按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the last moment； two other troops； dispatched by the Gravilliers and
Croix…Rouge sections； arrive and bring them their final afflux。 Thus
strengthened； they spring over the benches assigned to them； spread
through the hall； and mingle with the deputies who still remain in
their seats。 It is after midnight； many of the representatives； worn
out with fatigue and disgust； have left； Pétion； Lasource； and a few
others； who wish to get in； 〃cannot penetrate the threatening crowd。〃
To compensate themselves； and in the places of the absent； the
petitioners； constituting themselves representatives of France； vote
with the 〃Mountain；〃 while the Jacobin president； far from turning
them out； himself invites them 〃to set aside all obstacles prejudicial
to the welfare of the people。。〃 In this gesticulating crowd； in the
half…light of smoky lamps； amidst the uproar of the galleries； it is
difficult to hear well what motion is put to vote； it is not easy to
see who rises or sits down； and two decrees pass； or seem to pass； one
releasing Hébert and his accomplices； and the other revoking the
commission of the Twelve。＇133＇ Forthwith the messengers who await the
issue run out and carry the good news to the H？tel…de…ville； the
Commune celebrating its triumph with an explosion of applause。
The next morning； however； notwithstanding the terrors of a call of
the House and the fury of the 〃Mountain；〃 the majority； as a defensive
stroke； revokes the decree by which it is disarmed； while a new decree
maintains the commission of the Twelve； the operation； accordingly； is
to be done over again； but not the whole of it； for Hébert and the
others imprisoned remain at liberty； while the majority； which；
through a sense of propriety or the instinct of self…preservation； had
again placed its sentinels on the outposts； consents； either through
weakness or hopes of conciliation； to let the prisoners remain free。
The result is they have had the worst of the fight。 Their adversaries；
accordingly； are encouraged； and at once renew the attack； their
tactics； very simple； being those which have already proved so
successful on the 10th of August。
The matter now in hand is to invoke against the derived and
provisional rights of the government； the superior and inalienable
right of the people； also； to substitute for legal authority； which；
in its nature； is limited； revolutionary power； which； in its essence；
is absolute。 To this end the section of the City； under the vice…
presidency of Maillard； the 〃Septemberizer；〃 invites the other forty…
seven sections each to elect two commissaries； with 〃unlimited
powers。〃 In thirty…three sections； purged； terrified； or deserted； the
Jacobins； alone； or almost alone；＇134＇ elect the most determined of
their band； particularly strangers and rascals； in all sixty…six
commissaries； who； on the evening of the 29th； meet at the Evêché； and
select nine from their midst to form； under the presidency of Dobsen；
a central and revolutionary executive committee。 These nine persons
are entirely unknown；＇135＇ all are obscure subordinates；＇136＇ mere
puppets and manikins； eight days later； on finishing their
performance； when they are no longer needed； they will be withdrawn
behind the scenes。 In the mean time they pass for the mandatories of
the popular sovereign； with full power in all directions； because he
has delegated his omnipotence to them； and the sole power； because
their investiture is the most recent； under this sanction； they stalk
around somewhat like supernumeraries at the Opera； dressed in purple
and gold； representing a conclave of cardinals or the Diet of the Holy
Empire。 Never has the political drama degenerated into such an
impudent farce！ On the 31st； at half…past six in the morning；
Dobsen and his bullies present themselves at the council…general of
the Commune； tender their credentials； and make known to it its
deposition。 The Council； with edifying complacency； accepts the fiat
and leaves the department。 With no less grateful readiness Dobsen
summons it back； and reinstates it in all its functions； in the name
of the people； and declares that it merits the esteem of the
country。＇137＇ At the same time another demagogue； Varlet； performs
the same ceremony with the Council of the department； and both bodies；
consecrated by a new baptism； join the sixty…six commissaries to share
the dictatorship。 What could be more legitimate？ The Convention
would err in making any opposition：
〃It was elected merely to condemn the tyrant and to frame a
constitution； the sovereign people has invested it with no other
power；＇138＇ accordingly； the other acts； its warrants of arrest； are
simply usurpations and despotism。 Paris； moreover； represents France
better than it does； for Paris is 〃the extract of all the departments；
the mirror of opinion；〃＇139＇ the advance…guard of patriotism。
〃Remember the 10th of August；＇140＇ previous to that time； the
opinions in the Republic were divided； but； scarcely had you struck
the decisive blow when all subsided into silence。 Have no fear of the
departments； with a little terror and a few instructions； we shall
turn all minds in our favor。〃 Grumblers persist in demanding the
convocation of primary assemblies。 〃Was not the 10th of August
necessary？ Did not the departments then endorse what Paris did？ They
will do so this time。 It is Paris which saved them。〃＇141＇
Consequently； the new government places Henriot； a reliable man； and
one of the September slaughterers； in full command of the armed force；
then； through a violation by law declared as a capital offense； it
orders the alarm gun to be fired； then； on the other hand； it beats a
general call to arms； sounds the tocsin and closes the barriers； the
post office managers are put in arrest； and letters are intercepted
and opened； the order is given to disarm the suspected and hand their
arms over to patriots； 〃forty sous a day are allowed to citizens with
small means while under arms。〃＇142＇ Notice is given without fail the
preceding evening to the trusty men of the quarter； accordingly； early
in the morning； the Committee of Supervision has already selected from
the Jacobin sections 〃the most needy companies in order to arm those
the most worthy of combating for liberty；〃 while all its guns are
distributed 〃to the good republican workmen。〃 ＇143＇ From hour to
hour as the day advances； we see in the refractory sections all
authority passing over to the side of force； at the Finistère； Butte…
des…Moulins； Lombards； Fraternité； and Marais＇144＇ sections； the
encouraged sans…culottes obtain the ascendancy； nullify the
deliberations of the moderates； and； in the afternoon； their delegates
go and take the oath at the H？tel…de…ville。
Meanwhile the Commune； dragging behind it the semblance of popular
unanimity； besieges the Convention with multiplied and threatening
petitions。 As on the 27th of May； the petitioners invade the hall； and
〃mix in fraternally with the members of the 'Left。〃' Forthwith； on the
motion of Levasseur； the 〃Mountain；〃 〃confident of its place being
well guarded；〃 leaves it and passes over to the 〃Right。〃＇145＇ Invaded
in its turn； the 〃Right〃 refuses to join in the deliberations；
Vergniaud demands that 〃the Assembly join the armed force on the
square； and put itself under its protection〃； he and his friends leave
the hall； and the decapitated majority falls back upon its usual
hesitating course。 All is hubbub and uproar around it。 In the hall the
clamors of the 〃Mountain；〃 the petitioners； and the galleries； seem
like the constant roar of a tempest。 Outside； twenty or thirty
thousand men will probably clash in the streets；＇146＇ the battalion of
Butte…des…Moulins； with detachments sent by neighboring sections； is
entrenched in the Palais…Royal； and Henriot； spreading the report that
the rich sections of the center have displayed the white cockade； send
against it the sans…culottes of the faubourgs Saint…Antoine and Saint…
Marceau； cannon are pointed on both sides。 These loaded cannon must
not be discharged； the signal of civil war must not be given； it is
simply necessary 〃to forestall the consequences of a movement which
could be only disastrous to liberty；〃＇147＇ and it is important to
ensure public order。 The majority； accordingly； think that it is
acting courageously in refusing to the Commune the arrest of the
Twenty…two； and of the Ministers； Lebrun and Clavière； in exchange for
this it consents to suppress its commission of Twelve； it confirms the
act of the Commune which allows forty sous a day to the workmen under
arms； it declares freedom of entry into its tribunes； and； thanking
all the sections； those who defended as well as those who attacked it；
it maintains the National Guard on permanent call； announces a general
federation for the 10th of August following； and goes off to
fraternize with the battalions in the Palai