"Do the people of Paris recognise the authority of the Government
for the National Defence?"

This was clear, positive, and free from all ambiguity.

The partizans of the Commune declared vehemently that those who voted in
the affirmative were reactionists. "Give us the Commune of '93!" shouted
those who thought they knew a little more about the matter than the
rest. They were generally rather badly received. It is no use speaking
of '93! Replace your Blanquis, your Félix Pyats, your Flourens by men
like those of the grand revolution, and then we shall be glad to hear
what you have to say on the subject.

The inhabitants of Montmartre, La-Chapelle, Belleville, behaved like
good citizens, keeping a brave heart in the hour of misfortune.

However it came about, the Government was maintained by a majority of
557,995 votes against 62,638.

Well, Messieurs of the Commune, try again, or, still better, remain
quiet.

During the night of the 21st of January the members of the National
Defence and the chief officers of the army were assembled around the
table in the council-room. They were still under the mournful impression
left by the fatal day of the nineteenth, on which hundreds of citizens
had fallen at Montretout, at Garches, and at Buzenval. Thanks to the
want of foresight of the Government, the people of Paris were rationed
to 300 grammes of detestable black bread a day for each person. All