awakening and
sustaining the zeal of the inhabitants, who at my suggestion, on the
20th April, passed a resolution, which was signed by 5,000 inhabitants."

This resolution, which was at once a religious and political manifesto,
was drafted by Viala, M. Froment's secretary, and it lay for signature
in his office. Many of the Catholics signed it without even reading it,
for there was a short paragraph prefixed to the document which contained
all the information they seemed to desire.

"GENTLEMEN,--The aspirations of a great number of our Catholic and
patriotic fellow-citizens are expressed in the resolution which we
have the honour of laying before you. They felt that under present
circumstances such a resolution was necessary, and they feel convinced
that if you give it your support, as they do not doubt you will, knowing
your patriotism, your religious zeal, and your love for our august
sovereign, it will conduce to the happiness of France, the maintenance
of the true religion, and the rightful authority of the king.

"We are, gentlemen, with respect, your very humble and obedient
servants, the President and Commissioners of the Catholic Assembly of
Nimes.

"(Signed)

"FROMENT, Commissioner LAPIERRE, President FOLACHER, "
LEVELUT, Commissioner
FAURE,
MELCHIOND, "
ROBIN, "
VIGNE, " "

At the same time a number of pamphlets, entitled Pierre Roman to the
Catholics of Nines, were distributed to the people in the streets,
containing among other attacks on the Protestants the following
passages:

"If the door to high positions and civil and military honours were
closed to the Protestants, and a powerful tribunal established at
Nimes to see that this rule were strictly kept, you would soon see
Protestantism disappear.

"The Protestants demand to share all the privileges which you enjoy, but
if you grant them this, their one thought will then be to dispossess you
entirely, and they will soon succeed.

"Like ungrateful vipers, who in a torpid state were harmless, they will
when warmed by your benefits turn and kill you.

"They are your born enemies: your fathers only escaped as by a miracle
from their blood-stained hands. Have you not often heard of the
cruelties practised on them? It was a slight thing when the Protestants
inflicted death alone, unaccompanied by the most horrible tortures. Such
as they were such they are."

It may easily be imagined that such attacks soon embittered min