His functions as mayor of Paris, in a time of trouble, placed him constantly between the king, the Assembly, and the revolts.

He bearded the king, flattered the Assembly, and pardoned crime.

Inviolable as the capital which he personified in his position of first magistrate of the commune, his unseen dictatorship had no other title than his inviolability, and he used it with respectful boldness towards the king, bowed before the Assembly, and knelt to the malcontents.

To his official reproaches to the rioters, he always added an excuse for crime, a smile for the culprits, encouragement to the misled citizens.

The people loved him as anarchy loves weakness; it knew it could do as it pleased with him.