Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-16

to keep alive the personal memories of the
great revolutionists than to recall the sur
prising scenes in which they acted. But
In reality the successive crises that arose
~and broke in that tumultuous storm are OF
greater interest than are the dramatis per.
son@. for the event is ever greater than the
man.
Among the scenes of that stormy epoch.
perhaps the greatest and most pleasing
as 1t is strangely one of the least remem-
bercd-was the Feast of Pixies, celebrated
In honor OF the new constitution and as the
occasion when France as a nation took the
oath OF fealty to the instrument which the
national assembly had produced. For in
the meantime the Revolution had gone for
ward with great strides. Only two months
and nine days after the meeting of the
states general at Versailles, the Bastile was
taken by storm. Paris became suddenly
conscious of her power. Almost glorious
in her rage, she proceeded at once to ex-
treme measures. The year had been one
of famine. The people everywhere were
suffering for bread. There came on a uni.
versal Gallo effervescence in which all in
credible things were believed in and ex-
pected. France imagined for the hour that
the states general, which soon resolved it.
self into the national assembly, could make
bread as we'll as new constitutions; but
the bread did not appear.
Paris, now thoroughly hungry, made a
rush for Versailles. The passion of the
hour took this form-that the king and the
court. as we'll the national assembly, should
be transferred to Paris, the capital, where
we patriots might teach them all the way
TO liberty and bread. So in the early days
OF October Louis and his family were hur-
ried from the palace of the Bourbon kings
at Versailles and brought to the Tuileres.
Very tame the king and his party had now
become, and between the monarchy and
the national assembly, holding its sessions
In the Sale de Manege, or riding hall, only
short distance from the Tuileries, very
friendly relations had been established.
The new constitution was completed ac-
cording to the Gospel by Rousseau, and
suddenly all minds became possessed with
the belief that the new era was at the door.
There was a universal faith in imminent
deliverance and plenty. This state of af-
fairs supervened in the early part of 1870.
As the summer came on, an idea took
possession of the French mind. The new
constitutional monarchy had been provid-
cd, that is the paper form of it, by the ma
tional assembly, and King Louis glad to
have peace. had agreed to its provisions.
Aye, he would swear to maintain it-swear
for himself and his son, and his posterity.
Already. In the first days of February, his
majesty went over in person to the Sale de
Manege, making little milk-and-water
speech, and between him and the national
assembly there was great fraternity. A
national oath was prepared which all must
take--or rather which all ioill take-for
spontaneity suddenly comes with a flame,
and everybody swears and then swears
again. The president of the assembly
swears All the delegates swear. Outside,
old Bailly, mayor of Paris, swears. A GER
tain Monsieur Danton, not unknown to
the Revolution, declares that "the public
would like to partake" in the swearingl
King Louis receives the title of Restorer of
French Liberty, and all Frenchmen-except
q few Marats and the Like in underground
Paris-love him and will support him and
his constitutional monarchy always.
Would it not be well, therefore, 0 French
rows by the goodness of your king, by the
new constitution, and by the Gospel ac-
cording to Rousseau, that great day
greatest of all days-should be appointed,
in which the French nation, by representa-
tives chosen from all the eighty-three de-
partments of the kingdom, may come to-
gethcr in one place, and there in that great
place, under the open canopy of heaven,
swear o great national oath with, one
voice--oath that shall shake the world
and reverberate down the centuries? And
what day shall that day bei Certainly no
other than the 18th Of July, first anniver-
sary of the storming of the Bastilel For
that day was the birthday of liberty, as 1t
shall be for us and posterity. And what
place shall we find fitting for such a cere-
monyf What place but our great Champs
de Mars, lying yonder on the left bank Of
the Seine, between the Ecole Militaire and
About that place all the history of an
cient France, back to the days of the Ro-
mans, seems to hover. There the warrior
chieftains of the Franks, from the days OF
Merov@us to the days of Pepin, were wont
10 assemble and toss their kings on their
bucklers, with coarse shoutings that signi-
fed much of fealty and devotion. There
Charlemagne himself was wont to review
his soldiers and to hold his courts of May
Day. There all the Capetian kings, down
TO the Great Henry, and from him to oui
beloved Louis, have been accustomed to &c
ON national days to review the soldiery Of
France and to receive the homage OF the
nation. There then, certainly, our new
Great Oath shall be taken by the whole
French nation, as never oath was taken be
fore or shall be afterward.
The idea was that the act of oath taking
TO the new order of things should consti
tute kind of federation of liberty, equal
ity and fraternity. This notion caught thu
public mind like contagion, and not onl,
the whole of Paris, but large part q
France, plunged into the swim of excite
ment and enthusiasm. Deputations be
Qan to arrive from distant departments
The guardsmen of Lyons came, and wer
received by the city with great shoutings
Meanwhile, under the direction of tn
municipality and the national assembly
workmen and artists begin to prepare tn
Champs de Mars for the federation. 4
plau like that of monstrous coliseum /
laid out, greatest in circuit ever seen Of
the surface of this poor planet, and mos
wonderful in its purpose. There in th
ceuter Is to be raised an Aattet de Ia PdtTtt
or altar to native land--such altar as 70
uixe and sanctity was never planned before
A great artificial rock is provided, having
within its interior a Temple of Concord
while on the summit above rises q statu
of Liberty of such colossal height that sh
with her pike and Phrygian cap may b
seen at distance of many miles,
All the great rock is covered with ban
ners and notices. Round about spac
of more than SOC. 900 square feet is left TO