Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/50

 *guage the grave responsibility he was incurring. Already, no doubt, the first account of the dispositions of the troops had reached the General, as, after a little hesitation, he decided on signing an order for the evacuation of the arrondissement, which was immediately executed.

Later in the day a meeting of Paris Deputies, Mayors and Adjoints was convened at the Mairie of the Second Arrondissement. The gravity of events gave to this assembly an unusual importance. After discussion, a deputation was sent to M. Picard to come to an understanding with him on the modifications to be introduced into the government system. Several proposals were made, but without any result; as the Minister of the Interior could not come to any decision without the assent of his colleagues. The deputation next waited on General De Paladines, who declared that he could not apply any remedy to the situation, which, besides, was not of his creating. The General declared that the fate of France was in the hands of the municipalities, and that he abandoned all initiative. Jules Favre afterward received the deputation, who proposed the following as the bases of the concessions claimed—1. The nomination of M. Langlois as the commander-in-chief of the National Guards; 2. M. Edmond Adam as Prefect of Police; 3. M. Dorian, Mayor of Paris; 4. M. Billot, member of the National Assembly, commander of the army of Paris. M. Jules Favre replied that he would submit those propositions to the government. On that declaration the delegates returned to the Mairie of the Second Arrondissement, where they found a letter from Jules Ferry, declaring to the mayors of Paris, that he abandoned the Hotel de Ville and delivered up his powers into the hands of those elected. He accordingly withdrew during the night to Versailles. The acceptance of these conditions were sent in the evening to the official