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' m\ .■KiJ ■\\ 11 \m % m ! 1 aiAMCHESTER : miNTED BY M. FALKNER AND CO. MARKET-PLACE. M,DCC,VC1I. ADVERTISEMENT. ■H I Received the narrative now prefcnted to the public, accompanied by a letter, of which the following is an extra,'cipice to which they were hailcning. a 2 From I i ii -: '• ill r 4 ] From that moment their confidence in the Executive Power has gradually diminilhcdi indeed the conduiTt of the King fince that period, has been one continued infult to the Na- tion; no fingle meai'urc has been taken by hhn to regain its confidence, but all his actions have been in direct oppofition to the public will. The minifters he has chol'en, have been men cither not known at all, or known only by their anti- patriotic fcntlments, and when one let of them has been forced by the public intlignation to relign, he has ftill kept them for weeks in their plates, beitig then no longer liable to refponfibility ^ under the pretence he could not meet with others able to fuccecd them. When at length it became impofllblc to retain them longer, they have been replaced by men equally obnoxious. He has conftantly treated with contempt, the cry of the People for the recall of the Patriot Minirters, even the petition of the 20th June, could not induce him to alter his condu(^. The iirmnefs and courage which he fliewed on that day, had gained him many friends| and perfuaded many of his enemies, that though miftaken, he was lincere: But the whole efte(5l: was deftroyed by his itifnmous proclaviatlon of the day following, in which he en- deavoured to light the torch of civil war, to ftir up the royalifls againft the republicans, and the provinces againft the capital, by falfely reprel'enting the petition of the 20th as nn attempt to aflaflinjite him, and to fubvert the conftitu- tion; whilft the notorious faft was that the people did not take up arms imtil they had pofitive information that orders were given to the National Guards to fire upon them ; and even then they committed no violence, except in farcing open a door which prevented their acccfs to the King. Is it rational to luppofe that if they had any intention of aflafli- nating him, they would not liave done it, when he perlifted in his refufal to fadction the dolired Decrees, and when he was completely in their power ? The nation in general approved of the conduft of the 5/7;?.r Cullotcs^ faw tJirough the detellable dcfign of this pro- clamation, v/hich w;i:i too grofsly contrived to be miftaken, and treated it with the contempt it deferyed. However, the members of the Department of Paris, and thofe of two cr three Northern Djparrments which had been long openly devoted to the Court, and compofed of creatures of the civil Lif.^ fcized this opportunity of warmly feconding its views \ \ t 5 ] %iews-, the Departments of the Somme and of the Judre wrote ftroiig ariitocratical acldrciles to the afl'embly, and the former unconltitutionally fent a deputation to the King, pro- xniling the alHftance of all their National Guards, enjoining their deputies to tranfmit them regular accounts of what was going forward, and to die, if neceflary, in defence of their Sovereign; and though the aircmbly annulled their decree, and declared the meaiure thev had taken to be con- trary to the conl^itution, which prohibits all communication between the King and the Departments, he ftill had this im}>rudence to have it reprinted in his own prefics, and di- ttributed to the Departments and Army. Another confequence of the Proclamation was the fufpcn- fton of Petion the Mayor of Paris, and of Manual the Procureur de la Commi/nr, by an infamous Decree of the De- partment of Paris, neither iignednorregiftered as ufual, — The people were enraged almoft to madnel's at being deprived of their Virtuous Mayor, who was charged with no other crime than that of liaving refufed to give orders to the Na- tional Guards to fire upon the people, and having prevented Paris from being deluged with the Blood of its Citizens. The King perceiving the fermentation which this aftair oc~ cafioned, wanted to get rid of it by refering it to the aflem- bly, but the afTembly declared that it did not come under its cognizance conftitutionally, until the King had confimed or negatived it. It leems as if all Ibrt of prudence, all lort of refpeft for the public opinion had now totally forfaken the infatuated Monarch, for giving way to the Dictates of his pri- vate hatred, he confirmed the decree of the fupeniion, regard- lefs of the unauUnous demand of the Sections of Paris. The indignation of the I'eople was lb great, that had not the aflem- bly immediately annulled the wholeProceedings, --nd rcftored Petion to his Functions, the day of the Federation would have been rendered memorable by t^eir Vengeance, and the proceedings of the loth of Auguft have been unneceflary. Whilft all this was pafling at Paris, the Armies, viftoriou* upon the Frontiers, had penetrated into the Enemies Coun- try, and already taken pofleflion of Courtray, when they received orders from the King to retreat, and in retreating, fet fire to the Fauxburgs under pretence that the Citizens had fired upon them, which was not true.* The Nation coniidered * Upon tMs occafion the National AfTcmMy fct the honourable example of awarding an iiidcjnnit)' to tlu ijutfcrcrs. ill ' .41 > -4 C « ] confiilcretl this retreat nt a moment vvlicii tlic Belgians wcro ready to declare tor them, (as ap[)ears tro)u the declaration of their Countryman to the National Ailembly), as an avow- al on the part of the King, tiiat they were nut to pidh their Conqiielh to injure the lincmyj that thole of the iJelgians who had received them with open arms, were to be aban- doned to the fury of the Auitrians, and to be irritated againft the French fo as never more to be their friends. In fact, the favage Jarry who fet lire to the Fauxbourgs, ftill maintains his rank in the army, and has had no punilhment intli^tetl upon him. Such is the way, fays the Patriot llhard, in which the Court of the Thuileries avenges the Houfe of Aufl:ri;i, for the Iniurrection of the unfortunate Belgians. 'J'he only excul'e allcdged by the nunifters for ordering the retreat Avas, that the army was not fufficiently ftrong ; but this very excul'e furnilhed a frelh ground for the public in- clignation ap;ainft Louis XVIth. For why had he not chofen proper minilters to fulfil the Decrees of the Ailembly, and to make up the Compliment of men long before voted by it ? Why had his minifters deceived the public with regard to the ftatc of tlie Army, if it wns not with the treacherous delign of rendering it more caly to the enemy to obtain an adviintage over theui ? Fifty-two ThoufandPrufTians were already upon the Fron-^ tiers, and no nothlcation had been made by the King to the Ailembly of their hoflile intentions, as he was bound to do even by the /ftUr of the Conilitution ; moft probably he meant to have been filent rei'pecting them, until it was lOO late to take the proper meafures of defence, if a Decree had not obliged him to fend official notice. The King of Sardinia was known to be making great pre- parations for war ; yet Louis XVlth. io far from informing the Ailembly of them, had ordered General Montifquiou, who commanded with very inferior forces on the frontiers o£ Savoy, to detach twenty Battalions to join the army of the Rhine, v/hieh was in no immediate danger* but Montef- quio\i, probably by the advice of the neighbouring depart- ments, who ccnlidered this meaiure as intended to favour a projected attempt of the enenw upon Lyons, only complied i;i part with the orders he had received, by detaching ten Battalions, and completely juitiiicd his conduct at the liar of the Aflembly. Addrefles [ 7 ] AcUlrcflcs wore alfo received about this time from the fron- tier towns of the department of r!\e North, complaininp that the Court by ordering thi- retreat of the anny, liad left them defencelcl's ami expofed to the daily cruelties and pil- lage of the Anftrians, who had taken pofllllion of liavay, and might have penetrated farther into the Country, /'/' thfir ouvn uien had not l>:};^(tii to ilfirt vi fuch numbers ^ thut ihey found it prudent to rei'irc. You may conceive how much all thcfe a«^s of treachery ferved to intlnme the pultlic mind, and roul'e their indigna* tion at feeing themlelvcs fo openly betrayed. However, the King little proliting by the marks of pub- lic joy upon the reftoration of I'etion, or thofe of univerfal detcllation which lie ami the Qufi:n had experienced on the day of the Fetieration, i'liil kept his garden of the Tiiuileries Ihut up in i'uUcn iulkinefs. For the opening of this garden to the juiblic, like the g:\tes of the Temple of janus, an- nounced his holtile or peaceable intentions, hii; good or bavl Jmmour. It is probable, that had he at this time made any propitiatory I'acrilice to the people, he mis^ht yet have re- gained their eonlidence ; for numbers were l"lill dil'pofed tu attribute his errors to his evil counl'ellors. The Country was now declared to be in danger, and that danger was alloweil on all hands to proceed more from the treai'on of the executive power, than froni the [jrogrefs of the external enemies. — Vergniaud, Condorcet, liriliot, and other members of the Afl'embly, had already began to agi- tate, though but feebly, the quellion of the King's depoii- tion ; the people out of doors took it up more warmly *, and the idea gained ground rapidly •, but the fear of touching thi; conftitution ftill kept them within bounds. The Federates, who had come from the provinces to Paris to alTiil at the 14th of July, were all ftrong republicans ; and feeling the abfolute necelTity of fome decilive alteration, appeared de- termined not to quit the Capital until a change in the go- vernment was effected : for fuch indeed were the general wifhes of their fellow-citizens. They regidarly attended the debates of the Aflembly j and their preience gave a ftimului* to the Parilians, nearly wearied out by the perfevering oppo- fition of the ariftocratic party, fupporled by the tnomious vypuenci cf the civil ///?. A re]>ort h I ;.. [ 8 ] A report had prevailed for fome time, that the King caufcd arms to be privately convcyid into the Ch.tcim of the Thuileries, and that the guards were doubled and tripled. The garden ftill continuing to be ihut up gave rredit to this report j and thofe who had been able to look into the courts of the Thuileries hail obl'erved an unufu.il number of Can- non. It was notorious, that the King's Guards, though dif- banded for their anti-civic principles, ivcre Jhll in the pay of the Court t that many of them, as well as of the Chevaliers du Foignard*f compofed of the ci-devant nobles and clergy, had difguifed themfelves under the uniform of the National Guards, and had tickets of free admillion to the Palace. A Regiment of Swi's Guards, which under various pretexts was detained at Paris, in dire(!l oppolition to a decree of the Airembly, which had ordered their removal from thence j and a few Battalions of National Guards were known alfo to be devoted to the Kinp/s fervice. In faiSt, he was fur- rounded by none but fufpicious perfons j and not a fingle Patriot was fuffered to approach him. Thefe hoftile prepa- rations were not feen with indirference by the Federates and the people of the Fauxbourg's. — On the night of the 26th of July, the Tocfin was fcnmded all over Paris, and the people afTcmblcd in immenlc numbers with the intention of viiiting the Chateau. They were already in march for the Thuileries, when they were met by the vij;ilant Petion, who prevailed upon them to difperfe, promlfing that the Municipality would vifit the Palace, and that their Reprefentants would do them juftice. The King was terrilicd but did not alter his conduct. On the 30th of July, five hundred federates from Marfeillcs, who had been detained on the road to fupprefs the rebellion of Du Saillant, carried on in the name of the King, arrived at Paris. All forts of injuries had been thrown on thefe brave "Warriors by the Arillocratic Journals before their arrival, bccaufc their republican principles were well known. They were reprefented as a fet of Robbers and Banditti, who had carried defolatlon wherever they paiFed, in order to prepof- fcfs the Parillans againft them, and fow the feeds of difcord. However, the Fauxburg St. Antoine by which they entered, received f U * Knights of the Daj^pjcr — ^Tli^ Ariftocrats, fo called from many of them making a piailicc of currying thefe weaponi about them, C 9 3 rcccIvcJ tlicm with (nicn Anns, nnil Iiivltcil ilicni to partake of a fraicrnal rcp.Wi in ilu' I'.lyiiatj lickls. 'I'hcy nixcptcd the invitation, antion wluch the treat hi loiii Court had prcj-ared for them. 'J'hey had fcarely bemm to refreih thenilelves from the fatigue of a tedious journey, ami lo forget the d.'.u- gers of a civil war nmidll the hearty welcome of their I'a- riilan Brethren, when they were difliirhed by the news thi . thiv and the nation were infidted hv a ninnber of tlie ti-tlt'- •vitiil Ki/ijr's (iiuinlsy of the lui'pccted companies uf N.itioiial (Grenadiers, and oihor noted Arilh)irats met Lo_t'/;tlu r in an adjoining Tavern, \\\\o after toalting the Jving, C)^«.tii, and J. a I'ayetfe, had dr.ink danination to the Natioii aiul to the JManeillois. I'^ired with imlifrnation at this nnexoevHed in- Ihlt, and animated v/ith the reniemi)vauce of their hjrmi r I'vploits at Aries, at Avignon and J ales, aj',ai(irt the I'ar.ie pi.-rridious Enemy, tlie brave JVIarriiiiois drew tl\eir fubres, vmd rufhed out in Icarch of their inlolent advorfaries. 'J'liey found them ranged ii; order of baiiu-, atid armed with jiiltc^ls to receive them, but the light of tiie Marllillois It ruck them with inlhint terror, and iniK'ail of a di]ch;irge, tlvjy were rcccive«.l by the cries of V'r.f any opprobrious expreflions, and, on the contrary, allared the Ftrilerates df their civic nrincipler. Tlic Marllillois, deceiv',:d, Hjoor: Irands with them, and as they were in clanger frcuTi the I'ur- rounding populace, Avho had heard their inn:nu)us toads, //:t'y fool- ihciu under their prcttclkn (iiid ".vcrc ifi 'jvi'ing ihcm lo ihe Toivtij when fuddenly on their arriv:il at the place of Louis XV. — the treacherous villains feparated thenJelvts from their prote(R.ors, and fired their pillois at them. The greater part of the Marfeillois n(jt fufpecilng any danger, had returned to their dinner; and thofe w]\o remained v.n re inferior in number to tlicir opponents, but inlpired by tlicir v/onted courage, they inftanriy fell upon tl;cm, Ivvord in hand, killed one, wounded feveral, and put the reft to a pricipitate ilight. They ran towards the 'i'huilierlcs, fi*(^tn which they probably had expected alhftance from the Sv>iis gu'.u'ds. They were without difficulty admitted to the King's •apartment, who hirnfelf wiped the blood oil' their faces, juil condoled with ihem on their uiiOrap. TheL;- v.ounds i. A k t Jo ] ^'crc bound up by the tender hands of the Maids of Ho- nour, in tiu'ir own and the Queen's apartments; one of the Mauls of Ifonour, who was difconfolate for the fuppofed lofs of her nufliand, was comforted by the Queen, who af- fured her that he nvns not of the party. The Chateau was quiikly rili.'d with the Chevaliers du poignard, &c. who ran thither at the lirft news of this event. All this was certified at the bar of the National Aflembly, by tlie centinels on duty at the King's apartments; by the depolition of numer- ous by-ftanders in the Illyfian Fields, and place of Louis XV. and but equivocally denied by the parties themfelves. Every body faw in this affair a preconcerted plan of the court to embroil the Marfeillois with the Parilians, and, in- deed, no doubt could remain, wlien the following day the King publiihed a letter to his commiflliry at the criminal court to profecutc them, and iflued another proclamation deploriuf^ the ftatc of Anarchy of the capital, and the hor- rors coiimitted with impunity on the lives and properties of the Parifians. This was making himl'elf Judge in the caule in w lioh he was known to be a party, it was ] reclaiming the Marfeillois as afTallins and robbers, and calculated to perfuade all Europe, that Paris was converted into a neft of murvlcrers and banditti at the time when not a thread of property had been violated, and the perfonal fecurity of no peaceful citizen was in the fmalleft danger. Tlic Marfeillois in their defence prefcnted a petition to the AiTcmbly, in which they requefted merely a fair trial by Jiwy, and that they might remain as hoftages at Paris until it was iiriilhed. — " When, faid they, fome patriots were *' murdered under the pafl'\ges of the Louvre, they were " not carried into the King's houfe, the King's wife did not " o!fer the key of her apartment, the Maids of Honour *< did not wipe off their blood, no letter was written by the '< King to haftcn the puniflmient of their aflafFms, no />ro- *' climation iljucd to prejudice the public againft them; — yet <* tlicy were Frenchmen, and their blood had flowed within *' the walls of the King's palace, as well as that of thefci " men, bi:t they ivere patriots^'' It did not pafs unobferved, that this fame King, who was {^ tender of the fafety of a f jw iiifolent diilurbers of the public peace, had been per.- fc^ftly filent upon the infiirre^ion at Aries, upon the rebel- lion of Du Saillant, upon the feg;-et confpiracy of Lyons, upoa 1 1- 1^: I « 1 I upon tlic more open one of Marfcillois, In whlcli To many perfons were and fHU are comprifed, and upon the trou- bles excited by feditious priells at Bourdeaux. I can fcarcely defcrib.' to you how much this lall: meafure increafcd the public indignation, again ft the weak and obftinate Monarch j but no leflbn would reform him. A circumftance which happened at this time, is fo ftrlking a proof of the progrefs of reafon am( ng the French, and of their detcftation of the court, that I cannot avoid men- tioning it, The AfTembly apprehending fomc treacherous deilgn from the lide of the garden of the Thuileries, had decreed conformably to the conftitution, that the terrace of the Feuillans adjoining to the hali, came under it's jurif- diclion. Accordingly this part of the garden was inunedi- ately opened to tlie public, who, proud of their new acqui- iition. Hocked thither in great numbers. On the firft day numerous bodies of national guards were ftationed at the dilxerent defcents leading to the other parts of the garden, to prevent the public from entering his Majcfty's territory. The people who were provoked at feeing llich precautions taken, tieated them with infult and ridicule, .md the guards feeling the unworthinefs of the fcrvice on which they were poited, left it the next day, having firft drawn a libband acrofs the pallagcs, with thefe words, *' (?itizens relpect yourfelvcs, and give to this feeble banier the force of baf- tions and of bayonets." Strange to fay, all the citizens that entered, approached, read, and retired from the hollilc territory with contempt. Not one would degrade hmrdf by entering the garden of the defplcable monarch, and thefe limple ribbands repelled the indigent populace of Paris for upwards of a fortnight. Oh Louis! if thy dcteftable couu- fellorshad but left thee a moment's rellc(5tion, thou might;:ft here have read thy fate mfcribcd in ftrong and glaring cha- racters. But to return from this dicfreffion. I.a Favettc ever fincc his letter read at the Afibmblj'^ 1 8th June, and his rubic- quent appearance at the bar of the Airembly, back'd by the pf^titions of his army, hail divide-' the ]niblic liatred Avith his l/tkvi'd King. The clamour againft this always fufpicious perfonage, became now from day to day more violent and mcefTant. Scarcely a fitting of the Aflembly palfed, with- out feveral petitionji being read, requcfting a decree of accu- b 2 faliuu -i I M rr ( 12 ) fation ngrjnft him, but liis frlciuls (lill fouml means to pofl- pone the tliicafion, ami to atljoiirn the dccilion. Latterly, the petitions contained a double objec clircance of 30,000 toifcs, or 30 FrcncK inilcs, of the legillative hoily, without its rcqucll or autho- rity. The court were liartl pulhed for an expedient to ehide this conftitutional article, upon which they coukl not put their veto, and a very chunly one they found. The Minil- ter at War notified to tlie Ailembly, that the King had al- ready given orders for their departure for Canihray, except- ing 300 men which were deftined to protecH: the navigation of the Seine, in the department of Eure; but that the Co- lonel M. D'Affry, having repreiented to his Majefty, that this feparation of the regiment was contrary to the inten- tions of the Helvetic body, and might prevent the rcTiewal of tlieir capitulations, tlie King had iufpendcd the orders already given, excepting rhofe for the departure of the 300 men to prcjiect the navigation of the Seine. The Aflembly law in this proceeding, merely a trick to keep the regiment at Paris J for it was as efte^tual a feparation of the reghnent to detach theie 300 men from them at Paris, as at Cambray, befides, there was no neccflity for detaching them at all, as tiic whole might have been fcnt to one place. They there- fore renewed their decree, which was no more executed than heretofore, becaufe this regiment was too nccelTary to the King to be removed. An evident proof that though he always preached up a dnO: adherence to the Conftitution, he made no fcruplc to deviate from it, wherever it fuited his interefln. All thefe circiMTiftances added new fuel to the llame which had been fo long kindling, and which was in- crealed by the apathy of the Aflembly. The people coni^- dering themfelves betrayed by the corruption of one part of their reprefentatives, and by the indolence or timidity of the others, and finding their petitions treated with negle^, began to confider an open iniurre^Hon, or in other words, the refumption of their ibvereignty, as the only means which could fave them. '^I'he AfTembly had certainly, from the commencement of its fittings, Ihown a grc-it unwillingncfs, or a great incapacity for performing the bufinefs of the pub- lic, and lately it was become almoft inactive, at a mo- ment when the circumftanccs required ftrong and vigorous decrees. 'I'hc Foederates had already faid to them, " Tell us fairly whether or not you are capable of faving the country," anil their actions had anfv.'cred for them in th^i negative, the Jacobins now openly declared a general ini'urred:ion to be the i'J. ii % 1 f ' ti 'I ' I ( 14 ) the only mcafuro tlint • >:iul rcfcue the country, and It bega^3l to be dv:balt\i in the Si xiions or i'riniary AHeniblits of Tarib. On the 4th of Augull, the Section of Mauconfeil appeared at the bar, and after demanding the Depolition of the King, they invited all the fections of the empire to proclaim it and j-etra«^l the oath, into which they had been furprized in his flivourj proterting that if the AiFembly continued to turn a deaf ear to the voice of the people, they fliould the next day declare themfelves in a ftate of infurrection. They were followed by the iSection of Gravilliers, who demanded like- wife the King's depolition, and declared, that if the Aflem- bly could not fave the country, the people were about to rii'e and iavc it themfelves. The AlTtmbly annulled the decree of the lection of Mauconfeil as unconftitutional, fince one fe6lion of the people could not exercife the rights of fovereignty, which relides in the whole. At the fame time it invited the citizens to be calm, and not fuffer themfelves to be led aftray by counfels which tended to agitate them. But the people knew that in thcfe moments moderation Avould be their delh-UiSlion, and the advice of the AiTembly was loll upon them. The next clay, according to their pro- mife, another deputation of the feclion Mauconfeil appeared at the bar, declared tliat thev ceafed to acknowledge Louis XVI. as their King, that they conlidered themfelves freed from their oath, and in a flate of infurrection. It was now evident tliat notldn^ but the two meafures fo loudly called for, the deposition of the King, and the im- peachment of La Fayette, could fiitisfy the nation, and pre- vent it from doing itielf julllce. Yet fuch was the iirflucnce of. the civil lyi in the AJjl'inhl^y that thefe difcufiions were conhantly poftjHjncd. At length the debate upon La Fa- yette was fixed fi;»r the 6th of Auguft, but the court party ftiU found means to hinder its coming on till the 8th, when tiicy decreed by a majority of 406 againft 224, that there was no room for acculiition ngr.inll; him. Mere A\ reflciftions become liinerfluous. "We fee the man, who, under the malk of pauiotirm, had, during the whole revolution, Ihcwn himieli" r!ie moll determined enemy of liibertv, vrho now DiCiv>oted bv the court to the rank of (ieneral of an Army, had written a menacing letter to the National AlTcmbh', demandin,^ the abolition of the femina- ries of hberty, auJ coiUtituting himfelf mediator between the i ( >J ) the reprcfcntnnts of the nation and the executive po^r^r. Who, contrary to all military principles had quitted his ar- my in the face of the enemy, to prcfent a petition in the name of his army, which conA:itutionally could not deliber- ikte, and which he ought to have prevented from deliber- ating; who was moreover pccufed with having made propo- fals to Marflial Luckner through the medium of Bureau lie Puzy, to march with his army to Paris, and this by the declaration of the Marlhal himfelf in the prefence of Ib- ven rcfpeftable members of the National Afl'embly, who jfigned their depolition. The Marlhal added, that Bureau de Puzy had made him other propafals Jl'ill more horrid. Thefe were the grountls upon wliicli tlie minority wiflied, not to liavc La Fayette condemned, but put upon his trial. What \xcYc the grounds of his acquittal? It was urged that though General of an Army, his letter was only the petition of an individual, that his journey to Paris might be by order of the Minhlcr, and that the obiect of his ajipearance and dii- courfe at the bar, was to prevent his army from exprcffinc; its fentiments coUeftively. With regard to the charge of Marlhal Luckner, they adopted a new mode of proceeding, inftead of ordering him to the bar to fubftantiate his decla- ration, and to undergo an interogatory, t]\ey delirc him to fend an aniVer in writing; they alio have the ftupidity or rather the knavery to write to Fayette and l')urcau de Fuzyj the one the accus'd, and the other his accomplice, to know whether the Marilial's charge was true, and both of courli? deny it. The Marllial alfo, now furrounded by the Lu- meths and other friends of La Fayette, gives tlie lie dire, for what other purpofe could they fuppofe thefc hoftile preparations to be Ueftined ? liy another report it was aflerted that the Aril- tocracs meant to carry otf the King to Rouen, under the prote<^tion of the Swils Guards, and there to fet up the iVaudard of a counter revolution. It is now certain from papers found at La F. 'cV, the intendant of the civil lift, and publilhed by order jf the Affembly, and from others yet unpublifhcd, p-.-irticularly a letter found in the Queen's dellc, and fuppnfcd to be the hand writing of La Fayette, as well as from other fail^ts that have fince come to light, that the people were not miftaken in either conjecture. The fX' pojl faBo proofs of the treachery of the court, may perhaps form the fubjeft of another letter, at prefent I have merely to trace the prefumptive ones which influenced the people. Whether that this night was fet apart for the execution of their horrid plans, or whether from a principle of felf defence, certain it was, that the court had filled the palace with all the Swifs in Paris, amriuntlng, as far as it can be yet Isarneil. to about looo. Thefe were feconded by a body of from 2 to 3000 Arillocrats *, compofed, as [before men- tioncd, of the ChcvaViers du Poignardy the cidevant body guard, nud other fatellites of the court, many of whom had adiimcd the drefs of the National Guards. Mandate before he was fufpended and put under arreft by tb.c Com- mon Council (le Confeil generate de la Commune j^ had aflem- blcJ a confiderable part of the Parifian National Guard within the courts and garden of the palace, particularly the ariilocratical grenadiers of the fe£tions of Filles St. Thomas and Petits Peres, who furnilhed him with eight pieces of cannon; When ordered before the common council, and interrogated for what purpofe he b i collefted fuch an ex- traordinary military force, he endeavoured to elude the qucition by equivocal anfv/ers ; but in the midft of his ex- amination, a letter was produced from him to the com- mander of the poft de la Grevey conceived as follows, " You Avill fuflcr the people to pafs you, and when they are "gone by, you will fire upon the rearj I anfwer for the « front," this letter was fent by the commander of the poft hiiufelf. I ( >9 ) liimfclf, who M'ns ftruck with horror at its contents. The fame villain Mandat had polled the arillocratic batallion uf Henry IV. upon the Pont Neuf, with orders to attack with their artillery the Marleillois, and the batallion of National Guards of the Theatre Francois, if they attempted to p.ifs. Such accumulated treachery ugainft the pecjple, by the per- fon who ought to have been mofl: aj^tive in their defence, met with the fate it merited. lie wa torn to pieces by the multitude. Between four and five o'clock in the morning, IViifcr" maun at the head of a company of the Marleillois, coming from the Fanxbourg St. Marcel, prcfcnted himll-lf at the end of the I'ont Neuf, and was retuled the palFagCi he ad- vanced along and harangued tic ollicers, telling them that the caule in which he acted was the common caufc, a crufe in which every Frenchman ought to feci alike, that if they were friends to liberty, they would join the other citizeus determined that day to refcue their country. Finding the Etat Major deaf to his pcriu.^fions, he drew his fword, and calling aloud to the Maribillois to adviuice, fwore he would put to death the firft cannoneer who at- tempted to fire. This aiy and feeing now plainly for what purpofe they were plr.ced there, they retired with tiieir cannon and joined the ro-'dcrates and other citizens immediately aftei* he had re- viewed them. It has on all occafions been obfcrved, that the cannoneers have been the moil faithful friends of the people, and the moil zealous defenders of liberty : probably the lliperior inllrudions w]\ieh their employment neceliitates, "" '' opens I ■ in [ ^^i ] opens .uvl expands ilic'r minds, and makes them more fen* libK'. of tluir real inifrclls. 'I'hc fdili-Tiitcs and ililllrcnt rnmpanics of nulitjnul guards, formctl into a hollow iquarf upon tlio IMacn; tic Canmlc], witii till' open front towards the 'rbiiiljrrics at Ivalf palk iix o'cl(jek, 'I'lioy might amount in '(l lo al-out ^oc > men, not including the Sans CtilotU's al the l''.iu\boMrut the foldiers aiiimated by the fame fpirit of liberty which glowed in the boiom of every citizen, not only refufed to execute their fanguinary orilers, but difdaining to obey thrm any lor.ger, put them under an arreft, and chofc tlicmfelvcs other officers ^ro tcnipore. Such were the preparations on the part of the patriots; the court on its fide had not been idle. The apartments were filled with Swifs difpofetl at all the "winciows, and on all iides to the greateff: advantage; they were rangetl alio in the courts and in the front of the palace, lb as to maintain ' ' ■ a crols ( 22 ) V ■I ' I a crofs lire upon the jvitrlotj as they cnlorod, bntli wUli tliclr fire-arms ;i'ul their c.r.iiu»n. They were to In; fupport- vd by the iKviiimul gieiuuliers of FillesSt. 'I'homas, and the IVtits IVres, upim \vho:n mucli ilcpciulentc was phiccd. The Chev aliers ile I'o'ignard armed ibmc ot them with guns, others witli pike;, others witii iVords, daggers, and piUols, foriivd as motly a group as the Sans Culottes of the opjxj- iitc fulej thefe Nvere intendeil to be a Ibrt of Ught troops, who were to m ircii wherever dart^jer called them, and whcre- cver their alllilance was moll ueccfl'ary j all renewed the aiuicni oath of chivi'lry upon tlieir i'words, to die in defence of their Sovereij^n liord: ik't as to the Swi<'s> who were un- act'uaiiited wilii the retinements of honour, it was thought liec'Ilary to work up their courage with a plentiful diilribu- tion of wine, braiuly, and money, and promiles of the molt extravasuu nature. Yet afcer all thjfc preparations for the butchery of his people, and after having coneerted in council with his la- teliites, the execrable plan which was afterwards put in cx- ccution, Louis XVI. conlidering that Hill the ilTue of the day might be doubtful, and not feeling courage to die like a Catalina at the head of his adherents, thought it prudent to ael a double part; h". therefore difpatchcd the miniftcr of julVice to the Adcinbly, to defire they would fend a deputa- tion to proteiTt his perfon. IJut whilft they were deliberating upon the bell: means of placing him in I'afety, he was an- nounced to h: at the door with his wife, iifter, and two c'lildren. It ieems his Majefly's fears left his fubjefts Ihould have to anfwer for an a.ople applauu.-d this fpccimen of eloquence, and oj^pofed tliemlelvcs to the paflage of the Queen accordingly, but the Jel'uit Rhadcrer having informed them that the Ani'mbly had palVed a decree for her admilUon, no farther oppoiition was made, and Ihe was allowed to enter with her children, the VrinceTs Kli/a- beth, feveral Swifs officers, and other arifrocrats, who all had accompanietl them to be in iafety from the coming O:orm. They now entered, and the king having fcated him- felf by the prefident, addrelled the Aflembly in thefe wortls, «« I COME AMONG YOU TO PRF.VF.NT A GRF.AT CRIME." Matchlefs impudence! after having meditated and prepareil the maflacre of the people, to make a merit of his cowardice in running from their vengeance! As the Aflembly could not conflitutionally deliberate in his prcfcnce, he was defired to pafs into an adjoining lodge with his family, whence he could hear and lee what was going on. The army of citizens aflembled on the Pla e dc Carouzcl, now grew impatient for the attack. About nine o'clock the Marfeillois Aimmoned the Swifs to open the gates of the outer court, which was immediately complied with, and about 2 to 300 Marfeillois with Weiftermann at their head, advanced towards the palace, between the SavITs, who were ranged on both fides, and received them in the moft amica- ble manner. The National Guards upon duty in the palace. Tent I. w r';!] (''\ H 1/ ■ I ^1 C 2A ] fcnt a deputation to the ftcclcratcs to let them know they were frictuls, ami (houUl not foil tiicir arms with tlu blood nf their brethren; tlie SwUs i)learecl, as was luppol'cd, with this lignal of peace, threw ilox/n cartouches from the win- dows, and cried Vive la Natijn. Niunbers of the armed citizens now prefTcd forwards into the court, rejoicing in this apparent ami-able termination of the affair. In the mean time, Weiltermann with a few Marfcillois, advanced to the entrance of the pal nee, v/here a confiderable body of men, with cannon wcrj placed. He addrelTed hin^lelf to the officers, and conjured them not to fhed the blood of the citizens, but receivisig an anfwer worthy the fatellitcs of defpotifm, i.e called their foldiers to witnefs that all the evils which that day prefaged, were owing to their chiefs, and invited them to embrace the caufe of the people, and of humanity. A Svvifs officer lirtened to the voice of rea- fon, and gave liim his hand ; inftantly the foldiers under his command broke their ranks, and defcended the ftair-cafc to unite themfelves to the people. In the iame mojn :it the iSwifs, who were placed above them, excited by their officers, made a terrible difcharge upon the Marfeillois, ano upon their own brethren, which was immediately feconded from tiie windows, and from the Swlfs in the court. Above I GO firderates and Pariiians fell by this a(^ of treachery; Wclftermann, undaiin-ed, calletl aloud to the patriots to follow him, (a urA les patriotcs J and rulhed iword in hand amidll the hoftile ranks, fcattering death on every lide. This courageous example was inftantly followed by his com- panions, now fupportcd by the Bretons and otber armed citizens. At the lame timej the artillery of the patriots be- gan to play from all quarters upon tiie SwUs polled at the windows of tl.e palace, for thofe within the courts were prote<^ted from it by the outer walls. The Swlls within the courts now retreated into the little buildings or barracks on each fide, and from thence kept up an inceil'ant fire upon the citizens as they entered, and unon thofe within the area, being protei^ied by the buildings from a return of the fhot. But the national horfe flew to the affiitance of their friends, fell upon the barracks with impetuolity, and with torches in their hands, fet fire to them in various places. Forty horfcs and twenty five riders were ftretched upon the ground in this defparate attack. The fire now gaining apace, the ■ V :(U i. \ [ 25 ] A « 4 I the Swlls were icon obliged to quit their cover, and fell an eafy prey to the citi/ens, who Ihot and cut tliem to pieces as tliey ran towards the palace; amongft them were many of the ChcValicrr drefled as National Guards, moft of whom rec<;ived the price due to their infamy. During this time the Swifs at the windows kept up a well fuftained fire upon the Place de Carouzel, the Pont Royal, and the Tcrrafs of the Feuillans^ which was properly anfwered by the cannon and mufquetry of thefe pofts. Great execution is Hud to have been done amongft the people from the Hotel Brienne, againft wl\ich the proper precautions had not been taken, and in order to make this day rcfenibie ftill more the famous St. Bartholomew, numbers of the Chevaliers du Poignard plnced in the gallery of the Louvre fired upon the women and unarmed paflengcrs. The patriots had been for a moment repulfed at the en- trance of the palace, and Weiftermann, after having receiv- ed five wounds, was felled by the wind of a ball. But they quickly rallied, and with their intrepid commander once more at their head., and the Sans Culottes with their pikes in the rear, commenced a moft bloody engagement. Num- bers of the Swifs were llaugiitered in gallantly defending what they thought to >e the law of the land; and had they been properly r..ppcrted, no doubt their vi^Vory would have coil dear to the patriots. But no fooner did the infamous ivcoohants of the court, thofe valorous kniphts who had pledj^ed their honour to fupport them with tluir lives, find that the people fo far from running away at the firft fir^, as they had fuppofed, maintained a vigorous attack, than terrified at the approach of danger, they abandoned them- felves to a lliameful flight ; leaving the Swifs to defend them- felves. The patriots now preiling forward Avith a courage bordering upon madnefs, forced the remaining Swifs to join tlve fugitives, and the carnage became dreadful. The hall, — the great ftair-cafe, — the chapel, and all the apartments, were quickly ftrei^ed with the bodies of the dead and dying. The citizens chafed the flying enemy from room to room*, guilty of the moft fignal treafon, they were all put to death. The juftice of the people appeared in all its horror; many of the Swifs and others who had hid themi'-'lves in the upper apartments, were thrown out of the windows, and not a finglc hihabitantof the palace, efcaped; all were coniulered as ac- JP compile 05 [ 2rf ] f n I complices of their mafter and enemies of the nation. The llowcr of chivalry acquainted with all the avenues of the paliicc, [lived themfelves through the gallery of the Louvre wl'ich the people had forgot to guard. Thus did upwards oi a thoufaiid of thefc wretches efcape the juft vengeance of the people, and the punilhmcnt due to their manifold crimes. 'I'heir deluded agents perilhed, but thefe villains who from the commencement of the revolution had been working the ruin of their country efcaped, and live to boaft of and re- new their crimes. Numbers of them however expiated the eternal impunity of the oppreffions of the human race, and it is hoped the fearch now diligently making after the re- mainder, will bring them to the inglorious end they merit. Two or three hundred of the Swils fled into the garden of the Thuileries, at the bottom of which they rallied and formed. They were inftantly attacked by the National Guards upon the Place Louis XV. and a briflc action took place, which was very deftruaive to the Swifs, for many of thein l\ad expended their ammunition, and others had thrown away their arms, not expecting any oppolition to their flight. However, they maintained a running fight till under the walls o[ the Airembly, when finding refiltance ufelefs, they furr ndcretl. Fourteen endeavoured to force the pafs of the Pont Royal, but were cut to pieces in the attempt. Some efcaped into the town h-om the llotel Briennes, and a few, agiiated by defpair, perilhed in attempting to force their way acrofs the Place de Carouzel. The reft of the fugitives ran down the fide of the Seine towards the Elyfian fields, where the greater part were either cut. to pieces or taken prifoners by the National Horfe ported on the Place Louis XV. You will allc me what became of the National Grenadiers whom I have i>ot mentioned in the combat. Thefe find- ing themfelves deferted by the patriots, thought it prudent to a«Jl a double part, and pafllng through the Chateau into the garden about eight o'clock in the morning, ranged themfelves upon theterrafs m front, proioifing from thence to fttcond the Sv/iCsj but whether from indignation at the King's defertion, or from fear, they all filed off at the firft dil- charge. What bccnme of them afterwards, and whether or not they took any part in the engagement, I know not. Let us now divert our attention for a moment from this iccne of fiau gixter. to the I^ational AflTembly. They had iVnt '?! «- -if! C 27 3 fent a clepMt;Uion of ten members to attempt to pacify the people, immediately uj>on the King's entrance, but tht-y foon returned, the tiring having tomincnccd before thvy \ir- riveil. The report of the guns cccafioned a great commo- tion in the AtTembly, agitated by fuch different piiiruMisj order was however relloretl by the prefidcnt's covering hi»n- I'elf and reminding the members that they were at tl»eir poft. The King did not forget to inform the prefiilentj l^af he had not given orders t'> Jire. Let tho(e who know the ftridt difcipline and CN^.dl obedience of the Swifs olhccrs, and who have heard their depofitions Hnce, believe him if they can. At the commencement of the a<^ion, tiiul until the moment when the fliouts of the patriots announced thc-:r viclory, he and the Queen appeared unconcerned, relying without doubt upon the fucccfs of the ^reparations they had made againft the }>eople, upon the divilTon of the citizens, itpon the treafon of the oflicers of the National Guard, and iipon all thofe wretches who were paid to act thii day. 1-ut tyrants are not capable of calculating the force of the people, and thefe were far from forcfeein^; that all their monllrous ediiice of crime and perfidy, would vanilh before its omni- potence. — ^The Afiembly now remained for feme monicnts in deep filence, which was broken by a member who moved to decree, that it put all property and pei'fons under the iafeguard of the law and of the people. This p.iilld unani- moully. All the deputies then role up and fwor- to ni;;;u- tain I'lherf^ and equality^ and a proclamation was inrtantly itlu- ed inviting the citizens to place confidence in their ri'pre- fentatives ; for they well knew that they had defcrved L!» forfeit it. A deputation froin the Thcrmes of Jr.illar! iip- peared at the bar and called upon the .' "^.mhly, to f\ve;ir that they would fave their country. The call of names was inflantly demanded, to fee who were the traitors that defev- ted their poft in the hour of danger, and each member as his name was read, mounteil t!\c tribune and pronounc«.vi this oath. ** / pivcar to be faithful to the )uitiviy .v:d to mahita'm ivith all my fsivesr lil\Tty at:d equality^ or ta ill: ai my poJi*\ The Cote droit was extreniely thin at t:hc coiW" mencement of the fitting, but they began to pour in as focn as they found t\\Q anger of the people Vius. not dirci'tod. againft them. The new municipality prcfentcd then-.fjlves at the bar, and having taken the oath, inforu.c.l the Affe-n- D a Ivy K- 'I ^.i. 4 Ml [ 28 'I ^1 J' V)ly of the treachery oi* the Swifs. The /iring had now cca^ fed and numbers of citizens were ufliered into the bar, bringing with them the queen's jewels, the money and the affignats which they had found in the apr.r-tments, " the palace," faid they, " is broke open, but do not believe that citizens fighting for their liberties will difgrace thcmfelvcs by pillage," News was brought that the Swifs officers, moll of whom had accompanied the king to the Afl'embly, were arrefted; the Allembly decreed that they were under the protedtion of the laiu and the people ^ and of the getterqftty of the French. They next decreed upon the motion of M. liazirc that the committee of lafety iliould be authorized to arrcll any ful'pedled perfons. Intelligence having been received that the Swifs in garrifon at Courbcvoie, were upon their march to fupport their brethren and that numbers of armed citizens were gone out to meet th^^m, a member moved, that to prevent any farther bloodfhed, the king fliould fend them an order eounterfigned by the prelidcnt, to lay down their arms. This was accordingly done and haa the defircd cfl-edt. The people though now mafters every where, difdained to plunder. Every thing valuable that was found in the pa- lace, was carried to the Allembly and to the municipality. A few ^yretches who were caught in the aft of ftealing, were killed upon the fpot, and others were carried to the Place de Greve, (the common place of execution of criminals) where they were tried, condemned and Ihot. Such was the juftice of the people. Let thofe wretches who have ivi'orn an everlafting warfare to the doftrines of rer.fon and equality, and with whom riches fupply the place o1 virtue and humanity \ let ti\em, I fay, contemplate the difinterefted honour of the people, let them compare their conduft with that of thofe nohle officers who bafely betraying the caufe of their country which they had fworn to defend, defert to the enemy, and carry with them the pheft of their regiment, and let thern then lay their hands on tlieir hearts and fay whether they de- ferve the name of fivinifij multitude. Miferable egotlfts, who having purchafed yqur riches by an the French. l,ot us remember what has Ix-'en the condutSt of every peoj>le upon earth ihiring their civil wars and amongll: others, let us not forget the ai^ts of cruelty with wliich the EngUlh hillory is replete. Let us alfo remember that never provocation and treachery was greater, and that mankind never fought in fo glorious a caufc before. If ftill thefe cruelties raifc our indignation, let it fall upon the primary caules of all, «ix>n tlie cowardly ty- rant who treacheroufly delivered up his fubjixts to (laughter. •♦ In all the calamities and misforrunes of the human race," «« you always recognize the crimes of defpotifm.'* Only about 200 of the Swifs were favod by the Federates and National Guards, and lodged for the interim in the Corps de Guarde of the Feuilians, whence as the peopli? grew clamorous for them, they were conveyed into the hall of the National Ailembly, and a member deputed to cahn the people. Here I muft do juftlce to l!\e Kx Capuchin Ch;i- bot, who acquitted himfelf moiV admirably, and may be confidered as the faviour of the Swiis. In the evening of the following day, they were transferred under a ftrong guard with Petion at their head to the Palais Bourbon, and now await their trial. The oilicers are confined in the ])rifon of the Abbey, and will moft probably futier for tivjir ingra- titude to a nation whofe bread tliey had long partaken of. For it is to be obferved, that even the King's orders do not juftify them, as by the conftitution the armed force cannot fire upon the people without the requilition of a municipal officer. No accurate ftatement has yet been publiflied of the num- ber of flain on either iide ; from a comparlfon of the dif- ferent accounts, I fhould fuppofe, that not Icfs than 1500 fell on the ikle of the court, and about 200 on the fide of the patriots were either killed on the fpot, or have fince died of their wounds. The number oi wounded federates and citizens was very great. In the midft of their rage and indignation, the people all ulong refpe^tcd their reprei'entatives, and did not attempt to violatf; the f^mctunry In which they had placed the two royal priroacrs. At four o'clock of tliis lame day^ which fo many pr.Lriots had pafied without catii^g, and which had bccu [ 3» 3 i. been fatal to (6 many of their fricnJs and aclliprejits, Louis XV [. and his wife fat tlowii to dinner, and it was re- marked, that little pcn'.'tratcd with the miferics he had caufed, he eat as voracioufly as uluah This anecdote is trilling, but it ferves to lliew the unfeeling heart of the tyrant. No doubt, the Cannibal's appetite would have been ftiU increafed if the meat had been ferved up in the recking ikulls of the citizens Ihot by his Proetorian Guard. Tlic Auftrian panther, whofe crimes and vices lx;ar with them the true ilamp of royalty, bit her lips in filcnt rage, and fccmcd only to meditate the moment of revenge. The National Ail'embly infpired by the fccnc which w:is pafling round then\, rofe at times to the height of its voca- tion. Upon the propofition of Mr. Vergniaud in the name of the extraordinary committee, it decreed, the lufpenlioti cf the King, and the convocation of a National Couve)ition, ivhich fliould decide upon liis fate and regulate the future form of government. — Coniidering next, that after havuij* Avorn a iolenm adlicrencc to the doclrines of liberty and t<\ua]ity, th» i: 33 ] In this tlctail of fafts I have adhered clofely to truthi hoping by a genuine account, to countera(5t tl\c effect which your lying minifterial papers may have produced. I have interfperlcd my narrative with fuch reflexions and obferva- tions as prcfcnted themfeh'es to me at the time, or as I have been able to collefH: from the belt writers upon the fubje«Si;i meaning to claim no merit from them, 1 have thought it ufolefs to interrupt and weaken my narrative by frequent references. I conclude this long epiftle with the following eloquent apoftrophe. « Thus, commenced the moft glorious revolution which «' ever honoured humra nature, or rather the only «* one which had an ohjci^t worthy of mankind, that •* of eftablifhing political looiety upon tlie immortal princi- " pies of equitl'tty — o^ jujl'ue — of reajhn. What other caufu *' could unite in one moment, that immenfe populace, that *< innumerable multitudv' of citizens of all conditions actiuij *' in concert, without chiefs or centre ol union! What «' other caufe could lufp'.re them with fo elevated, with ^o *' eniluring a courage and produce miracles of valour fu- <* perior to the boaftcd tales of Greece and Rome ! All « France already anAvcrs to the fignal; all the petty in- <* trigues, all the ambitious traitors wlio dared provoke •' the thander of t!\e people, if they efcape its juftice, will of themiclves fall into their original nothing. Already the Ihock which has overturned the throiie of our ty- rants, has ihaken every throne in Europe, and the liber- ty of the world will be at once our work and our recom- pence. Frenchmen for.ret not that you hold in your hands, the deftiny of the univerfe. Do not fall aflecp in the bofom of victory, adopt the maxim of a grev^t man, who thought he had done nothing, as long as any thing remained undone. Forget not that you have to combat ; the league of defpots, and to confound the plots of thofe ... Irill more dan^rerous enemies whom vou nourilh in vour. bolom. Immortal glory awaits you, but you mu(t pur- chafe it by hardy labours. Stand upright and be watch- ful. You have now no medium to choofe between the ♦* moft odious of all flavery, and the mort pcrfedl liberty, *' a people can enjoy j between the moU barbarous profctip-. ** tion and the purcft happinefs. Either the King (-r tiie a *^ FreneJk f t\\c prc- ciclinii; pajfcs, [ tljoii^!;ht woiilvl he ikenied no iin;u:tcpU able .uMition. I would have .kKUcI the report uf M. G(«hicr on tlie nroofb of the late l\inj.'/> tre.u hery, bur as u connnit- tee is llill employed under the aiiihoiity of the National Convention in cxainininp; the reiii.iiiniig jiapers to the l'am« purpole, we may realbuubly expe».'L a dill Inlkr and mor« tlecili\e bodv v( evidence than has yet appeared.* T. C. • friir. the co]'ic^ of the Utter:* utt'l ircnunfg fiuuiil in thr. Ki«i''» iri-nw tnij-.', iiii! .iiiuiii,i.f it"" jiiijtir.. <>i M. hi I'onc tlic (.tmiiurdllrr ot the <.,'iv)l l.ilt (ill' wiii'-'i I,; tiM/iiiu:i •. liivrhiii jHiMlln d by aiflujiiiy i it aj'i.oias tliat, tin: Civil l.ilt wii- i)i par* rc^'il. rly .i^.i)licil to tlit- jiayim lit ol v.r\fris i" uinlk tl..' Ri'voliifidii ; til thi" iliili rMition of Arittoi ritic pu"'»i lilct!^ a'nl lK>!i''-hilUi tayitiv( llic trfriifniiti* cllfrdibiy dilltamUd in » onu.li.incc wiih tli' Ali'-nilily''. u'4'n i'.inn ; i?>. roii- t!iiuiii;4- tli«' pay of the Fnix h jriiiird^, even to fuch ah witp at Cohiaiti! ; and r.tluf triacIiiiMii.., aiiti-i ivii- pia-|'.f>l'i!<. "I'lie letters pii'iiiiluHl eviilcntly prove, ♦ !iai iliiil'c who coirclptindi il with tite Miiiillcrs of tho K-iii^ or with thr Kill'; hiiiit'flf, were perfectly a\vuie that the ajipcaraiico of thr. moll d.-tii- niiiud hatred to the primijiij of the Ri volution wtrc iv:ccflary to obtain lavour at the i'rcncli Court. RKVLECriONS . OM THJ. rNOMSI? RlvVOLUTION 1688, AND THAT OF , THE icth OF AUGUST, 1792.' . ' m" M. condorcet. THE Revolution in England in 1688, compared with the Revolution of France in 1792, prefents, in the motives which occafioned them and the principles by which they were direfted, a parallel which, notwithftanding the iliHerence of the times, the circumftunces and the itr^te of knowledge, r 38 1 m 111 >l! !fl ^ fi knowledge, proves that the caufe of the French Is exa£lly the fame as that of th • Englilh nation j and, indeed, of all nations, that are, or have conceived the hope of becoming ' free. James II. was the conftitutional King, like Louis XVI, Ii was the national will, notwithflanding the juft repug- ' nance of the friends of freedom, by which James fuccced- ' ed to his brother : the fear of civil difcord v»ras fuperior to that ot a Papifl: King, infatuated with thofe ideas of abfo- lute authorit/ which had been fo fatal to Charles I. Ac- tuated by the fame motives, the will of the people featcd Louis XVI. on the throne, in defpite of the dangers to which freedom muft be expofed by his regret for his former '^ power. To deftroy ihe riglits of the Engllfh, James II. employed , corrupt judges, and the fcrvile complaifance of partial au-. ' thoritics. He had two conncilsj the one public, which with referve aided his proje<^s of ufurpationj the other private, which forced him ralhly to Iiatlen the cftablifhment of popery rtnd tyranny. Louis XVI. in like manner} had two councils*, the one moderate, which endeavoured to deftroy freedom by the aia of the conftitutionj the other, more eager, prepared means to deliver up the people to the emigrants, and France to foreign armies. Louis XVI. kail likewife fought ufeful allies In the courts of juftlce, and the direftories of departments. James II. had protected the Parliament, after having de- c^tiivcd it by falfe promifes. Louis XVI. not pofleillng this dangerous p.ivilege, attained the fame end by corrupting the Legilhtive Body, and preventing any conftant major I ty from being formed. James I(. provided a fleet and an army, of which he believed himfeif the mailer. Louis XVI. had fecretly formed a troop of fatellites, who had fold themfelves to his caufe, and thought himfelf fure of a poweriul party in the national guard and the army, James was fecretly connefted with Louis XIV. whom the Englifh nation regarded as its moil dangerous enemy. The Emperor and the King of Prussia, made war on France, in the name and for the fupport of Louis XVI.; and the means of defence^ which the oation beftowed with prodiga* I ^9 1 >1. '' ■ t Tity, were half annihilated by pafling through the hands of the King and his Minifters. Both thought themfelves certain of power fufFicient to fupprefs freedom, and both imagined they had deceived the people; inftead of which, they did but mutually convince all clear-lighted citizens of the necellity of a new Revo- lution. The two nations were not preclfely in the fame fituatloiu In England the body of the peo;*le, difcontented, angry^ but terrified by the recent recolle«Sbion of the civil wars, ai.Ji benumbed by the corrupt reign of Cnarrks II. was dif- pofed to embrace that Revolution, v^hich they were incapa- ble to effeft. The Parliament was not convoked, and the friend . of liberty were without a fupport. Hence it was neceflary to call in the Prince of Orange to their aid, who, by "s lingular concatenation of events, had connefted his perfonal intsreft with that of the Englilh nation. William, who found no oppofition on his paffhge from the Englifli fleet, came at the head of a Dutch army, James was abandoned by hi.' troops, fled, was brought back to London, and left it by order of his fon-in-law, who ap- pointed a place to which he was permitted to reiire. He efcaped a fecond time, and William did not endeavour Xo impede his flight. In France the people, to whom freedom was a new en- joyment and the love of equality a real pallion, could not, imdifturbed, fee themfelvet threatened by plots which they could not difcover, but the fearful proofs of which were inceflantly before their eyes. They addrelFed their Reprefentatives, and were heard ; but a great number of thefe reprefentatives, fervilely at- tached to the letter of the Conftitution they had fworn to jnaintain, beheld v.ith a kind of terror thofe meafures Avhich evtry day became more fenlibly neceflary, but which required a bolder interpretation of the Ccnflltution. The citizens, therefo-e, imagined themlelves obliged to take the power into their own hands. The King fled for an afylum to th" National Aflembly; yet foreign troops, prefervcd contrary to law, and united to the chiefs and the menials of the confpiracy, fired from the palace of the Thuilleries un the citizens, at the very moment that they were reciprocally interchanging expres- fions of peace and good-will. The U>' Ir .1 111 I ■ [ 4 7 flonvokiiig Pariiiixnciitfj- itp C 41 ] Parliament, under the n:ime of ;i Convention. TIvs v.'p.q the name given to the Parhament, Avhicli recalledCiiAKi.rs i'l. tiie term rHrllamont bcinnr rjororoiillv conlined to thoib al- feinblics, which are convoked in the name of" tlie King. I>ut the Convention of i6u8, like that of 166^, could not but have precilcly the fame organl/^ation as the Parliaments, and like them be divided into two lloufes, the mutual agree- ment of which was ncceliary to exprefs the will of the nation. Tlius coidd the will of about two hundred afiiuHc the riglit of expreillng the will of the whole people ; and if there be any who dare flill aiTirm, that an inAitution like this is not an attack on the rights of natural cqualitv, andfiich as no power can legalize, they muff at Icall cf)nfeis it is abiurd and tyrannical, when It is neceflary to decide on thofe fundamental qucilions, which the laws have not fore- {cciij and on Avhich the national will is not rccn'/y coulalted, unlefs it be confuUed with the moll perfect equality. Thus, for example, the Enolilh miniiirv can neither re- gard this convention as illegal, nor diipute its power of reforming that, which in the conllitutional a<^ ihviil appear to it to be prejudicial to liberty, without, at the lame time, attacking the legality of vhe cunvention of 1689, aiid tliat of the refolutions, which emanated from that convention. The minidcrs, who Ihould adviie fach a condinSi:, mull: by fuch advice confels, i. That the Iloufe of Hanover lias ufurped the throne of Englanil, and that it appertains to the King of Sardinia: 2 That the En^dilh nation has no right to make any change in its conffitution, except by the will of the King; 3. That the King may violate tin confti tution with impunity, and that the nation has no legal means either of oppolltion or reilriction-, which opinion no minifter could purfue in a(ft without rendering himfcli guilty of high treafon; nay, they muil conclude that they are certain of having nothing to fear for tliC prefervation o£ the throne of the Houfe of Hanover, and thcv m.uft intend to ertabiifh it as law, that this houfe poITefles the crown by pure he^'editary right; that it has not received it from the people-, that all the claims and pretenlions of tho former Kings of England to arbitrary power have been tranf- mltted to the reip- ani familv; ard thev mufl fm-ther menu to fupport the opinions of the divine rights of kings, of palilve obedience, of the difpenling pov/er, &:c. and, in a F word. ^1 ^a rl ,if I. i C 42 ] irord, all thofc maxims deflriKftive to freedom, wlilch were formerly held by the Siuakts, and praitictJ by the Tl'BOKS. In like manner, it was in confequencc of this opinion of an original contract, that the United Provinces, and the JSwils Cantons, ihook off the yolce of tiv.Mr aricitnt lords, ■who were hereditary chiefs, and at the lve;iu of the execu- tive power. It was tlie violation of I'ucii contracts, fub- icribed to by tlit'fe lor. li;*. c «' -./hs: tbcn unity of principle be- comes -.in clTctit,al ccnd;t;oii of t!ic fbcial A item, and tlie nation v/ould b." ccp'ifed to pr(;cccd from revolution to re- vohiL.'on, liil if {liould arrive at this neccilary ia-iipliciryi bceaui'e it could no longer reft fatisfied Avith i.cirv.n;nii it in fact, as at prcfent in England, for it could not fuppofe itfelf fecurc^ uidcfs the principle were eftablillied by law. 'ilv 6 the vn.!(>rtunate attempt made In France, to form a coiiiritutio.i with i double principle, has rendered its conti- luuuice iiiipo{iii)le. Enlightened men foretold this : but their counl'els were rejck^leJ. Ihe pcifon to wl.om the dan- gerous right of opjvoiltion was entruAed, as mit;ht have been forcleen, beheld in this rjpht tJ:e n\eans only of fufpendi' j tlie activity of the two powers, of betraying them with im- punity, and by the aid of the conftitution of dcftroying frcedon:. From tliis time, thprefore, foreign powers may contem-. pli.te France as dirciStcd to the future by one united will; and tiiat, hi her external coniiectlonr,, Ihc can have no oihcr motiv3 for aclicj), but that of fafcLy and prnfperity. Ail iiates, whatever their government, from the Kings of Sardi- nia and Naples, to the Renublics of lialle and Zurick, frorr\ the Dukes of iSaxouy ar ,'irtcmberg, to the cities of Kam» burgh or of Franckfor'., ought to confider France as the only barrier, over the v/hoie continent, which can be op- pofed to the coalition of great monarchies, and the folc giTarantee of the independence of inferior powers. Mean time all ideas of a faction apart from the nation itfelf, of a v/ill of the people of Paris difiinft from that of tiie departments, all the cliimeras credited by the Cou.rt of the Tiiuilleries, and of intrigiiing partifans, who call them- felvcs ccniV.tutional, all the fables, under the guidance of which, Louis XVI. condu£ted his double conipiracy, no longer ca'": decelAe any m.an ; and Europe cannot but be con- vinced, that RuiTia and Auflria alone have an intereft in iroubiing Fraiice; that tlie King of Frurila is the dupe of that ambition with w^lilch they have infpired him, and that jhis fafety like that of the other independant ttates of Jilurope, is connecicd wuh the prefcrvation of the power of France, which cannot be dcl^royed witliout dra'Toimr after it in its fail, the fovereignty and freedom of all other nations. 7 i Siica Is t^AC po'nt of view in vliic'i \hc rfvoli't'ion cf the lotli of Aiunill cannot fail to he iVon b^^ tnfti capable of re- flctitioii, vliarcvcr may be tliclr country and their princ'ples. Whcjevcr wiih not to p/.fs under the yoke of Catherine Francis, or "William, all who hope to prelerve their proj^er- ty, liberty, and fome little lionour, indr pendant of //.>flr gracious will and plca'urc, ou^vht to combine with t'xlVcnch ration, and univcrially to unite in oppn!itio!i to that vile fwarm of marauders, who, under tlie name of Trench emi- grants, iKive rpread falleb-ood and corrujiticn tlirough fo- lel^ni countries. AVliat ! Can the heroes who have itrved mider FhudlriC the GRfAT, Dai'n, and Lai-'DON, defcend to be the vih: inilrumcuLs of Cai.o>m-., Pis tonfedcraey, appcare-d the KiniKror, hro^ei-iii-law to the King of llic ireiuh, and alli«'tl to the I'l'cneh jiatirm by a treaty advantageous to hiinfcliahine, anvl whicii ILieConltltuent allenibly, (deceived by the niinilter) had maintained, at the ex\)euce of an alli- ance with the houlL- of lirandenburgh. Tlie National A.r!eMibly deemed it edential to the feciirity of France, to oblige l!ie I'lniperor to declare whether he ti'ould be their ally, or their enemy : and to decide between two contrailictory enirigemcnts, whereof the one called on him to aiUll, and the other to attack I'rance : Engagements Y'hich he coiiUl no otherwile reconcile than by avowing an intention to I'epiiiate the King from tlie nation, and to re- garil a war agamll the T'"rench people, a:> an alllllaJKC afibrded to his French allv. 'J'he anlwcr of the J.irnH.ror encrealcd the dilh'uft, wliich ''^is combination of ciixuiiiltances f(» naturally nidnced. lie repeated, againil: the AHembly of national rei>r'jl'en.tatives, and againil the j>opular focletics eltabliilied in our cities, the fame abfui\l invccllvcs, willi W'iiich the emigrants and the partifans of the l''rench minif- tcr ha-l ib long burtheaed the counter-revolution prcHes. He protefted his delire of remaining the ally of the King, and he acceded to a new league agaip.il: France in fupport of the aulhoritv of the K'mi: of the French. Thefe Ic'^ucs, thefe treaties, thcie intrisucf. of the F.mi- grants, vvlio acted on thei'e occailon.s in the King's name, were concealed by the King's mini tiers from the reprefen- tatlvcs of the people. Ko pi'.blic difavowal of thcle in- trigues, no ftrong elibrt to prevent or to dilperfe the con- federacy of Monarehs, had taken place, to convince the citii'cns of France or the people of Europe, that the King had llncerely joined his caufe to the caufe of the nation. Tills evltlent connivance between the cabinet of the 'J'hu- illeries and that of Vienna, had ilruck every mind. The National AiTeinbly thought it their duty to enter into a {i:\ct cxpmiuHtion of the condufl of the mini Her for foreign airairs ; and a t-ler ree or accufaiion a^j-ainll: him was the re- fait. His colleagues diraoocared toiTcther with himfclf, and the King'b council ■s/us liicn comv' 1 ■ .1 P I . ,5.1 i ))^ t ] inc;'^. t.cttrrs from the minifter of the home clcpartment, dirci^cd force to be employed againft the Federates, who w;;rc on their road to Paris, there to tak'^ an oath to fight for t)ie caiife of hberty; and all the adlivlty of the National AiTembly, all the patriotifm of the army; all the zeal of enlightened citizens were neceflary to prevent the fatal ef- fects of this plan of anarchy fo evidently tending to light xi]^ the fia!!\cs of a civil w;i r. A patriotic movement in the N.nior.ai AiiVmbly, had ftilled by a fraternal union, tVie un- happy dilicntions which too frequently broke forth there, and might yet have given birth to means of fafety. The procciles inftituted by the command of the King, and under the direction of the Comptroller of the civil lift, might have been ftopt. The virtuous Perion, punilhed by an uiijuft ful'penfion for having fpared the blood of the people, might , have been reinftated by the King, and it was poihblc that the lonnr traiii of faults and of treacheries mip;ht ftill have beeti attributed to thofe perfidious advifers, to whom the toocre- lialous people had long been in the habit of afcribing the crimes of their Kings. The Afiembly now perceived that extraordinary mcalurcs v/cre ncceiHu'y to the fafety of the public. They commenced a dil'cufilon on the means oi faving their country i and they appointed a committee to confider and prepare a report. Tiie declaration that the country was in danger, fiimmon- ed all the citizens to the common defence, ant' all the public funaionarics to ihelr r'^fpeetive pofts. Nevtrthelefs, in the midlt of thefe inccilant complaints on ihe innclion of Go- vernment on the evident negligence or ill cont*-ivance of the preparations for war, on movements of the army, either iiitlefi or dangerous, and of v.hichthe aclcnowledjied inten- tion was, to favour the pollt'cal deLgns of one of the Ce- xiorals, — the public beheh', unknown or lafpcfted miniflerR tMriploycd in rap'd fuccefdon, and exhibitirig ur:der new n3)T-icr., the old fyfiem of inaflivity, and the fume principles of condu(fb. 'i'lic manixcflo of one of the enemies' commanffers, v,ha denounced death to every advocate of freedom, -^nd wl.o promifcd his irglorions proteftion to cov/arcls and to traitors, r::'nfonab!y augmented the public fufpicions. The enemy of Frame, fcemed br.iied entirelv in defence of the French King. Tvvcnty-lix uiillions of people werr, in his elHmr>t'on, I Oi: t 53 ] ©f no confequcnce whatever, in cDnparifon with a titled fami'y; the blood of the multitude vas to overfpread the land in revenge for the flighteft alFronts ; and the King inflead of teftif^ing his indigi ation againft a manife(>o, calculated to deprive him of the people's confidence, reludlantly op- pofed to it, a cold and timid difavowal. 7r! Who then can be furprized tha the popular dlflruH. of the executive magiftrate ihould infpire the citizens with a defirc of feeing the King, (jn whole name the kingdom wai attacked) deprived of the difpofixl of thole *"orces which were deftined to the commun defence? tl at King, to whom the care of maintaining internal tranquixitv w^as com- mitted, -yvhile his particular interefts were the open pretext of all the troubles ! To thefe motives, common to the whole people of France, others were joined,, peculiar to the inhabitants of Paris. They faw the relations of the cnnfpiralors at Cob- lentz, compofe the conftant and familiar fociety of the King, and of his family. Writers, bribed by the civil lift mean- while, were endeavouring by treacherous calumnies to ren- der the Parifians odious to or fufpected by tlie reft of France. They attempted to low difcord between the poor and the rich citizens. Peifidious manoeuvres were employed to agitate the National Guard, and to form among them i. royal party. In line, the enemies of liberty feemcd divided between Paris and Coblcntz, and their boklnefs encreafed with their numbers. The conftitution charged the King to notify to the Na- tlonal AiTembly, iminincnt hoftilitics, but long folicitations were neceflary to obtain from the minifter the tardy infor- •mation of the ma'ch of the Prnilian troops. The confti- tution nrcnouncf^d an;ainit the Kinn;, a IcG;al abdication of the throne, if he did not oppofe by lome formal operations, thofe hoftilities which were commenced againft the nation in his name. The emigrant princes, had hired -n his name, rcr^imcnts of Frenchmen ; they had compofcd for his iifc :\ military eftabliftiment out of France j and thcfe fS'^cls were kno-A-n above i\x months, before the King, (v/hofe public dcchrations r-nrl protefts to foreign pov/crs mir;ht have put a Irop to thefe manoeuvres) fp.llilk'd the duty im.pofed on him by the coi'ftitution, by informing tlie Aflembly. It was in co fequence of motives thus powerful, that the ,nume'"oti3 petitions from a great number of departments, and 'i.\ Mi;' t 14 ] mid the vote of fevcral fc(n.ions of Paris, followed by a vote of the whole commonalty (le loinmutie) folicited the forfeit- ure of the King, or the fufpenfion of the royal authority, and the AfTcmbly, therefore, could no longer refufe to dif- cufs this great queftion. It was the duty of the AfTembly, to declare only in con- fequence of a mature and profound examination, of a fo- lemn difcuffion, and a duly weighing of every opinion ad- vanced. But the patience of the people was exhaufted : all on a fudden they feemed again united for one common pur- pofe, and in one common will. They proceeded to the re- lidence of the King, who fought an afylum in the bofom of the Aflembly of the rcprefentatives of the people; well knowing that the fraternal union between the inhabitants of Paris, and the citizens of the departments, rendered that aflembly a fncred afylum. National Guards were charged to defend the refidence which the King had abandoned: but among them Swifs Ibldiers had been placed. The people had for a long time, with furprize and difquiet, feen battalions of Swifs foldier*; partake the duty of guarding the King, altho* the conftitu- tion forbad his having a foreign guard. It was for a long time eafy to forefee that this direct violation of the law, which from its nature was obvious to every citizen, would fooner or later be the caufe of great difturbances. The National Aflembly had negledled no means of preventing tliem. Reports, difcufllons, motions by individual mem- bers referred to committees, had forewarned the King for feme months pafl, of the nccefllty of difbanding from his immediate employ, men, whom in every other place and fituation the Frencli had always regarded as friends and brethren; but whom they could not behold in the imme- diate fervice of a conflitutional King, and in defpite of the conftitution, without fui'pC(Sfcing them as having bc':ome the enemies of liberty. A decree of the Aflembly had difbanded them: but their chief, fupportcd by the minifter, demanded alterations in it. T' " Aflembly confented. One part of the foldiery was to re;., .n in Paris, but without any fuch employment as might create public unealinefs : it was therefore in defpite of a decree ox the AiTcmbly, and in defpite of the law, that on the lotli of Augnlt they were employed upon a duty, from which every principle of prudence and humanity ihould have ' \ \ T C 55 ] have driven them. They received orders to fire on thtf armed citizens, at the very moment when thefe latter in- vited th«m to peace •, and when figns of friendfhip of the moft unequivocal nature declared their acceptance of the invitation ; and at the very moment when a deputation from the National Aflembly was advancing in the midft of the airmed troops, to bring offers of reconciliation and to prevent carnage. After this, nothing could put a ftop to the refentment of the people, who experienced a new aft of treachery at the very time when they came to complain of thofe repeated afts of the fame nature, of which they had fo long been the viftims. In the midft of thefe difafters, the National Aflembly, af^-iftcd, but calm, took the oath to maintain liberty and equality, or to die at their poft : they took the oath to fave their country, and they proceeded to inveftigate the means. Of thefe they faw but one : and that was to recur to the fupreme will of the people, and to invite them to exercife in the firft inftance that inalienable right of fovcrcignty, which the conftitution had acknowledged, and to which it had no right to affix any bounds. The public interefl required that the people ftiould declare their will, by means of a National Convention, formed from among the people, and inverted with unreftrifted powers : it equally required that the members of this convention Ihould be chofen in each department in an uniform and regular manner. But the Aflembly could not reftrain the: power of the fovereign people, from whom alon hat Aflembly derived its oAvn authority. It was a duty iiicumbent tlicrcfore on the Na- tional Reprefentatives to reflrift th mfelves to an ei.rneft rcqueft, that the people would follow the Ample regulations ■•vhich the Afl^embly had traced out. It refpecled the forms of proceeding already appointed, becaufe new mode?j even had they been preferable in themfclves, woi^Il have occa- fioned deky, and perhaps diviflons. It ref ved none of the conditions of eligibility, no refl:ri.t alfo was ■ •IP:*. •M\ r s<5 1 was a reftrlcllon of law. The only conditions required, were thole that nature herfelf had impoied, luch as the nc- ceflity of dwelling upon the territory where the right of looting was cxcrcifed, to be of the age whereat the laws of the land prefumc a capability of excrcifing perfonal right j and laftly to have prcferved an indepci^dance of choice. But time was necelTary to collect together new repreienta- tivcb of the people; and altho* the National AfTembly had haftened the periods of operation which the Convention re- quired ; altho' it had accelerated the moment when it ihould ceafe to bear the weight of public affairs, that it might avoid the flighted fiifpicion of ambitious defigns — the t^rm of forty days, would ncverthelefs have expofcd the kingdom to great misfortunes, and the people to dangerous movements, if the King had been permitted to retain the powers vefted in him by the conftitution : and the fufpen- iion of thefe powers fecmed to the reprcfentatives of the people, the only method of preferving France and liberty. In pronouncing this neccffary fulpeiiflon, the Affembly did not exceed its powers. The conultution authorized it to pronounce a fufpcnilon, in the cafe of the King's abfence, where the length of fuch abfence did not induce a legal ab- dication; that is to fay, in the cafe where there was not yet ground for a definitive refolution, but where a proviflonary rigour was evidently necefTary — where it would have been manifeftly abfurd to leave the power in hands where it could not freely or ufefully be employed. But in the cafe in quelliion, the conditions required \xi\' found conjoined with the very kind of evidence to which the conftitution had looked for- ward; and in conducing ourfelves by the principles traced out by that conftitution, fo far from having been guilty of a breach of our oaths tow^ard it, we have obeyed it. The conftitution had forefecn, that all accumulation of powers, was dangerous, and i ight change the reprcfenta- tives of the people into ilieir tyrants. But it judged alfo, that this danger implied a long cxcrclfe of that extraordi- nary power ; and the pcilod of two months, was the term it fixed for the exiflence of every cafe, wherein it permit- ted fuch a re-union, which in othsr rtlpc^^ts it had fo feverely prefcribed. The National AfTembly far from prolonging its durarion, reduced it to 40 day.i only; and hiitci of extending on tiiC C 57 ] the plea of necjftity, the term prefcribcd by the law, It willingly confined itlblf within limits i^ill more narrow. The conititution has declared, that when the power of giving fan(ftion to the laws is fuf' -^nded, the legiflativj bo- dy itfclf Ihall polTels that cliaradtLT and authority. And fincc he to whom the conrtitution had accorded the choice of minilters, could no longer exerclfe his functions, it was neceiTary that a new reg'ilation fliould place that choice in other hands. The aficmbly thought it right to aflume that office thcmlelvcs; fince it could not be given unlefs to fucli eledlors (of minidcrs) as would belong to the nation at large ; and the aflcmbly itfelf was of that defcription. But that aflembly wonld not permit even a fufpici^n of intereft- ed or ambitious viev/s to attach to it on this occafion ; and it was decreed therefore, that the eledtion fliould be con- duced by open voice •, that fuch of the members fliould pronounce his choice, before the national reprefentatives and before the numcrons citizens who are ufually prefent at the fittings of the Aflembly. It was defirous that fucli of its members, fliould have his colleagues for his judges, the public for his witncA, and that he fliould be refpouiiblc for his choice to the nation at large. Frenchmen, let us unite all our forces againft a foreign tyranny, Avhich has dared to menace with its vengeance, twenty-fix million of freemen. In fix weeks, an authority which every citizen will acknowledge, will decide upon our difterences. Ill befall that man, who during that.fliort fp.ice fliall be occupied by perfonal and interefted paflions or motives j who fliall not devote himfelf completely to the common defence ; who will not fee, that from the moment when the fovereign will of the people fliall make itfelf known, France has no oth-r enemies, than the con- fpirators of Pilnltz and their accomplices. It is hi the midft of a foreign war, and while numerous armies are prepllring a formidalile invafion, that we invite the citizens to difcui's in a peaceable aflembly the rights of freedom. What with other people would have been deem- ed rafti, has not appeared to us beyond the courage and the pati-iotifm of Frenchmen ; we know that we fliall not experience the unhappinefs of difappointment, in judging you worthy of forgetting every intereft but the intereft of Liberty, and of facrificing every fentiment to the love of your country. Jl Citizens, ( S8 ) ,1'; m Citizens, it is for you to decide, whether your reprefea- tttives have employed the authority with which you have entrufted them, for your happinefs ; whether they have fulfilled your views in ufing that authority in a way and up- on an occafion, which neither they nor you could forefee. For our parts we have fulfilled our duty, in boldly feizing upon the only means which occurred to us as effectual to the falvation of our country. Ready to meet death at the pofl: to which you have appointed us, we fhall at leaft carry with us on quitting it, the confolation of having well ferved. Whatever judgment our contemporaries or pofterity may pals upon us, we have not to dread the decifion of our own confcience : to whatever danger we may be expofed, we iliall have the fatisfa