Paris had been confined to solitary life for six months; she alone to the last moment had declared for the continuation of the struggle at any price, alone affirmed the Republic by a vote. Her abandonment, the vote of the provinces, the rural majority, made so many men ready to die for the universal republic fancy that the Republic might be shut up within Paris. FOOTNOTES: [63] 3rd arrondissement, A. Genotal; 4th, Alavoine; 5th, Manet; 6th, V. Frontier; 7th, Badois; 8th, Morterol?; 9th, Mayer; 10th, Arnold; 11th, Piconel; 12th, Audoynaud; 13th, Soncial; 14th, Dacosta; 15th, Masson; 16th, Pe; 17th, Weber; 18th, Trouillet; 19th, Lagarde; 20th, A. Bonit. Courty remained president, Ramel secretary. [64] Vinoy, _L'Armistice et la Commune_, p. 128. [65] The reactionists have said that this fear was feigned; that the cannon were safe from the Prussians. This is so false that the general staff itself feared a surprise. See Mortemart, chef d'etat-major, _Enquete sur le 4 Septembre_, vol. ii. p. 844. [66] _Enquete sur le 18 Mars_, Colonel Lavigne, vol. ii. p. 467. [67] "The first cannons were taken, carried away, on the news of the entry of the Prussians. And these, gentlemen, believe me, were carried off by citizens devoted to order, the National Guards of Passy and Auteuil, and taken where? From the Ranelagh."--_Jules Ferry_, _Enquete sur le 18 Mars_, vol ii. p. 68. [68] A. Alavoine, A. Bouit, Frontier, Boursier, David, Buisson, Harond, Gritz, Tessier, Ramel, Badois, Arnold, Piconel, Audoynaud, Masson, Weber, Lagarde, J. Laroque, J. Bergeret, Pouchain, Lavalette, Fleury, Maljournal, Chouteau, Cadaze, Gastaud, Dutil, Matte, Mutin. Ten only of those elected on the 15th figure in this document. Various delegations, abstentions, and irregular adhesions had given nearly twenty new names. [69] Roger du Nord, the chief of D'Aurelles' staff, "heard it said in all the fractions of the National Guard, 'Why place a man of such energy at the head of the National Guard if not to make a _coup d'etat_?'"--_Enquete sur le 18 Mars_, vol. ii. [70] The National Guards of each of the twenty arrondissements were formed into a separate legion. CHAPTER II. "Cette republique a ete menacee par l'Assemblee, a-t-on dit, Messieurs, quand l'insurrection a eclate, l'Assemblee ne s'etait encore signalee au point de vue politique que par deux actes: la nomination du chef du pouvoir executif et l'acceptation d'un cabinet republicain."--_Discours de M. Larcy, du Centre Gauche, contre l'Amnistie, Seance du 18 Mai 1876._ THE COALITION OPENS FIRE ON PARIS--THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE CONSTITUTES ITSELF--M. THIERS ORDERS THE ASSAULT.