PAGE EIGHT SENATOR RORAH ATTACKS HERBERT I THEN AND THERE { JEislory told as it would be wrilieE today , By IRVIN S. COBS* | j How the Bastile Fell | It was the taking of the Ba£ti!e which marked the beginning of the French revolution. It had been a symbol for royal oppression. Cy its downfall it became a symbol for man kind freed of the shackles of tyrnanny, a symbol of freedom and independence. It took on!y a few hours cf a summer day to capture the Basiile, to massacre cer tain of its defenders, to raze its walls. It had taken four centuries ta give it its evil name, for since 1369 these grim towers bad risen like the fingers of a menacing hand above the houstetops of Paris. The Eastile was both a fortress and a prison. Captives were held here without formal accusation, without trial, sometimes without reason. At the whim of a king or a king’s favorite, any unfortunate might be locked up, and, because of seme private grudge, some personal quarrel, left to rust alive in its gloomy cells. Notoriously it had become • place of confinement for writers who dared to attack the government or persons in power. For these reasons it was hated by the pepul ice. It was an oppressed country’s most perfect emblem of imperial despotism. When the uprising of the people began, the rafcble, led on by a few inspired patriots, •Hacked it on July 14, 1789. Today. July 14 is to France what July 4 is to America. That date had more and greater significance than merely marking the outbreak of the Revolution. By taking the Bastile the people came to have a realization of their own strength. They discovered that commoners might destroy a slronghold of bated might and not answer for the act with their own lives. The seeds of the French republic were •own in the red ruins of the Bastile. From that sowing came the breaking-down of the ancient feudal system, the overthrow of the aristocrats, the nobility and the throne. From It also sprang the reign of terror. It is told that when s courier from the rioters brought the news to the King (Louis XVI) at Versailles, the latter in horror cried out, “Eut this is revolt P* and the messenger answered, “No, sire, it is revolution.” Revolution it was, and by that revolution a new trend was given to the political development of a great nation and an example was given to other king-ruled nations on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. The details here printed of the siege and surrender of the Bastile were taken from the Gazette Nationale ou le Monitieur Universale, a newspaper of the time. As the Paris Moniteur the journal is still in existence. IN ITS issue of July 23, 1789—the issue next succeeding the Fall of the Bastiie—“le Moniteur”—or the Monitor as we would say—carried an account of the event which perhaps was written by its own editor. \\ ho ever it was. this chronicler must have been an eye-witness. The attention to detail, the certainty with which he speaks of this phase or that, proves this. Besides, in referring to the at tacking force he says, “We said this or “We did that.” After dealing at length with the preliminary stages of tlie siege of the hated fortress by the populace and with the popular hatred for its com mandant, M. de Launay, the paper proceeds to a spiffed and circum stantial account of ihe main engage ment: “At the first news of the attack on the Bastile the very name of which recalled thoughts of lettres de cachet, of shame and of oppression, heads were inflamed, madness transported them and daring suddenly became as great as the terror which had so long been felt at the mention of this for midable name. Moment by moment lie crowd of attackers grew. To It were added citizens of every age, of both sexes, of every condition. Offi cers, soldiers, firemen, women, priests, artisans, Journalists, the greater part warmed. all whirling about excitedly, all moved by a common impulse, dashed from the various quarters of Paris and hastened by a hundred rentes towards the Bastile..-The Fau bourg St. Antoine, which was directly tinder the artillery of the fort and was even more stirred up because of its proximity, turned out in its entirety. One also saw rushing thither country people, strangers and warriors recent ly arrived from other countries. One young Greek, subject of a great lord, watched our enthusiasm, and, fired by It, turned French. Many, as soon as they teamed of the attack on the Bas tile, were drawn thither hy different motives. Some ’he hope Pelage. These received their *v»e**i- —, “Others came only to succor the wounded or to shield from, the fury of the attackers parents, friends or tLose ft-oTa whom' Huy captivity had furtively recea’vb con sedations. Tims humanity, gratitude, and filial piety were expressed at the risk of life and limb. However, on they fought, dying around the draw bridge. Women rushing to the aid -of their husbands fell wounded. One woman who sought only war and vie tory fought in the front ranks of the conquerors of the Bastile. Soon the people hnrled themselves in a mob in to the court of the 'government house’ and rushed to take the second bridge, at the same time firing a volley of musketry at the troops. These lat ter replied with a lively and sustained fire which forced the attackers to re tire in disorder. . . . “This attack had gone on for an hour when suddenly from the arsenal side {of the fort) came the beating rums and sounds of shouting. At fcame instant we saw coming in ke Court de ’Orme, a flag escorted a erowd of armed citizens. A t company then advanced towards court of the ‘government house’ cried to the enemy to hold their fi>e, that there were deputies from The Hotel de Ville who wished to speak to the governor. Soon a white Hag was raised on the bastions and the signs of peace and parley were multiplied by waving of hats. Upon this friendly invitation, M. de Corney. accompanied by several others inchid lug M. Joannot, who carried the flag und was preceded hy a drum, began to march toward the arch which led toward the Font d’Avance. A man called to their attention a cannon which had been pulled into a loop hole in the tower and which w:o aimed into the Court de I’Onne. K\ eryone cried to them to put no trus: in the perfidious promises whirl would be made them. “31 Francotay alone went forwnn with dram and flag to the very f«m of the moat while M. de Corny r< Tuained under the arch. Several « the people threw themselves upn him and begged him not to exp«» himself thus to the lire of the rnein but the intrepid patriot as strong? urged them to withdraw from bin substitutes. _ . \ ■ *. ~ V So far as headgear is concerned, possibly it was with an eye to spring and impending growing im- 1 portations from Italy that caused the Senate to turn back four at tempts to cut the increased duties />aw«;