Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/164

 M. Thiers was also seriously embarrassed by the Cabinet of Berlin. The execution of the preliminaries of peace was delayed, and the dissatisfaction of Prince Bismarck was very manifest. Thiers made the same reply to the Germans that he had made to the provinces and the Assembly. He asked them to wait and let him act, otherwise he preferred to resign. Neither the Federal Chancellor nor the Chamber wished to see him leave, as he was necessary for the re-establishment of order. The Prince desired him to remain, and he troubled himself little about the means. He likewise wished him to retain office because the restoration of tranquillity could alone guarantee the debt due to Prussia. The process of re-establishing order concerned the German minister nearly; and had the Versaillais not moved speedily, he would probably have taken the matter into his own hands.

Deputation after deputation continued to arrive at Versailles, mostly emanating from the Union Republicaine, for the purpose of inducing the Chief of the Executive Power to treat with the Commune. A considerable movement also took place in several large towns for the same purpose. The Lyons delegation had an interview with M. Thiers; and, in the name of their fellow-citizens, presented considerations in favor of the Communal movement in Paris. The head of the Executive received them kindly, and gave them a safe conduct to the capital, where they had an interview with the Commune; but the result proved that the Commune wanted what Thiers would not concede, viz., power.

The fighting commenced at daybreak on the morning of the 18th, although followed by no important movement of troops. Mont Valérien was never more active.

The regular troops unmasked a new battery in the Park of Neuilly, and from that point and the Chateau of Bécon kept up an incessant discharge on the village of Levallois