n of planting the Tree of Liberty on a terrace of the Tuileries,
on the 20th; and of presenting, at the same time, petitions to the king
against his late prohibitions about the priests and the army. It was
easy to see what sort of petitions these were likely to be; but it had
become difficult to make preparation for any expected public event,--
there were so many opinions to be consulted, and so much suspicion was
abroad.

Early in the morning of the 20th, a tall Lombardy poplar, which the
people called their tree of liberty, was lying on a car in the lower
part of the city, and the people were collecting in multitudes to make a
procession with it to the palace. A messenger from the magistrates
spoke to the people against their scheme; but they said they were only
going to do what they had a right to do: it was lawful to petition; and
that was their errand. So, on they went, their numbers being swelled by
groups from every by-street on their way. They drew two pieces of
cannon with them, and carried abundance of tricolour flags and ribbons;
and also various significant emblems, one of which was a bullock's heart
with a spear through it, labelled "the Aristocrat's heart." The
magistrates next met them: but again the crowd declared they intended
only what was lawful, and pushed on.

They read their address in the Assembly, and then went, dancing and
shouting, to plant their tree. The iron gates of the Tuileries were all
shut, and National soldiers and cannon appeared within; so that the tree
could not be planted on the terrace, as designed. There was a convent
garden near, which served their purpose, and there was the tree of
liberty erected.

While this was doing, the Assembly dispersed till evening. The crowd
desired that the king would come out, and hear their petition. They
waited and waited, pressing against the iron gates, till some were near
being pressed to death, and were not in the better humour for that. The
king did not appear. After a while, the guard within were told that, if
the king would not come out to his people, his people would go in to
him. As usual, there was no decision in the treatment of the people.
After some hesitation, the guards opened one of the gates. The
multitude swarmed in; rushed at a wooden door of the palace; shivered
it; and the royal household were at once at their mercy.

Now at last the sovereign and his craving people met, face to face: met,
too, that they might