Lazare, released
all the prisoners, and took a great store of corn, which they carried to
the corn market. Here they got some arms, and the French guards began
to form and train them. The committee determined to raise forty-eight
thousand _Bourgeois_, or rather to restrain their numbers to forty-eight
thousand. On the 14th, they sent one of their members (Monsieur de
Corny, whom we knew in America) to the _Hotel des Invalides_, to ask
arms for their _Garde Bourgeoise_. He was followed by, or he found
there, a great mob. The Governor of the _Invalides_ came out, and
represented the impossibility of his delivering arms, without the orders
of those from whom he received them. De Corny advised the people then to
retire, and retired himself; and the people took possession of the arms.
It was remarkable, that not only the _Invalides_ themselves made no
opposition, but that a body of five thousand foreign troops, encamped
within four hundred yards, never stirred. Monsieur de Corny and five
others were then sent to ask arms of Monsieur de Launai, Governor of
the Bastile. They found a great collection of people already before the
place, and they immediately planted a flag of truce, which was answered
by a like flag hoisted on the parapet. The deputation prevailed on the
people to fall back a little, advanced themselves to make their demand
of the Governor, and in that instant a discharge from the Bastile killed
four people of those nearest to the deputies.
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