ts of artillery. Why do they not act on the offensive? Or do they
want, as we do, to avoid a conflict? Certainly our hand shall not be the
first to spill French blood. These hours of hesitation on both sides
calm men's minds. The deputies and mayors of Paris are trying to obtain
from the National Assembly the recognition of the municipal franchise.
If the Government has the good sense to make these concessions, which
are both legitimate and urgent, rather than remain doggedly on the
defensive, with the conviction that it has right on its ride; if, in a
word, it remembers the well-known maxim, "_Summum jus, summa injuria_,"
the horrors of civil war may be averted. We are told, and I fancy
correctly, that the Federal Guards are not without fear concerning the
issue of the events into which they have hurried. The chiefs must also
be uneasy. Even those who have declared themselves irreconcileable in
the hour of triumph would not perhaps be sorry now if a little
condescension on the part of the Assembly furnished them with a pretext
of not continuing the rebellion. Just now, several Guards of the 117th
Battalion, a part of which has declared for the Central Committee, who
happened to be passing, stopped to chat with our outposts. Civil war to
the knife did not at all appear to be their most ardent desire. One of
them said: "We were called to arms, what could we do but obey? They give
us our pay, and so here we are." Were they sincere in this? Did they
come with the hope of joining us, or to spy into what we were doing?
Others, however, either more frank or less clever at deception, declared
that they wanted the Commune, and would have, it at any price. This,
however, was by far the smaller number; the majority of the insurgents
are of the opinion of these men who joined in conversation with us. It
is quite possible to believe that some understanding might be brought
about. A fact has just been related to me which confirms me in my
opinion.

The Comptoir d'Escompte was occupied by a post of Federals. A company of
Government Guards from the 9th Arrondissement marched up to take
possession. "You have been here for two whole days; go home and rest,"
said the officer in command of the latter. But the Federals obstinately
refused to be sent away. The officer insisted.--"We are in our own
quarter, you are from Belleville; it is our place to guard the Comptoir
d'Escompte."--It was all of no avail until the officer said: "Go away
dir