The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-01


and enemies of the popular cause, discov-
cred in Danton the natural successor Of the
dead Mirabeau. The former rose as the
latter sank below the horizon; the manner
of the man was such as to point him out as
the necessary captain of the revolutionary
forces.
Danton was lawyer. He had prepared
himself somewhat for his profession before
leaving his childhoods home in Cham
payne and going to Paris. At the outbreak
of the revolution we discover him at the
capital, happily married, leading a cheer
full life, a diligent student of men and af-
fairs. practicing with success in the courts.
The assembling of the states general found
him thirty years Of age, but not a partici-
pant-except by sympathy and occasional
speech-in the prevailing movement. At
this time, however, he plunged into the
tide and swan. Men saw him and began
to wonder at the strength of his stroke
The wild waters fell away from his arms
and breast as from the fins of monster of
the sea- He became a power outside of
the states general and the first assembly,
advocating and promoting the same cause
which the Democrats advocated and pro-
NOTED in the Hall of the Menus and the
Sale de Manage.
Now it was that a party sprang up in
Paris, audacious in it's advocacy of popular
liberty. The policy of this party reached
as high as the throne of France A great
club, known as the Club of the Cordeliers,
was formed as the focus and life center of
this party, and of this club the focus and
life center was Danton. Not, however, IN
til the early part of 1870 did the voice of
this son of thunder begin to be heard above
the roar of the revolution. Already the
Bastile had fallen. Already the king and
court had been compelled to remove from
the security and quiet of Versailles to the
insecurity and tumult of the Tuileries.
Paris was volcano, spouting fire and
smoke. The throne itself began to quake,
but was steadied for a season by the power
full hand of Mirabeau.
In April of 1871 that Hercules of the peo-
pie and friend of order suddenly died, and
for short season the great parties into
which the French nation had been divided
crouched down, each in its place, tigerlike,
with fiery eyeballs, waiting to spring in
death grapple upon the other. In this in
terval, including the latter part of 1871 and
the beginning of the next year, no leader
appeared, but at the latter date Danton
arose, and with mighty outstretched arm
Above the rest.
In shape and gesture proudly eminent
Stood like tower.
Young as he was he was hailed as chief
by the audacious party which had deter
mined upon the destruction of the mon
archy. At length. in 1892. the assembly
declared war against Austria, and while
the internal volcano of revolution con-
tinued to spout, a narrowing rim Of fire
and conquest was seen along the north
eastern border of France. Every patriot
must now ask himself the question, Does
not this king of ours, this Louis Capet,
with his Austrian wife, desire the success
of the enemy Would he not gladly see us
all slain with foreign swords in order that
he may recover his feudal rights, and Marie
Antoinette still wear her high head and
ostrich plumes in the Hail of Mirrors at
Versailles" Such questions could have
but one answer. Paris arose and made a
rush for the Tuileries. The place was taken,
the royal family expelled, the Swiss
guards in their red coats slain or scat
tered; and, as the great equestrian statue
Of Louis XIV was turned over, the populace
found inscribed on the bottom of the hinder
horseshoe, August 12th, l692''-a hundred
years ago, lacking two days!
OF the storming of the Tuileries and of
the virtual overthrow of the monarchy
Danton is believed to have been the princi-
pal inspiring cause. Certainly history, as
against all men, was in the field; but OF
human wills Dauton's was the most effect
I'VE in the deed His mind now began to !
Tffrhr -Tv ~
The dun smoke of the arena. His eloQGence
astonished all men. His passion for the
patriot cause burned like a furnace
Though the Austrians were on the border
aye, had broken in the border-and
hough the fires OF wild revolution were
tanning, not only in Paris, but in all ti.e
titles OF France, this young giant, now bat |
years of age, placed himself |
With barred breast in the thunder blast and |
iefed the storm He openly declared that |
fearlessness. contempt of death |
md promotion OF the revolution at all /
hazards were the only remedies While /
Brunswick ard the Austrian army came /
IN, Danton stood in ms place and cried |
,ut, III nous fault de paudace, ct encore de |
'audace, et toujou-s de Iaucace" that il, /
Now we must have audac.ry, and more l
and aQdacity forever" The peo- /
lie caught the echo, and the phrase passed /
nto history as the key word OF the French /
evolution.
When the French monarchy topp!ed /
Town, Daason was az the fore along with /
Roland and the men Of the Gironde- He /
vas member ot the executive comraitte-e i
when the Austrian successes on the frontier
brew Paris into trenxy of rage and win !
lictiyeness. Il was 81 this 1uncture thai
he FIRST great measure Of terror Sas
'dopte1. or rather adopted iteeli. in TIE
HAss.c-s o. lie prisoners and susoec.A Ia