Having in the preceding chapter given a description of the Champ de Mars, I shall attempt in this to exhibit how matters were conducted on the 14th: but it may be proper to premise, that on the 11th, the king, to prevent confusion and disorder, wisely issued a proclamation, setting forth how the different corps that were to compose the confederation was to march, &c. His majesty ordered that no troops, but those on guard, should be armed with guns; nor any carriages suffered to follow those of his majesty, the royal family, and their trains. That if any deputy of the confederation, or person invited, should be unable to walk, they might ride in a carriage, and be escorted by a Chevalier d'Ordonnance to the military school, providing they had permission from the mayor of Paris.

That M. de la Fayette should be commander-general of the Parisian national guard, then charged by a decree of the national assembly, and sanctioned by his majesty, with the care of the public tranquillity, should fulfil, under the king's orders, the functions of major-general of the confederation; and in that quality the orders should be given and observed as the orders of his majesty himself.

That the king had in like manner nominated M. Gouvion, major-general of the Parisian guard, lieutenant-general of the confederation for the day of the ceremony.

That when all persons were placed, the blessing the flags and colours should be proceeded to, and the celebration of the mass.

That the king empowered the said M. de la Fayette, to pronounce the confederation oath in the name of all the deputies of the national guards, and those of the troops and marines, according to the forms decreed by the national assembly, and accepted by his majesty; and that all the deputies of the confederation should hold up their hands.

That then the president of the national assembly should pronounce the civic oath for the members of the national assembly; and that the king should in like manner pronounce the oath, the form of which had been decreed by the national assembly, and accepted by his majesty.

That the Te Deum should be sung, and conclude the ceremony; after which the procession should return from the Champ de Mars in the same order it came.

In obedience to this proclamation, an order of procession was drawn up, and proper measures concerted to prevent tumult and disorder, by M. de la Fayette, and M. Bailli, the mayor of Paris.

On the 13th, at ten o'clock in the evening, 4000 Paris guards on the outside of the Champ de Mars, and 2000 within, were placed to preserve order. Before eleven the people began to assemble and seat themselves and came in small parties till day-break; from three to nine they poured in in crowds at the great avenues, where the guards cautioned them not to hurry.

By ten o'clock the seats were filled, the outside gallaries, the windows, and roofs of houses; and every place where a glimpse of the grand procession could be had, was filled with people of all ranks, sexes, and ages, who kept their places till the business was finished, notwithstanding the rain fell in torrents, accompanied with cold squalls of wind from eight till four.

Those guards that were not wanted in the procession, danced in circles, and in great parties marched triumphantly at the beat of the drums, with their hats and caps on the points of their swords, forming battalions, and making sham fights, &c. Sometimes they ran in all directions, flourishing their swords, and being filled with joy cried, "Vive la Libertie! Vive la Loi! Vive la Roi! Vive la Confederation National! Vive mon Frere!"—embracing one another, and the spectators that sat near them.

One, personating a victim of tyranny, was carried with great solemnity to a market spot, where the body was laid, and made the occasion of more firmly uniting, which was testified with a variety of actions.

Having an abbÉ within the circle, they marched him round with a gun in his hand and a grenadier's cap on his head; and in the same manner they marched a capuchin friar.

At seven o'clock a crucifix was placed on the great altar.

Just before nine a body of priests appeared on the altar, and tied sashes of national colours around their waists, and decorated the crucifix, and various parts of the altar, with ribbons of the same.

At half past ten the bishop of Auton, with more than one hundred priests, proceeded in a double line, guarded by a strong body of national troops, from the grand pavilion to the altar, carrying with them the tables with the commandments, and the sacred books. When they had ascended the altar they began the ceremony of consecrating it.

Just before twelve, a grand salute of one hundred cannon announced the near approach of the procession to the triumphal arch; and the guards formed into ranks for their reception.

The national federatives, and all who assisted in the grand procession, had assembled at six this morning on the Boulevards, between the gates of St. Martin and St. Antoine, and were drawn up in the following order:

1. A troop of horse, with standards, and six trumpets.

2. One division of music, consisting of several hundred instruments.

3. A company of grenadiers.

4. The electors of the city of Paris.

5. A company of volunteers.

6. The assembly of the representatives of the commons.

7. The military committee.

8. A company of chasseurs.

9. A band of drums.

10. The presidents of the districts.

11. The deputies of the commons, appointed to take for them the federal oath.

12. The sixty administrators of the municipality, with the city guards.

13. The second division of music.

14. A battalion of children, pupils of the military school, carrying a standard with the words,

15. A detachment of the colours of the national guard of Paris.

16. A battalion of veterans.

17. The deputies of forty-two chief departments of the nation, in alphabetical order.

18. The oriflamme, or grand standard of France, borne by the marischalls of France, general officers, officers of the staff, subaltern officers, commissioners of war, invalids.

19. The lieutenants of the marischalls of France,—deputies of infantry,—deputies of cavalry.

20. Deputies of hussars, dragoons, and chasseurs.

21. General officers, and deputies of the marine, according to rank.

22. The deputies of forty-one last departments, in alphabetical order.

23. A company of volunteer chasseurs.

24. A company of cavalry, with a standard and two trumpets.

Each department was preceded by a banner, borne by the oldest deputy. These banners were a present from the city of Paris. They consisted of two branches, forming an oak wreath, tied together with national coloured ribbons, bearing on one side—The National Confederation at Paris, July 14, 1790; and the other—The Constitution, with the number and device of the department to which they severally belong.

The military deputies had only their side arms.

At nine the procession passed along the streets of St. Denis, of the Forronerie, to St. HonorÉ Royal, to the palace of Louis XV. where they halted; and the detachment of the colours of the national guard Paris opening to the right and left, received into the centre.

The procession then moved on through the Cours la Reine, along the quay to the bridge of boats; and the deputies from the provinces received loud acclamations of applause from the people, which were answered by Vivent lis Parisians!

At the end of the bridge the triumphal arch appeared, adorned with various allegorical paintings which represented the gate of St. Antoine.

Over the principal entrance, referring to figures that were darting through all the obstacles to reach the law, was inscribed on the side:

On the other:

Over the lateral entrance on the left side, figures of warriors taking the civic oath, seemed to utter,

Over the lateral entrance, on the right, heralds sounding trumpets, proclaimed peace throughout the kingdom, and the people were singing,

On the front, next the amphitheatre, over the middle arch, was a picture of deputies from various nations, come to do homage to the national assembly, with this inscription:

Under this picture,

Over a picture—a woman chaining lions to her ear, with Force and Power in her suite, and leaning on the book of the law. The king and queen holding the dauphin by the hand, follow, preceded by a group of sages. A combat is exhibited with a dreadful hydra, whose head was seen struck off.

In another place an immense multitude listening with attention to the sage exhortations of a victorious warrior, who seemed to say,

At one o'clock the van of the procession appeared under this triumphal arch.

M. de la Fayette leading a body of cavalry, himself mounted on a milk white charger, rode into the amphitheatre amid the acclamations of the people, Vive la Fayette! The cavalry filed off to the right, and ranged themselves in the exterior line, on the opposite side to the entrance. The company of grenadiers formed under the steps of the amphitheatre, as well as all the companies who were employed as escorts.

The civil bodies took the places allotted for them, which was previously marked out. The battalion of youths of the military school, formed about one hundred paces from the grand altar, crossing the Champ de Mars; but facing the altar on the side next the military school.

While the national assembly passed through the triumphal arch, the escort of colours passed through the lateral gates, and the members took their seats on the right and left of the chair of state, and the chair of their own president.

The battalion of veterans was placed a hundred paces behind the altar, across the Champ de Mars, but facing the altar.

The detachments of the national guards, appointed to take the oath, ranged themselves under each banner, indicative of his place in the amphitheatre.

The music collected into one band, and occupied the side of the platform under the altar, next to the invalids; and the band of drums were placed on the opposite side.

The detachment of cavalry that closed the procession, formed the exterior line, on the side where they entered, opposite to the first detachment.

The altar was after an antique model. The ascent to it was by four stair cases; at each corner was a platform supporting an urn, which exhaled perfumes. On the south front were these verses from Mahomet, under a picture of arts and sciences:

And these,

"The law in all things ought to be universal: Men of all descriptions are equal in its eyes."