When we entered there was silence, and they asked us, "Well, what news?"
Charamaule told them what had just taken place on the Boulevard du Temple, and the advice which he had thought right to give me. They approved his action.
"What is to be done?" was asked on every side. I began to speak.
"Let us go straight to the fact and to the point," said I. "Louis Bonaparte is gaining ground, and we are losing ground, or rather, we should say, he has as yet everything, and we have as yet nothing. Charamaule and I have been obliged to separate ourselves from Colonel Forestier. I doubt if he will succeed. Louis Bonaparte is doing all he can to suppress us, we must no longer keep in the background. We must make our presence felt. We must fan this beginning of the flame of which we have seen the spark on the Boulevard du Temple. A proclamation must be made, no matter by whom it is printed, or how it is placarded, but it is absolutely necessary, and that immediately. Something brief, rapid, and energetic. No set phrases. Ten lines—an appeal to arms! We are the Law, and there are occasions when the Law should utter a war-cry. The Law, outlawing the traitor, is a great and terrible thing. Let us do it."
They interrupted me with "Yes, that is right, a proclamation!"
"Dictate! dictate!"
"Dictate," said Baudin to me, "I will write."
I dictated:-
"TO THE PEOPLE.
"Louis Napoléon Bonaparte is a traitor.
"He has violated the Constitution.
"He is forsworn.
"He is an outlaw—"
They cried out to me on every side,—