Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/83

 not respect the Assembly! Have the hall evacuated! They have no right to speak! they are only admitted as spectators!" The members of the Left protested in favor of the mayors, and for a time the tumult was so great that the words used in the altercation going on between the two sides of the Chamber could not be heard. About thirty deputies put on their hats, although the President was still sitting. The Left cried out, "Hats off! Respect your President!"

M. Floquet, to the Right.—"You are insulting Paris!"

A Voice.—"And you are insulting France!"

The agitation, instead of calming down, continued to increase, and the President, despairing of being able to restore order, declared the sitting to be at an end, but that the members would again meet in the evening.

The Deputies met again at ten o'clock in the evening—the mayors were not present, having returned to Paris.

M. Arnaud presented a series of resolutions agreed upon by the mayors of Paris, who were convinced that the re-establishment of order required the following measures:

1. That the Assembly should place itself in more frequent and closer communication with the municipalities of Paris.

2. That it should authorize the mayors to adopt such measures as circumstances might require.

3. That the elections of officers in the National Guard should take place before the 28th inst.

4. That the municipal councils should be chosen before the 3d of April, if possible, and the qualifications for being elected should consist merely in six months' residence.

A number of the mayors, immediately after their return to Paris, without waiting for any action to be taken on