ial report of the
municipality of Aix (on the events of Feb. 26). March 1st.--Letter of
M. Villardy, president of the directory, dated Avignon, March 10. (He
barely escaped assassination at Aix.)--Ibid., F7,3196. Report of the
district administrators of Arles, Feb. 28 (according to private letters
from Aix and Marseilles).--Barbaroux, "Memoires" (collection of Berville
and Barriere), 106. (Narrative of M. Watteville, major in the Ernest
regiment. Ibid., 108) (Report from M. de Barbentane, commanding general).
These two documents show the liberalism, want of vigor, and the
usual indecision of the superior authorities, especially the military
authorities--Mercure de France, March 24, 1792 (letters from Aix).]

[Footnote 2418: "Archives Nationales," F7, 3196. Dispatches of the
new Directory to the Minister, March 24 and April 4, 1792. "Since the
departure of the Directory, our administrative assembly is composed of
only six members, notwithstanding our repeated summons to every member
of the Council... Only three members of the Council consent to act
with us; the reason is a lack of pecuniary means." The new Directory,
consequently, passes a resolution to indemnify members of the Council.
This, indeed, is contrary to a royal proclamation of Jan. 15; but "this
proclamation was wrested from the King, on account of his firm faith.
You must be aware that, in a free nation, the influence of a citizen on
his government must not be estimated by his fortune; such a principle
is false, and destructive of equality of rights. We trust that the King
will consent to revoke his proclamation."]

[Footnote 2419: Ib., Letters of Borelly, vice-president of the
Directory, to the Minister, April 10, 17, and 30, 1792.--Letter from
another administrator, March 10. "They absolutely want us to march
against Arles, and to force us to give the order."--Ibid., F7, 3195.
Letters from Aix, March 12 and 16, addressed to M. Verdet.]

[Footnote 2420: "Archives Nationales," F7, 3195. Letter of the
administrators of the department Council to the Minister, March 10,
"The Council of the administration is surprised, sir, at the fa1se
impressions given you of the city of Marseilles; it should be regarded
as the patriotic buckler of the department... If the people of Paris did
not wait for orders to destroy the Bastille and begin the Revolution,
can you wonder that in this fiery climate the impatience of good
citizens should make them anticipate legal orders,