The Uprising of June 20, i'j()2 45 



today enraged, is ready to spring from its repose upon the pack of its 

 enemies. Representatives, the popular force is your force. You have it 

 in hand, use it. Give no quarter since you can expect none. The French 

 people ask for a decree authorizing them to march with a more imposing 

 force than any heretofore. Command and we will march upon the cap- 

 ital and to the frontiers. A struggle between despotism and liberty must 

 be a struggle to the death. . . . Representatives, the people wish absolutely 

 to finish a revolution which is its safety and its glory, which is the honor 

 of the human mind; it wishes to save itself and to save you. Ought you 

 to prevent this sublime movement?" 



This shows the intensity of pubHc feeHng on the eve of June 

 20. The petition was received by some with enthusiasm and by 

 others with cries of " incendiary and unconstitutional." One 

 member thought it not astonishing that men born under burning 

 skies should show an ardent imagination and an energetic patriot- 

 i.sm. After a lively debate and amidst applause the printing was 

 voted and it was decreed that a copy should be sent to each of 

 the eighty-three departments.^** 



The excitement had scarcely died down when the president 

 announced that the minister of the interior had addressed a decree 

 of the directory of the department of Paris to the assembly. The 

 reading was called for. Immediately Saladin cried, " We have no 

 time to lose in reading it." But Becquet insisted upon the read- 

 ing, saying that the assembly should become acquainted with the 

 decrees passed by the administrative body when it is a question 

 of public order; that every one knew that the people were being 

 stirred up at this time, and that it was understood by all that to- 

 morrow would be a stormy day ; that the reading should be heard 

 with a view to taking action on the subject. Vergniaud called 

 forth applause and laughter by some sarcastic remarks about 

 Becquet being always so constitutional yet wishing to overturn the 

 laws so that the national assembly might occupy itself with police 

 measures. He opposed the reading of the decree of the depart- 

 ment on the ground that if the assembly listened to the reading 

 and took no action it would give a species of sanction to it and 

 free the officers from their responsibility. Rouyer reminded the 



^ Moniteur, XII, 710; Journal des debats et decrets, No. 267, p. 257; 

 Revolutions de Paris, XII, 546. 



241 



