ll
the guarantees of civilized nations:

"Considering that these criminal madnesses only serve to augment the
violent denunciation of every conscience and to hasten the hour of
national vengeance, but that it is important to proclaim the Right:

"Decree:

"ARTICLE I.--The State of Siege is raised in all Departments where it
has been established, the ordinary laws resume their authority.

"ARTICLE II.--It is enjoined upon all military leaders under penalty
of Treason immediately to lay down the extraordinary powers which
have been conferred upon them.

"ARTICLE III.--Officials and agents of the public force are charged
under penalty of treason to put this present decree into execution.

"Given in Permanent Session, 3d December, 1851."

Madier de Montjau and De Flotte entered. They came from outside. They
had been in all the districts where the conflict was proceeding, they
had seen with their own eyes the hesitation of a part of the population
in the presence of these words, "The Law of the 31st May is abolished,
Universal Suffrage is re-established." The placards of Louis Bonaparte
were manifestly working mischief. It was necessary to oppose effort to
effort, and to neglect nothing which could open the eyes of the people.
I dictated the following Proclamation:-

"PROCLAMATION.

"People! you are being deceived.

"Louis Bonaparte says that he has re-established you in your rights,
and that he restores to you Universal Suffrage.

"Louis Bonaparte has lied.

"Read his placards. He grants you--what infamous mockery!--the right
of conferring on him, on him _alone_, the Constituent power; that is
to say, the Supreme power, which belongs to you. He grants you the
right to appoint him Dictator _for ten years_. In other words, he
grants you the right of abdicating and of crowning him. A right which
even you do not possess, O People! for one generation cannot dispose
of the sovereignty of the generation which shall follow it.

"Yes, he grants to you, Sovereign, the right of giving yourself a
master, and that master himself.

"Hypocrisy and treason!

"People! we unmask the hypocrite. It is for you to punish the traitor!

"The Committee of Resistance:

"Jules Favre, De Flotte, Carnot, Madier de Montjau, Mathieu (de la
Drome), Michel de Bourges, Victor Hugo."

Baudin had fallen heroically. It was necessary to let the People know of
his death, and t