on
requiring the compulsory reelection of the "two thirds" from its
existing membership. The National Guard was not less embittered
against that measure. There were three experienced officers then in
Paris who were capable of leading an insurrection, and could be relied
on to oppose the Convention. These were Danican, Duhoux d'Hauterive,
and Laffont, all royalists at heart; the last was an emigrant, and
avowed it. The Convention had also by this time completed its
enlistment, and had taken other measures of defense; but it was
without a trustworthy person to command its forces, for among the
fourteen generals of the republic then present in Paris, only two were
certainly loyal to the Convention, and both these were men of very
indifferent character and officers of no capacity.

The Convention forces were technically a part of the army known as
that of the interior, of which Menou was the commander. The new
constitution having been formally proclaimed on September
twenty-third, the signs of open rebellion in Paris became too clear to
be longer disregarded, and on that night a mass meeting of the
various sections was held in the Odeon theater in order to prepare
plans for open resistance. That of Lepelletier, in the heart of Paris,
comprising the wealthiest and most influential of the mercantile
class, afterward assembled in its hall and issued a call to rebellion.
These were no contemptible foes: on the memorable tenth of August,
theirs had been the battalion of the National Guard which died with
the Swiss in defense of the Tuileries. Menou, in obedience to the
command of the Convention to disarm the insurgent sections, confronted
them for a moment. But the work was not to his taste. After a short
parley, during which he feebly recommended them to disperse and behave
like good citizens, he withdrew his forces to their barracks, and left
the armed and angry sections masters of the situation. Prompt and
energetic measures were more necessary than ever. For some days
already the Convention leaders had been discussing their plans. Carnot
and Tallien finally agreed with Barras that the man most likely to do
thoroughly the active work was Buonaparte. But, apparently, they dared
not altogether trust him, for Barras himself was appointed
commander-in-chief. His "little Corsican officer, who will not stand
on ceremony," as he called him, was to be nominally lieutenant. On
October fourth Buonaparte was summoned to a conference. T