The History of a Crime: The Testimony of an Eye-WitnessHugo, Victor
History
The History of a Crime: The Testimony of an Eye-Witness
Hugo, Victor
France -- History -- 1789-1900
"I repeat and insist. Let us show no mercy to this wretched Bonaparte
for any of the enormities which his outrage contains. As he has drawn
the wine--I should say the blood--he must drink it up. We are not
individuals, we are the Nation. Each of us walks forth clothed with the
Sovereignty of the people. He cannot strike our persons without rending
that. Let us compel his volleys to pierce our sashes as well as our
breasts. This man is on a road where logic grasps him and leads him to
parricide. What he is killing in this moment is the country! Well, then!
when the ball of Executive Power pierces the sash of Legislative Power,
it is visible parricide! It is this that must be understood!"
"We are
quite ready!" they cried out. "What measures would you advise us to
adopt?"
"No half measures," answered I; "a deed of grandeur! To-morrow--if we
leave here this night--let us all meet in the Faubourg St. Antoine."
They interposed, "Why the Faubourg St. Antoine?"
"Yes," resumed I, "the Faubourg St. Antoine! I cannot believe that the
heart of the People has ceased to beat there. Let us all meet to-morrow
in the Faubourg St. Antoine. Opposite the Lenoir Market there is a hall
which was used by a club in 1848."
They cried out to me, "The Salle Roysin."
"That is it," said I, "The Salle Roysin. We who remain free number a
hundred and twenty Republican Representatives. Let us install ourselves
in this hall. Let us install ourselves in the fulness and majesty of the
Legislative Power. Henceforward we are the Assembly, the whole of the
Assembly! Let us sit there, deliberate there, in our official sashes,
in the midst of the People. Let us summon the Faubourg St. Antoine to
its duty, let us shelter there the National Representation, let us
shelter there the popular sovereignty. Let us intrust the People to the
keeping of the People. Let us adjure them to protect themselves. If
necessary, let us order them!"
A voice interrupted me: "You cannot give orders to the People!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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