Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/201



on me; if only my pride or my personality was in question, what sacrifices would I not make to put an end to this terrible war! (Here the voice of the speaker faltered with emotion—Sensation.) But to those numerous envoys who come from Paris and other great towns, what reply can we make but this: You wish for liberty; but are we not defending it against an odious despotism, without authority, originating in disorder, and doing evil with a disastrous ignorance. (Applause.) I have said to those men, in the belief that I was expressing your ideas:—You wish for the maintenance of the Republic; in the Assembly there is not at this moment any preconceived decision or mental reservation, and being invested with all the constituent powers, it has respected what it found established. Appointed by electors, the greater part of whom are partisans of the Monarchy, has it made the slightest attempt to change the form of Government? No. It It has had the wisdom to respect what it found; its members are occupied with only one idea—to aid the Government in pursuing its mission, which is, not to constitute, but to organize France. I give to the insurgents the most formal denial when they say that we are plotting against the Republic. There is but one conspiracy against it, that which is at Paris. (Loud applause.) We are also told to be clement! I have said, Let the insurgents lay down their arms, and all chastisement will at once be stayed. The only exception will be for the criminals, happily few in number. (Murmurs on the right.) Am I wrong? Do you regret that the guilty men are not more numerous. (No! no!) Is there not, in our misfortune, reason for satisfaction that such men as those who shed the blood of Generals Clement-Thomas and Lecomte are rare in our country." (Hear, hear!)

A .—"And the army?"