creed of Liberty. Without it there would be no
National Convention." "France," said Danton, in a memorable
conversation, "is not republican. We can only establish a Republic by
the intimidation of its enemies." They had crushed the Legislature,
they had given warning to the Germans that they would not save the
king by advancing on the capital when it was in the hands of men
capable of such deeds, and they had secured a Jacobin triumph at the
Paris election. Marat prepared an address exhorting the departments to
imitate their example, and it was sent out under cover from the
Ministry of Justice. Danton himself sent out the same orders. Only one
copy seems to have been preserved, and it might have been difficult to
determine the responsibility of Danton, if he had not avowed to Louis
Philippe that he was the author of the massacres of September.

The example of Paris was not widely followed, but the State prisoners
at Orleans were brought to Versailles, and there put to death. The
whole number killed was between thirteen and fourteen hundred. We have
touched low-water mark in the Revolution, and there is nothing worse
than this to come. We are in the company of men fit for Tyburn. I need
spend no words in impressing on you the fact that these republicans
began at once with atrocities as great as those of which the absolute
monarchy was justly accused, and for which it justly perished. What we
have to fix in our thoughts is this, that the great crimes of the
Revolution, and crimes as great as those in the history of other
countries, are still defended and justified in almost every group of
politicians and historians, so that, in principle, the present is not
altogether better than the past.

The massacre was successful at Paris, but not in the rest of France.
Under its influence none but Jacobins were elected in the capital.
President and vice-president of the Electoral Assembly were
Robespierre and Collot d'Herbois, with Marat for secretary.
Robespierre was the first deputy returned, Danton was second, Collot
third, Manuel fourth, Billaud-Varennes fifth, Camille Desmoulins
sixth, and Marat seventh, with a majority over Priestley, who was
chosen in two departments, but refused the seat. The twentieth and
last of the deputies for Paris was the duke of Orleans.

While the people of Paris sanctioned and approved the murders, it was
not the same in the country. In many places the proceedings began with
mass, and concluded