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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 the Assembly； in the name of the petitioners of
the Champ de Mars； the program of the faction：
1。 the dethronement of the King；
2。 the indictment； arrest； and speedy condemnation of Lafayette；
3。 the immediate convoking of the primary assemblies；
4。 universal suffrage；
5。 the discharge of all staff officers；
6。 the renewal of the departmental directories；
7。 the recall of all ambassadors；
8。 the suppression of diplomacy；
9。 and a return to the state of nature。
The Girondins may now delay； negotiate； beat about and argue as much
as they please； their hesitation has no other effect that to consign
them into the background； as being lukewarm and timid。 Thanks to them；
the （Jacobin） faction now has its deliberative assemblies； its
executive powers； its central seat of government； its enlarged； tried；
and ready army； and； forcibly or otherwise； its program will be
carried out。
V。
Evening of August 8。 Session of August 9。 Morning of August
10。… Assembly purged。
The Assembly must first of all be made to depose the King。 Several
times already；＇55＇ on the 26th of July and August 4； clandestine
meetings had been held where strangers decided the fate of France； and
gave the signal for insurrection。 Restrained with great difficulty；
they consented 〃to have patience until August 9； at 11 o'clock in the
evening。〃＇56＇ On that day the discussion of the dethronement is to
take place in the Assembly； and calculations are made on a favorable
vote under such a positive threat； its reluctance must yield to the
certainty of a military occupation On the 8th of August； however；
the Assembly refuses； by a majority of two…thirds； to indict the great
enemy； Lafayette。 The double amputation essential for State security；
must therefore begin with the destruction of this majority。
The moment Lafayette's acquittal is announced； the galleries； usually
so vociferous； maintain 〃gloomy silence。〃＇57＇ The word of command for
them is to keep themselves in reserve for the streets。 One by one the
deputies who voted for Lafayette are pointed out to the mob at the
doors； and a shout is raised； 〃the rascals； the knaves； the traitors
living on the civil list！ Hang them！ Kill them！ Put an end to them！
Mud； mortar； plaster； stones are thrown at them； and they are severely
pummeled。 M。 Mézières； in the Rue du Dauphin； is seized by the
throat； and a woman strikes at him； which he parries。 In the Rue St。
Honoré； a number of men in red caps surround M。 Regnault…Beauceron；
and decide to 〃string him up at the lantern〃； a man in his jacket had
already grabbed him from behind and raised him up； when the grenadiers
of Sainte…Opportune arrive in time to set him free。 In the Rue St。
Louis； M。 Deuzy； repeatedly struck on the back with stones； has a
saber twice raised over his head。 In the Passage des Feuillants； M。
Desbois is pummeled； and a 〃snuff…box； his pocket…book； and cane〃 are
stolen from him。 In the lobbies of the Assembly； M。 Girardin is on the
point of being assassinated。＇58＇ Eight deputies besides these are
pursued； and take refuge in the guard…room of the Palais Royal。 A
Federate enters along with them； and 〃there； his eyes sparkling with
rage and thumping on the table like a madman；〃 he exclaims to M。
Dumolard； who is the best known：〃 〃If you are unlucky enough to put
your feet in the Assembly again； I'll cut off your head with my
sword！〃 As to the principal defender of Lafayette； M。 Vaublanc； he
is assailed three times； but he is wary enough not to return home； a
number of infuriates； however； invest his house； yelling out that
〃eighty citizens are to perish by their hands； and he is one of the
first〃； a dozen of the gang ascend to his apartments； rummage them in
every corner； make another effort to find him in the adjoining houses；
and； not being able to secure him； try to find his family； he is
notified that； if he returns to his house； he will be massacred。 In
the evening； on the Feuillants terrace； other deputies are subjected
to the same outrages； the gendarmerie tries in vain to protect them；
while the 'commandant of the National Guard； on leaving his post； is
attacked and cut down。〃＇59＇ Meanwhile； some of the Jacobins in the
lobbies 〃doom the majority of the Assembly to destruction〃； one orator
declares that 〃the people have a right to form lists of proscription；〃
and the club accordingly decides on printing and publishing the names
of all the deputies who acquitted Lafayette。 Never was physical
constraint displayed and applied with such open shamelessness。＇60＇
On the following day； August 9； armed men gather around the approaches
to the Assembly； and sabers are seen even in the corridors。＇61＇ The
galleries； more imperious than ever； cheer； and break out in ironic
shouts of triumph and approval every time the attacks of the previous
evening are denounced in the tribune。 The president calls the
offenders to order more than twenty times； but his voice and his bell
are drowned in the uproar。 It is impossible to express an opinion。
Most of the representatives who were maltreated the evening before；
write that they will not return； while others； who are present；
declare that they will not vote again 〃if they cannot be secure of
freedom of conscience in their deliberations。〃 At this utterance；
which expresses the secret sentiment of 〃nearly the whole of the
Assembly；〃＇62＇ 〃all the members of the 'Right'； and many of the
'Left' arise simultaneously and exclaim： 'Yes； yes； we will debate no
longer unless we are free！〃 As usual； however； the majority gives
away the moment effective measures are to be adopted； its heart sinks；
as it always has done； on being called upon to act in self…defense；
while these official declarations； one on top of the other； in hiding
from it the gravity of the danger； sink it deeper in its own timidity。
At this same session the syndic…attorney of the department reports
that the mob is ready； that 900 armed men had just entered Paris； that
the tocsin would be rung at midnight； and that the municipality
tolerates or favors the insurrection。 At this same session； the
Minister of Justice gives notice that 〃the laws are powerless；〃 and
that the government is no longer responsible。 At this same session；
Pétion； the mayor； almost avowing his complicity； appears at the bar
of the house； and declares positively that he will have nothing to do
with the public forces； because 〃it would be arming one body of
citizens against another。〃＇63＇ Every support is evidently knocked
away。 Feeling that it is abandoned； the National Assembly gives up；
and； as a last expedient； and with a degree of weakness or simplicity
which admirably depicts the legislators of the epoch； it adopts a
philosophic address to the people； 〃instructing it what to do in the
exerci