The Insurrection of October, ijSc) 39 



of the city's gratitude. 1 They received other marks of distinc- 

 tion. It was proposed by one of the districts that a gold medal 

 be given to each soldier of the French guards who had helped to 

 bring about the revolution. This proposition was at once sec- 

 onded by the other districts. 2 The demand seemed to involve 

 unnecessary expense at a time when extravagance was a crime, 

 but the public power in Paris at this time was with the districts, 3 

 whose open sessions were crowded and very animated. Fortu- 

 nately the guards themselves requested that the medal be made 

 of a less expensive metal than gold. They wished it to be known 

 that they were disinterested. 4 Their patriotism was further re- 

 warded by public gifts and newspaper fame. 5 Their favor was 

 sought by all parties. Courted by the aristocrats who hoped to 

 detach them from the popular cause, and flattered by the atten- 

 tions heaped upon them, they soon began to regret their former 

 privilege of guarding the king. Citizen militia seemed ignoble 

 by comparison. 



Towards the middle of September they began to talk of going 

 to Versailles to resume their places in the guard of the king. 6 

 They had heard that a new corps was forming to replace them 

 at court. Rumors were also current that the king was to go to 

 Metz. 7 The French guards were patriots, as we have seen. 

 They therefore strongly objected to letting the counter-revolu- 

 tionists carry off the king. 8 Lafayette succeeded in dissuading 

 them from carrying out their design to go to Versailles. But he 

 feared the consequences of the alarm at court if the matter should 



l Actes de la commune de Paris, I, 87. 



•'Ibid., 1,100. 



3 Capello, Dispacci degli ambasciatori Vcniti, 62; Revue historiqne, 

 LXVIII, 260. Mathiez says: " Les districts sont la vraie force publique." 

 In a note he gives the testimony of Fitzgerald, charge d'affairs from Eng- 

 land, as follows: "The sixty districts, which are absolutely so many little 

 sovereignties within the metropolis, exercise the most despotic rule over all." 



i Actes de la commune de Paris, I, 121. 



5 Revile historiqne, LXVIII, 268: " Les estampes reproduisent leurs traits, 

 les brochures d'actualite' se placent sous leur patronage, les journaux racon- 

 tent leurs faits et gestes." 



6 Montlosier, Mhnoires, I, 271. 



'Ibid., 1,276. 



* Revue historiqne, LXVIII, 268. 



305 



