The officer was disconcerted.  Not long afterwards, however, the crowd is informed that the members of the Government are arrested.

The principal scene took place in the cabinet of the ex-prefect.  Citizen Blanqui approaches the table; addressing the people, he requests them to evacuate the room so as to allow the commission to deliberate.  The commission!  What commission?  Where does it spring from?  No one knew anything of it, so the members must evidently have named themselves.  Monsieur Blanqui had seen to that, no doubt.  During this time the adjoining room is the theatre of the most extraordinary excitement; the men of the 106th Battalion, who were on guard in the interior of the Hotel de Ville, are compelled to use their arms to prevent any one else entering.  After some tumult and struggling, but without any spilling of blood, some National Guards of this battalion manage to fight their way through to the room in which the members of the Government are prisoners, and succeed in delivering them.

At about two o’clock in the morning, the 106th Battalion had completely cleared the Hotel de Ville of the crowds.  No violence had been done, and General Trochu was reviewing a body of men ranged in battle order, which extended from the Place de l’Hotel de Ville to the Place de la Concorde.  An hour later, quiet was completely restored.

The members of the Government, who had been incarcerated during several hours, now wished to show their authority; they felt that their power had been shaken, and saw the necessity of strengthening it.  What can a Government do in such a case?  Call for a plebiscite.  But this time Paris alone was consulted, and for a good reason.  Thus, on the 1st November, the people, of Paris were enjoined to express their wishes by answering yes or no to this simple question:—­

    “Do the people of Paris recognise the authority of the Government
    for the National Defence?”

This was clear, positive, and free from all ambiguity.

The partizans of the Commune declared vehemently that those who voted in the affirmative were reactionists.  “Give us the Commune of ’93!” shouted those who thought they knew a little more about the matter than the rest.  They were generally rather badly received.  It is no use speaking of ’93!  Replace your Blanquis, your Felix Pyats, your Flourens by men like those of the grand revolution, and then we shall be glad to hear what you have to say on the subject.

The inhabitants of Montmartre, La-Chapelle, Belleville, behaved like good citizens, keeping a brave heart in the hour of misfortune.

However it came about, the Government was maintained by a majority of 557,995 votes against 62,638.

Well, Messieurs of the Commune, try again, or, still better, remain quiet.