Manuel embraced the revolutionary ideas, and after the storming of the Bastille became a member of the provisional municipality of Paris. He was one of the leaders of the riots of 20 June 1792, and the 10 August storming of the Tuileries Palace, played an important part in the formation of the insurrectionary Paris Commune which assured the success of the latter attack (begun by the taking of the "Hôtel de Ville"), and was made "procureur" of the commune.