HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
Kives. If such men did not deserve 
well of their country, who were 
those that did? However integrity 
and unblemished character might be 
desirable and indispensable in the 
representatives of the nation, expe- 
rience was not less wanted. With- 
out this essential, the work of ncar 
six years might be undone ina few 
months; the labours of patriots, 
_ the toils of statesmen, the vittories 
of warriors, might be thrown away, 
and France return again to that 
os situation from which she 
ad been uplifted by the revolution, 
The foes to those men who had ef- 
fe&ted such great things, could 
hardly be reputed friends to the 
liberty of France. 
Such was the substance of the 
. allegations in favour of the conven- 
tion: but the hour was fast ap- 
proaching, when arguments would 
be laid aside, and force decide the 
knotty question between the two 
contending parties. They both saw 
that no other mode of decision re- 
’ mained, and trusting to the means 
_ they bad reciprocally provided to 
. 
» ensuresuccess, they resolved to come 
to action. The anger of the Parisi- 
ans was particularly inflamed at the 
_ sight of those terrorists who had 
been let loose from their prisons, 
_ they said, to renew the massacres of 
— St 
September, 1792. They appealed 
to the impartial world, whether a 
er proof could be given, that 
_ the system of Roberspierre was to be 
 Yevived, than the employing of 
~ such cut-throats andassassins, by the 
convention, in support of its mea- 
sures. But the chiefs of this body 
were now completely prepared, 
_ Hearing that the citizens were as- 
sembling in great force, they com- 
imissioned general Menou, who had 
[105 
the command of the military force 
stationed in Paris, to march against 
them. He repaired accordingly, on 
the fourth of Oétober, to that 
section of the city which was their 
head-quarters, and required them to 
lay down their arms. They an. 
swered that they would comply 
with this requisition, provided the 
terrorists did the same. The general 
not being empowered to treat, 
nothing, was concluded, and both 
sides parted: but the convention, 
irritated at the general fornot acting 
according to their intent, ordered 
him to be broke for disobedience. 
The sword was now.drawn, and 
all thoughts of reconciliation vanish- 
ed. The people of Paris were 
now to make trial whether the con. 
fidence they had placed on the mili, 
tary was well or ill founded. They 
chose the night of the ‘fourth of 
Oftober for the mustering of the 
sections. They paraded the streets 
with beat of drums and summons to 
arms. By twelveatnoon, thenext 
day, they were put in order for fight. 
ing, and took possession of several 
posts ofimportance. The combat be- 
gan about this time in the proximity 
of the conventional hall, towards 
which the citizens were marching : 
the rancour subsisting between them 
and the terrosists occasioned a most 
bloody and desperate confliét ; these 
and the reguiar troops were joined 
together, contrarily to the hopes. of 
the Parisians; but this unexpected 
junction did not daunt them: they; 
fought withsuch fury, that although 
they had no cannon, they several 
times seized that of the conventional 
troops, and turned it against them, 
The number and discipline of those 
who were all come from the victoris 
ous armies, fixed at length the for« 
tene 
