nded by tumultuous masses infuriated
by suspicion, apprehension and distrust. For two whole days and two
whole nights armed men incessantly inundated the square, the courts and
halls of the Hotel de Ville. They insisted on giving to the Republic the
character, the attitude and the emblems of the first Revolution--they
insisted on a Republic violent, sweeping, dictatorial and terrorist, in
language, in gesture and in color, in place of that determined on,
moderate, pacific, legal, unanimous and constitutional. At the peril of
their lives the Provisional Government resisted this demand. Twenty
times during those sixty-four hours was Lamartine taken up, dragged,
carried to the doors and windows or to the head of the grand staircase,
into the courts and the square, to hurl down with his eloquence those
emblems of terrorism, with which it was attempted to dishonor the
Republic. But the vast and infuriated mass refused to listen, and
drowned his voice in clamor and vociferation. At length, when well-nigh
exhausted in defence of the emblem of a moderate Republic, he exclaimed:
"The red flag has been nowhere except around the Champ-de-Mars, trailed
in the blood of the people, while the tri-color has been around the
world with our navy, our glory and our liberties!"

The furious and hitherto obdurate and bloodthirsty populace became
softened--tears were shed, arms were lowered--flags were thrown away,
and peaceably they departed to their homes. Never--never was there a
more glorious triumph of eloquence--of patriotism!

It was on the morning of Sunday, the 27th day of February, that the
Provisional Government deemed it prudent and proper for them to bring to
a close their initiative labors, and once more, for the last time,
Lamartine descended the steps of the great staircase of the Hotel de
Ville, and, presenting himself in front of the edifice surrounded by his
colleagues, announced to the vast assembly the result of their
protracted toil:

Royalty abolished--

A Republic proclaimed--

The people restored to their political rights--

National workshops opened--

The army and National Guard reorganized--

The abolition of death for political offences.

With louder and more prolonged acclamations than any other decree was
this last received. And, instantly, in accordance with this
proclamation, the director of criminal affairs, on the order of M.
Cremieux, Minister of Justice, dispatched on the wings of the wind, all