424 Memoirs of Gcner 



attributes. His cloar convictions 

 sihowed to liini that lie had fixed liim- 

 sclf in a situation which a true citizen 

 would defend, and he did not depart 

 from it; althou!;li he well foresaw his 

 enemies would, — equally those who 

 opposed the revolution in toto, and 

 those who would carry it too far. 



The contest between the two par- 

 lies be^^an: a series of inconceivable 

 folly had even compromised the exis- 

 tence of royalty ; and, when in danger, 

 its pretended defenders abandoned it, 

 nnder the pretence of not being able 

 to defend the throne and the person of 

 Louis XVI. except on the frontier. 

 This example, given by some of his 

 cowardly ministers, soon followed by 

 many of their creatures, became a 

 fashion next, and lastly a positive 

 duty. They appealed to their honour, 

 and induced brave and honest men to 

 join proceedings as unwise as they 

 "were anti-national. The fear of a 

 miserable jest, by the present of a dis- 

 talT, induced many to abandon their 

 country, and to claim foreign succour, 

 who ongiit to have defended their 

 principles at home. Even the bro- 

 thers of the unfortunate Louis XVI. 

 authorised, by tlieir approbation and 

 by their example, this shameful and 

 foolish desertion, which could not fail 

 to bring France to her ruin, or entirely 

 to destroy the jnonarchy. The conse- 

 quence was worse; they Iiad the auda- 

 city to declare, that they acted only in 

 the name of the unfortunate king, and 

 l)y his own direct orders. They thus 

 gave birth to th(^ accusations of perfidy 

 and treason by which they were attack- 

 ed ; and, when the king wrote to beg 

 of them to abandon their erroneous 

 career, to renounce the schemes 

 which could not but compromise his 

 existence, and that of the queen and 

 her son, will it be believed they an- 

 swered, " Don't be alarmed : write to 

 ns whatever you wish, wc shall follow 

 our straight-forward road." 



Dumouriez Mas minister in these 

 criticaltimes, and united perfidy to the 

 laws of his country wit'i personal at- 

 tachment to the king. He plainly per- 

 ceived that the prince and the mo- 

 narchy would be saved, if he succeed- 

 ed in re-establishing a confidence be- 

 tween the notion and its chief. This 

 was his principal aim, and more parti- 

 cularly his declaration of war. 



Deceived by the llattering and foolish 

 reports ofthe emigrants, the continental 

 powers scarcely deigned to enter into 



al Dumouriez. [June 1, 



any discussion with France, and their 

 diplomatical correspondence with her 

 was insolent and threatening, as it 

 is now with Spain. They spoke of 

 the king as the object of their warlike 

 preparations, of their treaties, their 

 military move;nents ; and he was -thus 

 delivered up to general indignation. 

 This effect was to be prevented above 

 all. Dumouriez was of opinion that 

 the prince ought formally to denounce 

 tli(! impostures of the enemies of his 

 country: he spoke to him on the sub- 

 ject, laid open the situation of France 

 to him, reminded him that war had 

 already commenced by foreigners, and 

 urged the necessity of his placing him- 

 self at the head of the nation, in order 

 to ward ofl" the humiliation which was 

 preparing. Louis XVI. approved of 

 the project, and cheerfully consented 

 immediately to accompany his minis- 

 ters to a National Assembly. He went 

 there, and delivered a si)eceh, to pre- 

 pare the Assembly for attention to the 

 report which Dumouriez, the minister 

 for foreign alfairs, was about to read. 

 This report was heard : war was de- 

 clared by the representatives of F'rance, 

 and the king was every -where received 

 with enthusiasm. Such is a short 

 sketch of this declaration of war, 

 whicli caused so much joy to the emi- 

 grants; and, such was Dumouriez's 

 crime, they never forgave liim. The 

 reason is obvious : he acted the part 

 of a great general in a war w Inch lie 

 had recommended as a faithful mi- 

 nister. 



But why did the weakness of Louis 

 XVI. yield the direction of political 

 afi'airs to his family alTections? Why 

 did he sufl'er himself to be driven to 

 measures so contrary to the duties 

 imposed upon him, and to the means 

 of his own preservation? Sad destiny ! 

 This prince, after having enjoyed 

 some months uninterrupted tranquil- 

 lity, which needed not to be disturbed, 

 forced the minister to retreat, who had 

 thrice made him triumph amidst the 

 applause of the people. Dumouriez 

 left him shedding bitter tears ; and as, 

 full of most cruel presentiments, he 

 pressed the hand of the king to his 

 lips, he entreated not for himself, but 

 for the unfortunate monarch, who an- 

 swered him afieetionately, " I am re- 

 signed to every thing!" One month 

 had not elapsed, after the departure of 

 the minister for the army, before the 

 king was insulted ; and, at the end of 

 the second month, he was a prisoner 



