ny more than that offered by the
traveller against robbers who threaten him with plunder and murder. They
were not sufficiently aware, that, having done so much, they must
necessarily do more. They ought, by declaring themselves royalists, to
have endeavoured to prevail on the troops of Savoy, if not on the Swiss,
(who had embraced a species of neutrality, which, after the 10th of
August, was dishonourable to their ancient reputation,) to send in all
haste, soldiery to the assistance of a city which had no fortifications
or regular troops to defend it; but which possessed, nevertheless,
treasures to pay their auxiliaries, and strong hands and able officers
to avail themselves of the localities of their situation, which, when
well defended, are sometimes as formidable as the regular protection
erected by scientific engineers.

The people of Lyons vainly endeavoured to establish a revolutionary
character for themselves upon the system of Gironde; two of whose
proscribed deputies tried to draw them over to their unpopular and
hopeless cause: and they inconsistently sought protection by affecting a
republican zeal, even while resisting the decrees, and defeating the
troops of the Jacobins. There were undoubtedly many of royalist
principles among the insurgents, and some of their leaders were
decidedly such; but these were not numerous or influential enough to
establish the true principle of open resistance, and the ultimate chance
of rescue, by a bold proclamation of the king's interest. They still
appealed to the convention as their legitimate sovereign, in whose eyes
they endeavoured to vindicate themselves, and at the same time tried to
secure the interest of two Jacobin deputies, who had countenanced every
violation attempted by Chalier, that they might prevail upon them to
represent their conduct favourably. Of course they had enough of
promises to this effect, while Messrs. Guathier and Nioche, the deputies
in question, remained in their power; promises, doubtless the more
readily given, that the Lyonnois, though desirous to conciliate the
favour of the convention, did not hesitate in proceeding to the
punishment of the Jacobin Chalier. He was condemned and executed, along
with one of his principal associates, termed Reard.

To defend these vigourous proceedings, the unhappy insurgents placed
themselves under the interim government of a council, who, still
desirous to temporize and maintain the revolutionary characte