Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/81

Rh arrival was ill-timed—the Assembly was in no mood for compromising with rebels. M. Sarget, a member of the Chamber, had just finished a speech, in which he said that "General Trochu lately proposed to the Assembly to declare General Clement-Thomas' death a cause of public mourning, and to adopt the family of General Lecomte. Yesterday an infinitely more tragical event took place near the Place Vendome, where a number of inoffensive citizens, without arms, and crying Vive la France! Vive l'Assemblée Nationale! were fired at by pretended National Guards, and mercilessly slaughtered" (great agitation). "I propose that France should adopt the families of the unfortunate victims who thus lost their lives when protesting in favor of order" (renewed approbation). A voice replied "that the whole budget would not suffice at the rate the insurgents were going on."

M. Arnaud, who, in addition to being a mayor of Paris, was also deputy, rose and said that, "in common with his colleagues, mayors in Paris (Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements, each having its mayor appointed by the government), he had, in consequence of the gravity of existing circumstances, come to Versailles to place himself in communication with the Assembly. He was quite sure that none but members had a right to take a seat there, but he thought his duty required him to ask that an exception should be made in favor of the municipal functionaries. (Protests on the Right.) The fact would be sufficient that one of them, who was a Deputy, should make the communication, so as to prevent any idea of disorder. The Assembly would decide as it thought proper. He had been charged with a commission, which he had fulfilled conscientiously. He wished to observe, as they had all come together, and been jointly delegated—

On the Right.—"By whom?" (Great noise.)