The Sword of Honor; or, The Foundation of the French Republic: A Tale of The French RevolutionSue, Eugène
History
The Sword of Honor; or, The Foundation of the French Republic: A Tale of The French Revolution
Sue, Eugène
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Fiction
More than two hundred Royalist chiefs, scattered about in the
different centers of France, have their rendezvous.--They hold the
signatures of numerous persons who are ready to join the armies of
the allied Kings when they shall have cleared the frontier.--The
combined armies will march on the fortified towns as if to lay
siege to them; but will take only such as will open their
gates.--The Duke of Brunswick will combine with his army those
corps of the French forces which are scattered along the frontier,
while the King of Prussia will advance at the head of his troops,
swelled by the counter-revolutionists of the interior.--They will
march first upon Paris.--They will reduce the city by starvation.
No consideration, not even the danger of the royal family, will
change the following dispositions:--The inhabitants, of Paris will
be led into the open country. They will be sorted out. THE
REVOLUTIONISTS WILL BE PUT TO DEATH.--As to the others they will be
disposed of later.--Perhaps they will follow the system of the
Emperor of Austria, not to spare any but the women and children. In
case of unequal forces, they will set the cities on fire; for,
according to the expression of the allied Kings, DESERTS ARE
PREFERABLE TO PLACES INHABITED BY A REVOLTED PEOPLE.
To arms, citizens! The enemy is at our gates!
Another poster stuck on the walls of the city read:
TO ARMS, CITIZENS!!!
Citizens:
The enemy will soon be under the walls of Paris!
Longwy is taken!
Verdun can hold out but a few days. Its defenders appeal to the
people.
The citizens who defend the citadel have sworn to die sooner than
surrender it. They make for you a rampart with their bodies. It is
your duty to succor them.
Citizens!
This very day, immediately, let all friends of liberty gather under
its flag!
Let us assemble in the Field of Mars, and let an army of sixty
thousand men be formed without delay.
Citizens!
Let us march on the enemy, either to fall under their blows or to
exterminate them under ours!
The Commune of Paris decrees:
ARTICLE 1. The Sections shall give to the State the men ready to
set out.
ARTICLE 2. The Military Committee shall sit in permanence, to
receive enrolments.
ARTICLE 3. The alarm gun shall be fired, the tocsin shall ring,
night and day.
CITIZENS, THE NATION IS IN DANGER!
TO ARMS!
"Save Paris! save France! Else, woe is us!" repeated the imploring
voices of women, whose cries and moans mingled with the clamor of the
alarm bell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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