Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/21



Causes of the insurrection—War with Prussia—Fall of the Empire—Clause in the Treaty of Brussels, leaving the National Guard in arms—Letter of Prince Napoleon to Jules Favre—Mistake made by Jules Favre in signing the treaty—Fears entertained regarding the return of the soldiers—Weakness shown by the Government—Council of Ministers held at Versailles—Meeting of National Guards at Montmartre—Election of members for the Central Committee—A Prefect of Police appointed by the Government—Protest of the National Guards—They insist upon their right to elect municipal officers—They protest against the introduction of regular troops into the city—Organization of the National Guard—Necessity for its dissolution—Refusal of the Guards to deliver up their guns—The Government proposes to stop their pay—Prussian sentry killed by a National Guard—Arrest of the latter—Arrest of two Germans by the malcontents—Their trial and condemnation by the Central Committee—Their release—Conditions of their release unfulfilled by the Prussians—Proclamation of M. Thiers—Proclamation to the National Guards—Determination of the Government to subdue the insurrection—Attempt made to secure the guns in the Place des Vosges—They are removed to Belleville—Erection of barricades—Occupation of Montmartre by the troops—Mismanagement shown—Hostile attitude assumed by the National Guard—They oppose the removal of the guns—Refusal of the soldiers to advance—The 88th regiment of the line fraternizes with the insurgents—Withdrawal of the troops who remain faithful—They are fired upon by the insurgents.

The unfortunate war which France declared against Germany in the month of July 1870, was indirectly the cause of the late insurrection, the most formidable and criminal the world has ever seen. The head that had so long controlled the ruthless desperadoes of Paris, most of whom have by this time expiated their fearful crimes, was in exile—the defeat of Sedan had set them at liberty.

Although the insurgents had always been strictly opposed to the Empire, they were the first and loudest in their shouts of "On to Berlin" when marching through the boulevards, although the last to try and get there; and happy were they at the defeat of the brave and gallant army, overmatched by numbers and military organization.

After the overthrow of the Imperial dynasty, September 4th, 1870, by a greater coup d'état than that practiced by