Every day the excitement in Paris increased, every day there were fresh arrests until all the prisons became crowded to overflowing.

It was late in August; the Prussians were advancing and had laid siege to Verdun, and terror was added to the emotions which excited to madness the population of Paris.

Black flags were hung from the steeples, and Danton and his allies skilfully used the fear inspired by the foreign enemy to add to the general hatred of the Royalists.
"We Republicans," he said in the rostrum of the Assembly, "are exposed to two parties, that of the enemy without, that of the Royalists within.

There is a Royalist directory which sits secretly at Paris and corresponds with the Prussian army.

To frustrate it we must terrify the Royalists." The Assembly decreed death against all who directly or indirectly refused to execute or hindered the orders given by the executive power.