Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/64



"The Government wished to avoid bloodshed, even when provoked to it by the unexpected resistance of the Central Committee of the National Guard. That opposition, skilfully organized, and directed by conspirators as audacious as they were treacherous, was carried into effect by the invasion of a mass of National Guards without arms, and of the population, rushing on the soldiers, breaking their ranks and depriving them of their arms. Led away by those guilty manœuvres, many of the men forgot their duty. The National Guard which had been convoked, also held back, and during the whole day only came out in insignificant numbers. In that serious conjuncture the Government, not wishing to engage in a sanguinary encounter in the streets of Paris, and considering that it was not strongly enough supported by the National Guard, decided on withdrawing to Versailles, near the National Assembly, the only legal representation of the country. On leaving Paris, the Minister of the Interior, at the request of the Mayors, delegated to a commission to be appointed by them the power of provisionally administering the affairs of the city, but the authorities met several times without arriving at any understanding. While those events were going on, the insurrectionary committee installed itself at the Hotel de Ville, and published two proclamations—one, to announce its assumption of the chief authority; and the other, to convoke the electors of Paris to appoint a Communal Assembly.

"This shameful state of anarchy is, however, beginning to move the good citizens, who are perceiving too late the fault they have committed in not immediately giving their material aid to the Government appointed by the Assembly. Who can, in fact, without a shudder, accept the consequences of that deplorable sedition, descending on a city like a sudden tempest, irresistible and inexplicable? The Prussians are at our gates, and we have