Meanwhile Jules Favre had drawn up the following decree, which he proposed, and which was immediately adopted:—­

  “DECREE.

  “FRENCH REPUBLIC.

  “Liberty,—­Equality,—­Fraternity.

  “The undersigned Representatives remaining at liberty, assembled in
  Permanent Session,—­

  “Considering the arrest of the majority of our colleagues, and the
  urgency of the moment: 

“Considering that for the accomplishment of his crime Louis Bonaparte has not contented himself with multiplying the most formidable means of destruction against the lives and property of the citizens of Paris, that he has trampled under foot every law, that he has annihilated all the guarantees of civilized nations: 

  “Considering that these criminal madnesses only serve to augment the
  violent denunciation of every conscience and to hasten the hour of
  national vengeance, but that it is important to proclaim the Right: 

  “Decree: 

  “ARTICLE I.—­The State of Siege is raised in all Departments where it
  has been established, the ordinary laws resume their authority.

  “ARTICLE II.—­It is enjoined upon all military leaders under penalty
  of Treason immediately to lay down the extraordinary powers which
  have been conferred upon them.

  “ARTICLE III.—­Officials and agents of the public force are charged
  under penalty of treason to put this present decree into execution.

  “Given in Permanent Session, 3d December, 1851.”

Madier de Montjau and De Flotte entered.  They came from outside.  They had been in all the districts where the conflict was proceeding, they had seen with their own eyes the hesitation of a part of the population in the presence of these words, “The Law of the 31st May is abolished, Universal Suffrage is re-established.”  The placards of Louis Bonaparte were manifestly working mischief.  It was necessary to oppose effort to effort, and to neglect nothing which could open the eyes of the people.  I dictated the following Proclamation:-

  “PROCLAMATION.

  “People! you are being deceived.

  “Louis Bonaparte says that he has re-established you in your rights,
  and that he restores to you Universal Suffrage.

  “Louis Bonaparte has lied.

“Read his placards.  He grants you—­what infamous mockery!—­the right of conferring on him, on him alone, the Constituent power; that is to say, the Supreme power, which belongs to you.  He grants you the right to appoint him Dictator for ten years.  In other words, he grants you the right of abdicating and of crowning him.  A right which even you do not possess, O People! for one generation cannot dispose of the sovereignty of the generation which shall follow it.

  “Yes, he grants to you, Sovereign, the right of giving yourself a
  master, and that master himself.