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greatly elevated above the river. This locality is called the heights of Montmartre (Mong-martr), and abounds with depots for railroads, hospitals, jails, and barracks. These are all attractions irresistible to the class of Parisians sardonically called Sans Culottes (Sonkeu-lott)-"without breeches," from both the poverty and evident carelessness of their apparel. Therefore we here find another grand aggregation of this class of population.

When the International and the Unreasonables saw General Trochu and Favre running a Government without any permanent name, their contempt for that particular Government reached an altitude not attainable during the Empire which, in turn, they had supposed they despised supremely. They immediately formulated a last-ditch scheme of defense for Paris against the Prussians, built barricades in all parts of the city, and really may have gotten up a programme for the glory of France which they were afterward unfortunate enough to use for her humiliation. Demands were now loudly made upon the Administration to show great bloodthirstiness, but the surrender of Marshal Bazaine at Metz and the rumor of an armistice for the capitulation of Paris served in better place. On the 30th of October, 1870, a deputation of officers of the National Guard waited on the Government at the Hotel de Ville, and demanded the intentions of General Trochu. They were told that an answer would be made in three hours. During this interval a mass of National Guards, armed and unarmed, gathered in the great yard in front of the building. Above the crowd could be seen mottoes in great letters: "No armistice!" "Vive la Commune!" "Death to cowards!" The Hotel de Ville was entered by men who busied themselves with the distribution of little printed slips of paper which demanded the immediate resignation of the GovernUnder this, without further explanation, appeared the names of Delescluze, Felix Pyat, Blanqui, Ledru Rollin, Gambon, young Garibaldi, and others, the implication being that these men would make a strong Administration, being Unreasonables of the first water, all somewhat known in French politics. Outside of the building was Rochefort, haranguing

etc.

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the crowd. Megy was at the head of one regiment, and Flourens at another. The officers of the Government of the National Defense, being found in a room together, were told by Citizen Blanqui that they were under arrest. Upon this the crowd rushed into the room, curious to learn what was going on, another squad surged the other way to inform the mob outside that Trochu and Favre had been arrested, and, upon this, a regiment of National Guards not recruited in an International hotbed advanced to the room, delivered the Ministers, and told Blanqui to hurry up and get out, which he did. He also went out and told Flourens and Megy that it was "no go," and they started back toward the graveyard called Pere La Chaise. At midnight all crowds had separated, and Regular soldiers surrounded the Hotel de Ville.

The Trochu Government, having been temporarily under arrest, resolved to hold an election of the people of Paris, who for the time represented France, the Prussians holding the city aloof from all outside intercourse. The Government

asked for a vote of confidence, and was maintained. To the question, "Do the people of Paris recognize the authority of the Government for the National Defense ?" affirmatives to the number of 557,995 were rendered, while but 62,638 (about the strength of the International) voted "No." This election. was held November 1. There was no disorder. Blanqui,

Flourens, and Megy were arrested.

Things went on in a bad way with the besieged city until the 21st of January, 1871. Upon this day a mob overpowered the jailor at Mazas Prison, and let out Flourens. A vast crowd of National Guards held a grand pow-wow at the monument erected on the site of the Bastille, and a repetition of the scenes of October 30 was so unmistakably foreshadowed that General Clement-Thomas, Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard of Paris, issued the following proclamation, which was posted in the morning of the next day:

TO THE NATIONAL GUARD:

Last night a handful of insurgents forced open the prison of Mazas, and deliv ered several of the prisoners, amongst whom was M. Flourens. The same men attempted to occupy the Mayory of the Twentieth Ward, and to install the

chiefs of the insurrection there. Your Commander-in-Chief relies upon your patriotism to suppress this shameful sedition.

The safety of Paris is at stake! While the enemy is bombarding our forts, the factions within our walls use all their efforts to paralyze the defense.

In the name of the public good, in the name of law, and of the high and sacred duty that commands you all to unite in the defense of Paris, hold yourselves ready to frustrate this most criminal attempt. At the first call, let the National Guard rise to a man, and the conspirators will be struck powerless.

CLEMENT-THOMAS, Commander-in-Chief.

At 2 o'clock, in the afternoon of January 22, 1871, National Guards began filing into the yard or Place in front of the Hotel de Ville. They cried "Down with Trochu!" and "Vive la Commune!" The Regular soldiers kept a courageous bearing, and their officer ordered the Guards to disperse. People full of curiosity again rushed into the vacant space. A National Guard fired a shot. Immediately two rows of windows in the Hotel de Ville, together with the great doors, were thrown open, and a volley of ball-cartridge was fired with precision at the crowd from lines of Regulars suddenly discovered. Twelve people were killed, two of whom were women. The panic was very great. General ClementThomas appeared and addressed the troops, thereby securing the credit of the prompt measures adopted. This credit was carefully entered upon the tablets of the Central Committee.

On the 8th of February an election was held in France for the choice of members of a National Assembly. A preliminary peace signed a few days before by the Trochu Government had made them exceedingly unpopular, as the undertaker is not usually the recipient of the esteem of a community. The Delegates elected from Paris were, therefore, all Unreasonables, literary men, or politicians of great "liberality" in their views: They were Louis Blanc, Victor Hugo, young Garibaldi, Gambetta, Rochefort, Delescluze, Felix Pyat, Lockroy, Floquet, Milliere, Tolain, and Malon. The Delegates chosen by the country voters of France were, however, exactly the opposites of these Radicals. They would have gladly welcomed the descendant of Louis XIV, to the throne of France. This placed Paris in a great minority, and soured her against the Government.

On the 18th of February the National Assembly elected Thiers Chief of the Executive Power.

Upon the establishment of a Government representing France, with so important a man as Thiers at its head, Prussia consented to treat for peace, and imposed terms fully as cruel as any nation has acceded to in modern times.

By the terms of the final peace, signed February 27, the Prussians were to march up the Champs Elysees to the Tuileries, stay a day or two, and march back. Against this article in the treaty the International and Unreasonables made the most unfaltering show of repugnance. The Central Commit

tee issued orders to erect barricades in unbroken lines along the whole circuit, thus, with the incurrence of very little danger, exhibiting the wrinkled front of grim-visaged war in all its insolence and intrepidity.

The Prussians entered on the 1st of March, and left on the 3d. The buildings of Paris were hung with crape during the "occupation." The National Guards carried out their programme, allowed no Prussian to leave the bivouacs, and then, after the evacuation, by bonfires purged the Champs Elysees of the contamination.

Having marched all over the city without let or hindrance, the Guards began to drag the cannon of Paris to the places where they intended to mass it, and in many other ways behaved in a manner liable to excite alarm. The National Government, however, was new, it was unpopular on account of the black crape, and it hesitated to act as it should have done. Instead of dismissing the National Guard in February, upon the cessation of hostilities, thus stopping their pay, it put off the business from day to day, until it became aware that the National Guard did not mean to be dismissed. The National Guard gathered in the quarters of the city described as being occupied by the very scum of the population. The most important massing was on Montmartre, where the Central Committee had been formed, and where the Guards. listened to the harangues of their leaders and became convinced that they could not give in their adhesion to the National Assembly. This conviction was attested at the

mouths of 400 cannon, and behind barricades of omnibuses, express-wagons, and paving-stones, which would not be at all easy to get over. Their friends in the neighborhood of the Bastille were also barricaded, and the French Government was not long in learning that it would require a good deal of nerve and more force than was at the disposal of Thiers to oust and disperse the armed mobs.

The Commander of the National Guard in Paris was now General Paladines. A meeting was held on Montmartre at which General Paladines was declared deposed, and the Guard proclaimed their intention of obeying only the orders of their Central Committee.

Next, President Thiers appointed General Valentin Chiefof- Police. Upon hearing of this, the National Guard protested loudly to the Government, probably leading Thiers to believe that they still had a little respect for his authority, and could, by coaxing, be prevented from making any disturbance. He was sadly in error.

Following the treaty of armistice with the Prussians, a drunken officer of the National Guard started forth for the Prussian lines outside of the city, met a Prussian sentry, shot him dead, and was immediately arrested by the Prussians. Upon hearing of this, the Central Committee succeeded in capturing two inoffensive Germans in the city. A trial of some kind was gotten up before the Central Committee, the Germans were found guilty of being alive, and were sentenced to be shot next day. Thereat the French Government was greatly agitated, fearing the retribution that would fall on bleeding France for these insanities. The German commander at once demanded of France the restoration of the condemned men. Thiers sent the Commander, Paladines, up the long hill to get them, but the General's messenger was sent down to the City Hall with the word that General Paladines was no longer Commander of the National Guard. Upon sending an officer of the police, less insolence was encountered, the Committee agreeing to give up their German victims if Thiers would promise to get back from the Prussians their captured and murderous comrade. To this the French Government