to the shout of war raised by his old
companions in arms, had suffered his sword, to remain peaceably in its
scabbard.

Marshal Jourdan was on the Rhine.

Marshal Mortier had been seized with the gout at Beaumont.

Marshal Suchet had displayed irresolution and repugnance from the
beginning.

In fine, Marshals Davoust and Grouchy no longer possessed the
confidence of the army.

The committee, therefore, it is grating to the pride of a Frenchman to
confess it, would not have known to whose hands the fate of France
might be entrusted; and the part it took, that of waiting the issue of
events in the capital, if not the most dignified, was at least the
wisest and most prudent.

The representatives of the people, on their part, far from showing
themselves docile to the advice of Wellington and of Blucher,
displayed with more energy than ever the principles and sentiments
that animated them. They collected round the tri-coloured flag; and,
though the army had laid down its weapons, they were still resolved to
contend in defence of liberty, and the independence of the nation.

On the very day when the convention of Paris was notified to them by
the government, they exposed, in a new bill of rights, the fundamental
principles of a constitution, which alone, in their opinion, could
satisfy the wishes of the public: and declared, that the prince called
to reign over them should not ascend the throne, till he had given his
sanction to this bill and taken an oath to observe it, and cause it to
be observed.

Informed almost immediately by sinister rumours, that soon they would
be no longer allowed to deliberate, they resolved, on the motion of M.
Dupont de l'Eure, solemnly to express their last will in a kind of
political testament, drawn up in the following words.

"_Declaration of the Chamber of Representatives._

"The troops of the allied powers are about to occupy the capital.

"The chamber of representatives will nevertheless continue to sit amid
the inhabitants of Paris, to which place the express will of the
people has sent its proxies.

"But, under the present serious circumstances, the chamber of
representatives owes it to itself, owes it to France and to Europe, to
make a declaration of its sentiments and principles.

"It declares, therefore, that it makes a solemn appeal to the fidelity
and patriotism of the national guard of Paris, charged with the
protection of the national representatives.

"It decl