Vaublanc, for having defended Lafayette, just misses being cut to pieces three times on leaving the Assembly; sixty of the deputies are treated in the same fashion, being struck, covered with mud, and threatened with death if they dare go back.[2238]--With such allies a minority is very strong.

Thanks to its two agencies of constraint it will detach the votes it needs from the majority and, either through terror or craft, secure the passage of all the decrees it needs.
VI .-- Parliamentary maneuvers.
Abuses of urgency .-- Vote on the principle .-- Call by name.
-- Intimidation of the "Center."-- Opponents inactive .-- The majority finally disposed of.
Sometimes it succeeds surreptitiously by rushing them through.

As "there is no order of the day circulated beforehand, and, in any event, none which anybody is obliged to adhere to,"[2239] the Assembly is captured by surprise.

"The first knave amongst the 'Left,' (which expression, says Hua, I do not strike out, because there were many among those gentlemen), brought up a ready-made resolution, prepared the evening before by a clique.

We were not prepared for it and demanded that it should be referred to a committee.