68 Lama B. Pfciffcr 



niomlKMS at iMico spranj^ to tlioir feet (icmaiuling recognition, 

 but at this point the president inlonnplod Iho dchate by announc- 

 ing a letter from Santerrc, eomuKuulant of one of the battahons 

 of the fanhoiu!^ Saint-Antoine. A scene of confusion followed 

 in which applause, nuu-nnirs and cries within mingled with the 

 ctMumotion from without. 'I'he priicession had reached the vicinity 

 of the asseiuhly and was demanding admittance. ^-- 



W'e ha\e seen that the two fauhourgs. Saint-. \ntoine and Saint- 

 j\Iarcel, hegan to gather at iive o'clock in the morning, one on the 

 boulevard Salpetriere anil the i^her near the Pastille, and that 

 they were jinnetl by cannoneers, grenadiers, officers from the 

 sectiiMis and commissioners of police; that they determined to 

 jXM-sist in their purpose of marching to the assetubly in spite of 

 the elTorls oi the numicipal ofticers to disperse them. We saw, 

 too, that Alexandre gave the ciMumaud to march to the assembled 

 crowd in the faubourg Saint-Marcel, which proceetled to join the 

 inhabitants of the faubourg Saint-Antoine. Alexandre tells us 

 that just at the moment of starting, he received the decree of the 

 nnmici]ial corps which permitted the citizens in any dress and 

 with any kind of arms to march under the comiuand of the 

 officers of the battalion, lie says that the decree relieved him of 

 an enormous burden and that imdcr the circumstances he regarded 

 it as a great beuetlt.^-^ The two faid)cnn-gs were separated by the 

 Seine and it was necessary to cross cither by means of ferry 

 boats at the place where the present Austerlitz bridge stands or 

 farther on at the lie Saint-Louis by the Tournelle and Marie 

 bridges, or passage might be made even farther down the river 

 by the bridges of the Cite. These last, Alexandre tells us in his 

 Mcnioircs, were guarded by troops under orders from the court. 

 Tic decided to cross by way of the He Saint-Louis and to his great 

 astonishtuent he arrivetl without obstacle in the midst of the 

 faubourg Saint-Antoine where he ctTected a juncture with the 

 battalions that awaited him.'-^ The juncture was ctTccted without 



^""'Journal dc Vasscmblcc iiatioiialc, XXI. 301-13; Journal drs dcbats ct 

 dhrcts. No. 268, p. 264-65; Momtcur, XII, 715. 

 '■' " Rapport d'Alcxandre." 



" Memniros d'Ak^xandrc." 



264 



