Charamaule told them what had just taken place on the Boulevard du Temple, and the advice which he had thought right to give me. They approved his action. "What is to be done?" was asked on every side. I began to speak. "Let us go straight to the fact and to the point," said I. "Louis Bonaparte is gaining ground, and we are losing ground, or rather, we should say, he has as yet everything, and we have as yet nothing. Charamaule and I have been obliged to separate ourselves from Colonel Forestier. I doubt if he will succeed. Louis Bonaparte is doing all he can to suppress us, we must no longer keep in the background. We must make our presence felt. We must fan this beginning of the flame of which we have seen the spark on the Boulevard du Temple. A proclamation must be made, no matter by whom it is printed, or how it is placarded, but it is absolutely necessary, and that immediately. Something brief, rapid, and energetic. No set phrases. Ten lines--an appeal to arms! We are the Law, and there are occasions when the Law should utter a war-cry. The Law, outlawing the traitor, is a great and terrible thing. Let us do it." They interrupted me with "Yes, that is right, a proclamation!" "Dictate! dictate!" "Dictate," said Baudin to me, "I will write." I dictated:- "TO THE PEOPLE. "Louis Napoléon Bonaparte is a traitor. "He has violated the Constitution. "He is forsworn. "He is an outlaw--" They cried out to me on every side,-- "That is right! Outlaw him." "Go on." I resumed the dictation. Baudin wrote,-- "The Republican Representatives refer the People and the Army to Article 68--" They interrupted me: "Quote it in full." "No," said I, "it would be too long. Something is needed which can be placarded on a card, stuck with a wafer, and which can be read in a minute. I will quote Article 110. It is short and contains the appeal to arms." I resumed,-- "The Republican Representatives refer the People and the Army to Article 68 and to Article 110, which runs thus--'The Constituent Assembly confides the existing Constitution and the Laws which it consecrates to the keeping and the patriotism of all Frenchmen.' "The People henceforward and for ever in possession of universal suffrages and who need no Prince for its restitution, will know how to chastise the rebel. "Let the People do its duty. The Republican Representatives are marching at its head. "Vive la République! To Arms!" They applauded. "Let us all sign," said Pelletier. "Let us try to find a printing-office without delay," said Schoelcher, "and let the proclamation be posted up immediately." "Before nightfall--the days are short," added Joigneaux. "Immediately, immediately, several copies!" called out the Representatives. Baudin, silent and rapid, had already made a second copy of the proclamation.