he
palace. Leblanc, the chief of police, advanced to those who bore the
corpses, and said, "My friends, go place these bodies in the Morgue,
and then return to demand your payment." These words calmed the tumult;
the bodies were carried away and the sedition was quelled.

Severities against the rich "Mississippians" were commenced in this same
month of October. For a long time it had been suspected that the
government, following an ancient usage, would deprive them, by means of
_visas_ and _chambres-ardentes_, of what they had acquired by
stock-jobbing. A list was made of those known to have speculated in
shares. A special commission arbitrarily placed on this list the names
of those whom public opinion designated as having enriched themselves by
speculation in paper. They were ordered to deposit a certain number of
shares at the offices of the company, and to purchase the required
number if they had sold their own. The "realizers" were thus brought
back by force to the company which they had deserted. Eight days were
given to speculators of good faith to make, voluntarily, the prescribed
deposit. To prevent flight from the country, it was prohibited, under
pain of death, to travel without a passport.

These measures increased still more the decline of the shares. All those
whose names were not upon the list of rich speculators, and who could
not tell what became of the shares not yet deposited, hastened to
dispose of all they retained.

The "System" wholly disappeared in November, 1720, one year after its
greatest credit. All the notes were converted into annuities or
preferred shares, and all the shares were deposited with the company.
Then a general visa was ordered, consisting of an examination of the
whole mass of shares, with the purpose of annulling the greater portion
of those which belonged to the enriched stock-jobbers.

Law, foreseeing the renewed rage which the visa would excite, determined
to leave France. The hatred against him had been so violent since the
scene of July 17th that he had not dared to quit the Palais Royal. The
following fact will give an idea of the fury excited against him: A
hackman, having a quarrel with the coachman of a private carriage, cried
out, "There is Law's carriage!" The crowd rushed upon the carriage, and
nearly tore in pieces the coachman and his master before it could be
undeceived.

Law demanded passports of the Duke of Orleans, who granted them
immediately. The Duke