Tuileries； 950
of the Swiss Guard and 200 gentlemen stood ready to die for him to the
last man。 Around the Tuileries； two or three thousand National Guard；
the élite of the Parisian population； had just cheered him as he
passed。＇77＇ 〃Hurrah for the King！ Hurrah for Louis XVI。！ He is our