Bad news seems to act on Frenchmen like acid on
an alkali. 'The moment it falls there is a sputter. The news of an armistice was received in Tours and Paris exactly in the same way. Up sprang the populace in a rage, rushed to the seat of Government, imprisoned the Ministry, and installed a Committee of Public Safety. Then the respectables under arms marched down, released the Ministers, dispersed the populace, and restored order. In Tours, M. Gambetta was imprisoned for some hours ; and in Paris, General Trochu. The latter, however, felt himself strong enough to put the question of confidence in the Government to a regular vote of the citizens ; to issue a proclamation, stating that advantages were to be derived from an armistice ; and to threaten to disarm any battalion of the Guard which appeared in the street without orders. The ultras in Paris seem bereft of their usual portion of sense, and actually nominated a triumvirate, con- sisting of Flourens, a daredevil of some ability and no judgment at all ; M. Ledra Rollin, a worn-out socialist of 1848; and, of all mankind, M. Victor Hugo. Paris on 1st November was quite tranquil, and the Government obeyed.
