The Uprising of June 20, 17^2 83 



honor of the national assembly, I ask for the previous question 

 upon the admission of armed citizens." The assembly voted that 

 the citizens of the faubourgs Saint-Antoine and Saint-Marcel be 

 allowed to cross the hall. " Very well then," cried Girardin, " I 

 ask for the previous question on all the laws of the realm. "^^ 



But the assembly seemed to blow hot and cold with the same 

 breath ; while it admitted the procession, it expressed its dis- 

 approval of illegal acts. For now another deputation of two 

 battalions from the department of the Gironde, called to the 

 frontier for the defense of the country, presented itself, and 

 being admitted to the assembly read a petition which has been 

 called "the petition of order."^^- It made no attack upon the 

 executive, but presented its homage to the assembly. It expressed 

 satisfaction that the time had arrived when it could prove its 

 courage and fidelity, adding, " Life is not the greatest sacrifice 

 for free men." Here the assembly applauded. The orator con- 

 tinued, "Our oaths are dearer than life; they are based upon the 

 noblest sentiments that can animate the human heart, the love of 

 country and of law. That which we will never forget is that the 

 laws ought always to be present in our memories and dear to our 

 hearts; that the military force is essentially ohedicnt [great 

 applause] ; that whatever our rank none of us should question 

 our order before obeying it [applause] ; that in a free country 

 every citizen from the soldier to the general ought to march 

 straight to the enemy without looking backward." [Renewed 

 applause.] The assembly voted that this discourse should be 

 printed, that it should receive honorable mention in the proces- 

 verhal and that copies be sent to the eighty-three departments. 

 Montant humorously suggested that a copy be sent to Lafayette.^^^ 



The sound of drums and music announced the arrival of the 



^^^ Journal de I'assemblee nationale, XXI, 315; Moniteur, XII, 717; Jour- 

 nal des debats et decrets. No. 267, p. 272. 



'"Louis Blanc, VIII, 60. 



^'"^ Journal de I'assemblee nationale, XXI, 316; Moniteur, XII, 718; Jour- 

 nal des debats et decrets, No. 267, p. 273. Montant's name is given in the 

 Moniteur and in Le patriate frangais. No. 1046, p. 690 but not in the other 

 papers. 



279 



