Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-14
HOW THEY TOOK
THE BASTILLE
Storming of the Fortress Gave
World It's Second GLORIOUS
Fourth"-America's
Share in 1t

in liberty. The first of the Presidents.
was governing under the provisions of
an accomplished Constitution when the
representatives of the French people were
declaring at Versailles that they would
never adjourn until they had given
France n constitutional government.
The American Revolution had proclaimed
the sovereignty of the people; the French
were about to complete that revolution
by undermining the throne of the last
king. America fought for the inde-
pendence of the people of America France
fought for the independence of the
people of Europe. She is still fight.
ing for that today, when she cele-
brates her national holiday, commem.
Grating the Fall of the Bastille, the first
great blow struck in her eternal revolu-
tion.
Several weeks before that blow was
struck the first meeting of the French
Parliament in two centuries was called at
Versailles, twelve miles from Paris. It
had been called because the court was
bankrupt, and the only way to get money
was by appealing to the estates of the
realm. There was a gorgeous procession
from the palace Chat palace where now
on Sundays the laborer and his family
can squat on the green lawn and munich
bread and drink wine from the bottle and
call the Kings fountains and statues their
own to the hall of the estates. In that
hall were ranked on either side of the
throne the clergy of all orders and the
mobiles in their blaze of silk and Jewels
and gemmed swords, and in the rear the
In orlE ttytfb
swords, Rttle awed, but determined. Far
above them all sat the King on his throne,
an enormous diamond in the feather of
his hat; above him the vast canopy of
purple velvet upon which shone the
golden threads of the lilies of France.
The black.garbed commoners knew what
was expected of them they were merely
to ratify the wishes of the great. They
did not dream of the great events that
were to follow and sweep away in a
deluge of blood all this array of pomp and
splendor; that they so soon were to be the
sole and undisputed rulers of France.
Troops Threaten Legislators
1t was soon plain in this strange Par
lament that the will of the crown was
that the three estates-nobles, clergy and
COnllnOnS-Were TO Slt an ar
rangement like the Lords and Commons
of England, by which it would be easy
for the privileged orders to nullify the
legislation of the Third Estate, the peo.
pie. The King announced that they were
to dispense and meet the next day in sep
arate halls. But the commons did not
dispense. They sat on in silence until the
Master of Ceremonies. little more than
boy, covered with cloth of gold, his fingers
studded with diamonds, entered to tell
them in his well.bred drawl that they
were not to linger, but go home. Still
they would not go. I'VE are here by the
will of the peoplew cried Mirabeau, and
only death can dismiss u.s.
Thirty regiments moved, for the most
part German-spealSing mercenaries, upon
whom the court depended in the last re-
sort, to dismiss the commons and capture
and disarm seething Paris, twelve miles
down the valley. The court saw the
commons were determined TO have real
voice in affairs, therefore the commons
must so. Troops filed the streets of Ver-
sailles new guns ratified along the roads.
Would Paris rise? The citizens were
without ammunition, and the plans were
complete to crush any uprising that
might follow the dismissal of the Ma.
tional Assembly and it's demands for
constitution.
But Paris did rise to protect the rights
of it's representatives at Versailles. On
July 12, a Sunday, the people hurried
to the Palais Royal. A young man
mounted sable, held up a pair OF pis-
tolls and shouting, ITO arms!' plucked
leaf from a tree, of which he made a
cockade and stuck 1t in his hat. The
people followed his example In the
great square before Town Hall Q jolly
Partisan priest, sitting astride barrel.
saw to the serving out of powder and ball.
Arms and ammunition, even cannon, were
demanded at the Invalides, and obtained.
The mob moved on the Bastille on the
l4th.
Attack on the Bastille
This fortress had been used for CEN
turies as a State prison and was SYM
Dol of arrogant privilege. Besides. 1t,
contained most of the ammunition in
Paris. There was a demand for its sur
render. which was refused. Two men
mounted the roof of the guardhouse and
broke with axes the chains of the draw
bridge, which fell dowl. The mon rushed
upon it and ran TO a second bridge. to
take it in like manner. At this moment
a discharge Of musketry from the garri-
son brought the besiegers to a stand;
they fell back. but firing at the same
lime. There was an attempt to set fire
TO the building. The French Guards
brought up cannon. and the assault went
forward in military form. The garrison
replied with volleys of grape.
De Launay, in command of the garri-
son, seized torch to blow up the fort
ress. The garrison prevented him and
Obliged him to surrender The entrances
were thrown open. The people rushed
in. A young woman. beautiful and trem-
bling, came forward; she was seized and
about 70 be burned, when a brave soldier
wrested her from the hands Of the mob
and conducted her to a place of safety