Symptoms of the dreaded visitation were already but too manifest.

What precaution should: they take?
Should they issue a proclamation?
Such documents had been too common of late, and had lost their virtue.

It was the time not to assert but to exercise authority.
Should they summon the ward-masters, and order the instant arming and mustering of their respective companies?
Should they assemble the captains of the Military associations?
Nothing better could have been desired than such measures in cases of invasion or of ordinary tumult, but who should say how deeply the poison had sunk into the body politic; who should say with how much or how little alacrity the burgher militia would obey the mandates of the magistracy?
It would be better to issue no proclamation unless they could enforce its provisions; it would be better not to call out the citizen soldiery unless they were likely to prove obedient.

Should mercenary troops at this late hour be sent for?
Would not their appearance at this crisis rather inflame the rage than intimidate the insolence of the sectaries?
Never were magistrates in greater perplexity.

They knew not what course was likely to prove the safest, and in their anxiety to do nothing wrong, the senators did nothing at all.