The    most   important    of    these    concessions   was    one


314  Republic  and  Democracy  [CH.
embodied  in  a  decree  dated  February  25  on  the  "Right  to
Work."  No  sooner  had  the  question  of  the  flag  been  settled,
than  this  one,  involving  the  most  serious  consequences,  came
up.  A  tumultuous  deputation  of  armed  workmen,  headed
by  a  certain  Marche,  introduced  the  matter  in  threatening
language  at  the  H6tel  de  Ville.  Lamartine  once  more  met
threats  by  eloquence.  "  Enough  of  talking  in  that  style  ! "
was  the  rough  reply.  Louis  Blanc  supported  the  speaker.
Flocon  and  Ledru-Rollin  then  combined  to  draw  up  on  the
spot  the  decree  by  which  Lamartine  and  his  colleagues
undertook  to  guarantee  work  for  workers  and  to  give  them
the  benefit  of  the  profit  they  might  earn ;  it  further  made
them  a  present  of  the  million  francs  of  the  Civil  List  which
belonged  to  them.  "Only  wait  till  the  Republic  is  pro-
claimed, which  cannot  be  done  before  to-morrow."  But
the  working-class  democracy  of  Paris  had  alread}-  annexed
these  profits,  and  claimed  the  right  to  treat  them  as
income.
