Page:The Rise and Fall on the Paris Commune in 1871.djvu/90

 Admiral Saisset, in whom so much hope was centered, resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the National Guards of Paris. He had seen the immense organization of the insurgents, and the lukewarmness with which the National Guard rallied round his standard. The mayors also, who were specially lukewarm on the question of law and order, thought it better that he should resign, before doing which he issued the following order:

"I have the honor to inform the chiefs of corps, officers, and National Guards of the Seine, that I authorize them to return to their homes, from Saturday the 25th, at seven in the evening.

", "Vice-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief."

All the inhabitants of Place Vendome were obliged to leave their apartments in the charge of domestics. The National Guards or insurgents of the Place turned out these latter at two hours' notice on the 25th March, and took up their quarters in the houses, at the same time issuing a notice that, guided by a desire for conciliation, and happy in bringing about a union, the incessant object of all their efforts, they frankly offered a fraternal hand to all who were opposed to them; but that the continuance of certain manœuvres, and especially the removal by night of mitrailleuses to the mairie of the first arrondissement, obliged them to maintain their first resolution. The elections will positively take place to-morrow, 26th March. If they have mistaken the intention of their adversaries, they invited them to prove their error, and to join them in the general vote to-morrow.

On Sunday morning the voting places were opened at eight o'clock, but at that hour scarcely any one attended. At the same time the following proclamation from the