river; for it was upon the signal of the people on the steps that the guard and the people broke through the military force that was holding the bridge. As the crowd mounted the steps of the Palais Bourbon it was received with terrific cheers, and with shouts of "Vive la République!" and "Decheance!"
Making our way into the street, Mr. Eustis and myself managed to pass through the crowd and to reach the building of the Agricultural Club, in the immediate neighborhood, and from the balcony of which we could see all that was going on. And now the soldiers of the guard, many of them with their hats on the ends of their muskets, accompanied by an indiscriminate mass of men, women, and children, poured over the Pont de la Concorde and filled the entire space, all in one grand fraternization, singing the Marseillaise and shouting "Vive la République!" The Municipal Guard, with its shining helmets and brilliant uniform, was forced back, inch by inch, before the people, until, finally, all military authority became utterly powerless. During this time the National Guard and the people had invaded the hall of the deputies, which they found vacant. M. Schneider and about a dozen of the members rushed in. The President in vain made appeals for order, and finally covered himself by putting on his hat, according to the immemorable usage of the French assemblies under such circumstances. Gambetta addressed a few energetic words to the invaders, and, a little order being restored, quite a number of deputies entered the hall. But at three o'clock a grand irruption into the Chamber took
TRANSLATION OF PROCLAMATION.
Frenchmen:
A great misfortune has just fallen upon our country. After three days of heroic struggle kept up by the army of Marshal MacMahon against three hundred thousand of the enemy, forty thousand men have been made prisoners.
General Wimpffen, who had taken command of the army in place of Marshal MacMahon, severely wounded, has signed a surrender.
This cruel defeat does not shake our courage.
Paris is now in a state of defense.
The military forces of the country are organizing.
In a few days a new army will be under the walls of Paris, and still another army is forming on the banks of the Loire.
Your patriotism, your union, and your energy will save France.
The Emperor was made prisoner in the melee.
The Government in accord with the public authorities is taking every measure which befits the gravity of these events.
[Signed by the Council of Ministers.]
place. M. Jules Favre then ascended the tribune and was listened to for a moment. "Let there be no scenes of violence," he said; "let us reserve our arms for the enemy, and fight it to the last. At this moment union is necessary, and for that reason we do not proclaim the republic." The President then precipitately left his seat, and it turned out that it was for the last time. The irruption into the Chamber continued.
The floor and the seats of the deputies, on which a few members of the Left only remained, were filled with a motley crowd in blouses and coarse woollen shirts, or in the uniform of the National Guard or the Guard Mobile. They wore caps and kepis of all colors and shapes, and carried muskets with their muzzles ornamented with sprigs of green leaves. The tumult became indescribable, and some of the invaders seized on the pens and paper of the deputies and commenced writing letters, while different persons were going up to the President's chair and ringing his bell continually. The crowd in the hall now demanded the "déchéance" of the Emperor, which was declared, and then it was proposed to go to the Hôtel de Ville and proclaim the republic. The cry was therefore raised, "À l'Hótel de Ville!" mingled with other cries, "Cherchez Rochefort!" etc., and then this vast multitude commenced moving away from the Palais Bourbon. The crowd having soon sufficiently dispersed, we were enabled to make our way back to the Corps Législatif and to enter the diplomatic tribune.
The hall was filled with dust, and was in the greatest possible confusion. A rough-looking man was in the President's chair, surrounded by a number of men still more rough in appearance. The soldiers and the people were occupying the seats of the deputies indiscriminately, writing letters, looking over documents, and talking and laughing, all in the best of humor. In the hall, at this time, I recognized Gamier-Pagès, Raspail, and a few other members of the Left. Leaving the Chamber, we went at once to the Hôtel de Ville. The number of people assembled there was enormous, and we found the same frater-
