over France, the warrant to suspend all capital executions which were to
have taken place, in virtue of Royal decrees, until the will of the
National Assembly, at once to be convened, should be promulgated on the
subject of the penalty of death. The effects of this decree, as it sped
on the lightning's wings, like a saving angel, all over France, may be
imagined perhaps, but portrayal is impossible! Who can imagine even the
joy, the rapture it brought to many a dungeon-prisoner, who was counting
the hours that yet remained to him of life and preceded his awful doom,
or to those who sorrowed over his untimely--perchance his unjust fate!

Leaning on the arm of Louis Blanc, the youngest member of the
Government, the venerable Dupont de l'Eure, the eldest, accompanied by
the other members, now appeared on the balcony of the room formerly
called the Chamber of the Throne, but now the Chamber of the Republic!
Lamartine then advanced a step before his colleagues, and in a brief and
eloquent address proclaimed to that immense throng the existence of the
Republic.

The announcement was received with, acclamations of joy, and shouts of
"Vive le Gouvernement!"--"Vive Lamartine!"--"Vive Louis Blanc!" mingled
with those of "Vive la Republique!" loudly rose.

From the Hotel de Ville, the Provisional Government proceeded in a body,
despite the rain which fell in torrents, accompanied by the people, to
the Place de la Bastille, there officially to inaugurate the Republic,
agreeably to announcement.

At the appointed hour, the Place de la Bastille was thronged. The
National Guard, consisting of two battalions from each of the twelve
legions of Paris, together with the Thirteenth Legion of cavalry and two
battalions of the Banlieu, were drawn up from the Church of the
Madeleine to the Column of July. And, there, at the base of that column
erected in commemoration of the Revolution which had made Louis Philippe
King of the French, his downfall was commemorated, and on the ruins of
the throne then established was now inaugurated a Republic!

During the ceremony of the inauguration, the "Marseillaise" was sung by
the National Guard and the people, and, at its conclusion, about the
hour of three, the troops filed off before the Column of July to the
thrilling strains of the "Marseillaise" and the "Mourir Pour la Patrie"
of the Girondins. The members of the Provisional Government, preceded by
a detachment of the National Guard and accomp