The Bill had the old sanctimonious tone. ‘The principal purpose of preserving religion,’ etc., were the first words; the measure was, that the Great Council should accept ‘the proposed provisional representative government.’
The Secretary had finished reading the Bill, and was just beginning his comments on it, when the sound of a discharge of musketry rang sharply through the ancient hall. The patricians rushed to the doors. One voice called them back.
‘Divide! Divide!’ it cried, above the din.
To the last gasp formality bound them. Hastily, but not informally, they went through the form of voting. The Bill to accept the democratic government was passed by 512 yeas to 30 nays and 5 blanks.
Then, in the twinkling of an eye, the
1797, May twelfth.
SAILS