Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-14

THIs is the anniversary of the day when
i the Frenchmen became conscious of their
| power.
They marched in singing, shouting tur-
bulent mass to the Bastille. the symbol of
privilege and plumber and the impregnable
fortress fell before their assault.
It was not physical force that overcame
the garrison, but the power of an idea.
Louis XVI. in financial straits, had sum-
moned the three estates to vote him money
The Third Estate, representing the plain
Frenchmen, assembled, determined to cure
the abuses of centuries,
They demanded that the mobiles and the
representatives Of the church sit with them.
The King met them all together and ordered
that each Estate sit separately. Most of the
higher orders obeyed and left the hail. but
the commons kept their seats.
Have you heard the Kings orders?" the
Master of Ceremonies asked with a felgned
surprise at the unfamiliarity of the represen-
tatives with the demands Of royal etiquette.
And Mirabeau rose and uttered the def
ance which still thrills Frenchmen when
they read It:
Let me tell you that we are here by the
will of the people, and that we shall only
quit our seats at the point of the bayonet."
This was late in June 1889. The King
dared not accept the challenge, and knowl-
edge Of what had happened spread until on
July A. one hundred and twenty-six years
ago today, the plain people assaulted the
Bastille with memorable results.
Just a Fort at First
The fortress was not an instrument Of
tyranny when 1t was first built in the 14th
century to protect the palace of Charles
against the Burgundians, and it had
become a comparatively harmless place
when 1t was destroyed Only seven prisoners
were found in it and they were insignificant
persons It was in its middle period that
there accumulated around 1t the tales of hor-
ror that made 1t stand in the imagination of
the French for all the abuses of irresponsible
rule. From fortress it was changed into
a prison for political prisoners in the 18th
century
Louis XI of bloody memory had some
deep pits dug in the dungeons just big
enough to hold the body OF man (prefer-
ably political opponenD standing upright.
He lined them with smooth polished masonry.
Then he let his prisoners down in them The
Armagnao princes were favored in this way,
and the records show that he was in the
habit of having these unfortunate men
hauled out OF the torture chambers twice a
week to be scourged and then, to show them
how much he loved them, he had two teeth
torn from the jaws OF each once every three
months. One OF the most famous guests TO
enjoy the hospitality of this hostelry was
the Man In the Iron Mask, who sleeping or
waking. was never allowed to be alone a
moment, Cagliostro the most successful ex-
ploter OF human credulity OF his time-can
you name a greater faker OF any timer
was also entertained there for a while be-
cause he got mixed up with the famous
Case OF the Diamond Necklace. He wrote
on the wall of his cell that the building
would be destroyed "and the people shall
dance on the place where II stood"
And 1t was destroyed within five years and
the people danced the carmognole TO the
music OF ga Ira" So II a man can justify
his claim to foretell the future by a single
successful guess, Cagliostro must be admit
ted to the ranks OF the soothsayers.
The courtier who told Louis XVI thar the
assault on the famous prison fortress was
not revolt but revolution was possessed
OF as great ability to read the future as
Cagliostro demonstrated. He prophesied cor
rectly, too. There was a revolution. ana
the stones OF the building were thrown m
the ground as the structure of the Frencb
monarchy began to totter, and some Of them
were used to build bridge that the people
might trample on the old regime. and others
We're laid in giant column to commemorate
the dawn OF new era.
Made National Holiday in 1880
Louis himself participated IN the celebra-
tion Of the first anniversary OF lie Quatorze |
Juliet, when great amphitheatre had been
built capable OF holding 300. 900 people. ana |
they all saw him mount the platform where |
Prince Talleyrand, the Bishop OF Autun. eel /
ebrated Mass and the King swore fealtv 10 /
the Revolution The foundations OF the col
nmn were laid on the anniversary two wears 1
later i was not until 1880 however. that 1
9uiy Il became oiieially ana formally reeog-
nized as the day OF French independancs
and the first actual celebration OF the aa.
as the date Of the beginning Of modern
France then occurred President Greyy ala
ulbuted aagg to deputaiions from nearly
- 9iFieiaAs g the army rhers -.