roubles, but I cannot understand how M.
Becquet, who is always so constitutional" (here there was laughter and
applause), "how M. Becquet, by an inversion of law and order, desires
the National Assembly to occupy itself with police regulations." The
decree of the Directory was read, nevertheless. But the Assembly, far
from supporting it, passed to the order of the day. The rioters had
nothing to fear.

{183}

During the same session, a deputation of citizens from Marseilles had
been presented at the bar of the Assembly. The orator of this
deputation thus expressed himself: "French liberty is in danger. The
free men of the South are ready to march in its defence. The day of
the people's wrath has come at last. The people, whom they have always
sought to ruin or enslave, are tired of parrying blows. They want to
inflict them, and to annihilate conspiracies. It is time for the
people to rise. This lion, generous but enraged, is about to quit his
repose, and spring upon the pack of conspirators." Here the galleries
applauded furiously. The orator continued: "The popular force is your
force; employ it. No quarter, since you can expect none." The
applause and enthusiastic cries of the galleries redoubled. Somebody
demanded that the speech should be sent to the eighty-three departments
of France. A deputy, M. Rouher, was courageous enough to exclaim: "It
is not by the harangues of seditious persons that the departments
should be instructed!" Another deputy, M. Lecointre-Puyravaux,
responded: "Is it surprising that men born under a burning sun should
have a more ardent imagination and a patriotism more energetic than
ours?" The question whether the discourse should be sent to the
departments was put to vote, and the president and secretaries declared
that the Assembly had decided against it. This did not suit the public
in the galleries. They howled, they vociferated. They claimed that
the result was {184} doubtful. They demanded a viva voce count. This
demand alarmed those deputies who never dared to look the Revolution in
the face. A new vote was taken, and this time, the sending of the
address to the eighty-three departments was decreed. With such an
Assembly, why should the insurrectionists have hesitated?

The rioters of the next day did not hesitate a moment. The order of
the Directory had somewhat intimidated them. But Chabot, the deputy so
celebrated for his violence at the Jacobin Club, ha