Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/199

 rushed on the prisoners, and killed them with two other shots.

The chasseurs, after these acts, withdrew with their chief, leaving the victims on the plain.

After their departure Scheffer rose, and with a desperate effort succeeded in reaching his battalion, encamped at some distance. His state was such as to warrant hopes of ultimate recovery.

The writers of the report proposed to use reprisals, and to kill all the officers that fell into their hands. After some discussion, the decision was taken to ascertain the number of the regiment to which the officer belonged, and the name of the officer, and publish them in Paris.

Citizen Courbet called on the Commune not to delay the demolition of the column in the Place Vendôme. The pedestal, he thought, could be preserved, as the subject represented there concerned the first Republic. Citizen Clément insisted on the total destruction of the monument. Citizen Andrieu stated that the Executive Committee was occupied with the matter, and the operation of destroying the pillar would commence in a few days.

The charge having been brought against M. Thiers that he wished to destroy the Republic, establishing in its place a monarchy, his remarks in the Chamber on the 27th will be most appropriate in this place:

—"At the present serious conjuncture, and at the moment when the country is about to elect its Municipal Councils, I think right to briefly describe the situation to this Assembly, its only legitimate and complete representation. Our state is no doubt most painful, as the blood of Frenchmen is flowing, but, in one respect, it is consolatory, as showing that all are doing their duty—the army especially—and thus is foreshadowed a not distant termination of the crisis. (Applause.) Our first task