. The story of the greatest nations, from the dawn of history to the twentieth century : a comprehensive history, founded upon the leading authorities, including a complete chronology of the world, and a pronouncing vocabulary of each nation . cal officers, elected by thecommunity. This is the system employed in all our Americancities; but in France local officials are usually appointed bythe national government. The Paris communists, however, didnot confine their desires to this change of system. Theywanted their own city commune to rule the rest of France; andthey had vague ideas of redistri
. The story of the greatest nations, from the dawn of history to the twentieth century : a comprehensive history, founded upon the leading authorities, including a complete chronology of the world, and a pronouncing vocabulary of each nation . cal officers, elected by thecommunity. This is the system employed in all our Americancities; but in France local officials are usually appointed bythe national government. The Paris communists, however, didnot confine their desires to this change of system. Theywanted their own city commune to rule the rest of France; andthey had vague ideas of redistributing property, plundering therich, and other schemes even more anarchistic. Many of the Paris militia had been recruited from thelowest orders. The withdrawal of the German troops left these men witharms in their hands. Some of them were earnest fanatics, some mere vag-abonds unwilling to abandon lazy parading, for honest hard labor. Both classesuniting, declared for a commune, and threw off all allegiance to the newlyelected Assembly. The rebels seized the military stores of the capital, andarrested and shot two of their generals who attempted to restore order. Paris was in wild uproar. Such troops as remained faithful to the Assem-. 944 The Story of the Greatest Nations bly were hastily withdrawn from the city, which was left completely at themercy of the communists. They barricaded the streets, and compelled allcitizens to join them on pain of death. Prisoners were shot. Next the fanatics began destroying all the objects of art and beautifulbuildings in the city, their reason being that these had been gathered or erectedby their hated tyrants, the kings. Every scoundrel in Paris joined eagerlyin the work, and took advantage of its opportunity for plunder. The greatcolumn erected by Napoleon I. and surmounted by his statue was pulleddown; President Thierss house was sacked; destruction ran riot everywhere. Thiers and his government hurried troops against the rebels, and the
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