thers, and which is deducted from your tranquillity, your
welfare, and the welfare of France, cannot be indefinitely
prolonged.

"While such a state of things lasts, commerce is arrested, your
shops are deserted, orders which would come from all parts are
suspended; your arms are idle, credit cannot be recreated, the
capital which the Government requires to rid the territory of the
presence of the enemy, comes to hand but slowly. In your own
interest, in that of your city, as well as in that of France, the
Government is resolved to act. The culprits who pretend to institute
a Government of their own must be delivered up to justice. The guns
stolen from the State must be replaced in the arsenals; and, in
order to carry out this act of justice and reason, the Government
counts upon your assistance.

"Let all good citizens separate themselves from the bad; let them
aid, instead of opposing, the public forces; they will thus hasten
the return of comfort to the city, and render service to the
Republic itself, which disorder is ruining in the opinion of France.

"Parisians! We use this language to you because we esteem your good
sense, your wisdom, your patriotism; but, this warning being given,
you will approve of our having resort to force at all costs, and
without a day's delay, that order, the only condition of your
welfare, be re-established entirely, immediately, and unalterably."

As soon as the party of disorder saw the intentions of the Government of
Versailles thus set forth, a chorus of recriminations burst
forth:--"They want to put an end to the Republic!"--"They are about to
fire on our brothers!"--"They wish to set up a king," &c. The same
strain for ever! In order to prevent as far as possible the mischievous
effects of this insurrectionary propaganda, the Government issued the
following proclamation, which bore date the 18th of March:--

"NATIONAL GUARDS of PARIS!--

"Absurd rumours are spread abroad that the Government contemplates a
_coup d'etat._

"The Government of the Republic has not, and cannot have, any other
object but the welfare of the Republic.

"The measures which have been taken were indispensable to the
maintenance of order; it was, and is still, determined to put an end
to an insurrectionary committee, the members of which, nearly all
unknown to the population of