146] 
‘diflike to and want of confidence in 
the miniftry, was the latent. caufe of 
all the riots, mutinies, and diforders 
in the kingdom. A motion was im- 
mediately made for accufing the mi- 
nifters, but through fome ftrange 
chance, not accounted for,. it- was 
moft unexpectedly loft; a~difap- 
- pointment which excited the higheft 
and moft vifible degree of rage in 
the democratic party. 
Upon the te-confideration of the 
report on the following day, the 
fame reporter, who had. before ac- 
knowledged that both the failors 
and the municipality had been guilty 
of crimes deferving of punifhment, 
had the effrontery to tell the affem- 
bly, that fince they would not pu- 
nifh the real authors of mifchief, 
they ought not to punifh men, who 
had Soke erred through an excefs 
of patriotifm. This ftrange doc- 
trine was adopted as foon as deli- 
vered; and, in defiance of all regard 
to military order, fubordination, and 
difcipline, the mutinous failors were 
only imildly exhorted’ to return to 
their duty; fomething like an apo- 
Jogy made to them for the new pe- 
nalarticles, by promifing to re-confi- 
_ der them; at the fame time that they 
were flattered by prefenting them 
with a.new firiped flag, which was 
so fuperfede the ancient white mili- 
tary enfign of France. The rage of 
the democratic party at the deieat 
which they had met with on the pre- 
eeding day, was fo exceflive as to 
become intolerable; and fome of the 
oppofite fide having ftrongly expref- 
fed their difapprobation at the mea- 
fure pronofed of changing the na- 
tional flag, this awakened all the 
fuppreffed fury of ‘ Mirabeau, who, 
with his ufuab intemperance and 
;.widlence, cried out, “Phe arifto- 
erates are grown infolent from their 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1790 
victory of yefterday; a fortnight 
ago they dared not, for their own 
fafety, to have objected to this pro- 
_pofal.” Thefe words being highly _ 
refented, brought forth the immedi- 
ate reply, “© That it was language — 
worthy only of a leader of banditti.” 
Thus was inftantly produced one — 
of thofe fcenes of diforder, noifé, 
clamour, and heat, which have fo — | 
often difgraced that body. 
The fervants or affiftants of’ the 
executive government being now 
convinced that their official fate was 
finally determined, did not hold: it 
to be either prudent or wife to urgé 
the exertions of power to any far- 
ther extremity. -The marine mini« 
fter, Luzerne, refigned, and was res 
placed: by Flurieu; but fome fufpis 
cion or diflike prevailing againft 
him, he met with fo many mortifi- 
cations from the aflembly, that He 
was foon after glad to refign, and 
was fucceeded by M. Thevenard. 
M. Tour du Pin, the war minifter, 
was fucceeded by M. Dnuportail, 
who had the fortune to pleafe the 
affembly, but was loudly reproach: 
ed by the other fide, for, totally ne= 
gleGting the difcipline of the army, 
and fuffering the foldiers, already 
too little difpofed to fubmit fo any 
order or coiitroul, to become en- 
tirely independent of all command; 
at: the fame time that they grew to 
be the common accufers of their of- 
ficers, and. conftituted themfelvés 
Judges not only of their actions but 
of their principles. The dther mi- 
nifters were weéded: out one after ~ 
another; and the admiral, de Rioms, 
having. likewife refigned, he was 
fucceeded in, the command of the 
Breft fleet by Bougainville, 
‘Though: the failors at Breft were. 
pacified, and the preparations ear- 
ried. on- with: fych' vigour _as_to bé 
nearly 
