Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/280



ramparts may fall. ''Not a man will penetrate into the city. If M. Thiers is a chemist, he will comprehend us!!!''"

A delegation was sent from the Hotel de Ville to the banking establishment of the Société Générale to examine the books of that immense establishment. Those containing the private accounts of the pretended enemies of the Commune received especial attention. The amounts standing to the credits of those persons were added up, and the sum demanded to be paid immediately.

The sub-director protested against this act of brigandage, but the only reply made was, the Commune wanted money, and could not do better than take it from its adversaries. At one moment the delegates demanded all the shares, inscriptions of rente, and other securities deposited in the strong room. The money claimed was paid under protest, which made but little difference to them.

Paschal Grousset published in the official organ an address to the great towns of France, assuring them that, after two months' contest, Paris was neither wearied out nor weakened, and calling on them to come to its assistance. He specially appealed to Lyons, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nantes, and Lisle.

There was also an order from Delescluze forbidding all officers of the National Guard to appear in their battalions with a musket in hand, as for the pleasure of firing on the Versailles troops they neglected their command. The Delegate also published the following note:

"We point out to public indignation the conduct of the colonel commanding the 39th of the line. When the Versailles troops took possession of the Park of Neuilly, that infamous butcher ordered eighteen federal prisoners to be shot, swearing that he would do the same with every man from Paris that fell into his hands. Let him beware on his side of falling into theirs."