Let them be brought before, not the ordinary courts, which are not to be trusted because they belong to the defunct regime, but before a specially organized tribunal, a sort of "chambre ardente,"[3109] elected by the sections, that is to say, by a Jacobin minority.

These improvised judges must give judgment on conviction, without appeal; there must be no preliminary examinations, no interval of time between arrest and execution, no dilatory and protective formalities.

And above all, the Assembly must be expeditious in passing the decree; "otherwise," it is informed by a delegate from the Commune,[3110] "the tocsin will be rung at midnight and the general alarm sounded; for the people are tired of waiting to be avenged.

Look out lest they do themselves justice!--A moment later, new threats and with an advanced deadline.

"If the juries are not ready to act in two or three hours great misfortunes will overtake Paris." Even if the new tribunal, set up on the spot, is quick, guillotining three innocent persons in five days; it does not move fast enough.
On the 23rd of August one of the sections declares to the Commune in furious language that the people themselves, "wearied and indignant" with so many delays, mean to force open the prisons and massacre the inmates.[3111]--Not only do the sections harass the judges, but they force the accused into their presence: a deputation from the Commune and the Federates summons the Assembly "to transfer the criminals at Orleans to Paris to undergo the penalty of their heinous crimes".