column at the door of the Assembly, just as M. Ramond was
in the tribune discussing Vergniaud's proposition. While the head of
the column was awaiting the issue of this discussion, the rank and file
were constantly advancing. The {190} passage became so thronged that
people were in danger of stifling. Part of them withdrew from the
crowd and went into the garden of the Capuchin convent, where they
amused themselves by planting the Liberty tree in the classic ground of
monkish ignorance and idleness, as was said in those days. The
remainder, which was in front of the door and the grating of the
terrace of the Feuillants, became exasperated. The sight of the
glittering bayonets, and the cannon placed in front of this grating,
roused them to fury.

Meanwhile, a letter from Santerre reached the president of the National
Assembly: "Gentlemen," said he, "I have received a letter from the
commandant of the National Guard, which announces that the gathering
amounts to eight thousand men, and that they demand admission to the
bar of the chamber."--"Since there are eight thousand of them," cried a
deputy, "and since we are only seven hundred and forty-five, I move
that we adjourn the session and go away."

Santerre's letter is thus expressed: "Mr. President, the inhabitants of
the Faubourg Saint-Antoine are celebrating to-day the anniversary of
the oath of the _Jeu de Paume_. They have been calumniated before you;
they ask to be admitted to the bar; they will confound their cowardly
detractors for the second time, and prove that they are still the men
of July 14." It was applauded by a large number of the Assembly. On
the other side murmurs rose against it. M. Ramond {191} went on with
his speech: "Eight thousand men, they say, are awaiting your decision.
You owe it to twenty-five millions of other men who await it with no
less interest.... Certainly, I shall never fear to see the citizens of
Paris in our midst, nor the entire French people around us. No one
could behold with greater pleasure than I the weapons which are a
terror to the enemies of liberty; but the law and the authorities have
spoken. Let the petitioners, therefore, lay down at the entrance of
the sanctuary the arms they are forbidden to bear within it. You ought
to insist on this. They ought to obey."

M. Ramond's courage did not last long. Passing to Vergniaud's proposal
to send sixty members of the Assembly to the Tuileries, he said: "I
appla