The Story of the French Revolution

After the fall of the Tuileries, the Girondin ministry had come into power again. Once more they gathered in Mme Roland's salon. Brissot, the Norman deputy, was all for the war that would compel the King to declare his policy. Louis might take the opportunity of aiding the party of Revolution, or he might declare himself openly against it, in which case it would be easy to call him traitor and set up a Republic. Handsome Barbaroux had called for volunteers and met the gallant response from Marseilles. Buzot, who won the heart of Marie-Jeanne Roland from a husband, elderly now and growing enfeebled, was also an advanced Girondin. They had enemies in the Assembly and enemies in Paris. There was the Commune or Municipality, which claimed to direct the actions of the Revolution. It had been foremost in the attack on the Tuileries and was violent through success. Secretly appointed, the members were bold in their demands. They despised the older body, and condemned its powers as feeble. They had overthrown the King and saved the people by that gallant rush to the royal palace when the prudent would have stayed them. They were going to have their way, and show Roland and his men what force could do to crush the treason of these aristocrats, with the monarchs of Europe in alliance...