12] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1790. 
found it with feats rifing in the 
form of an amphitheatre, for the 
purpofe of accommodating fome- 
thing towards half a million of peo- 
ple, who were expected to behold 
the fpectacle. A vaft fcaffold was 
erected in the center, where the 
Ring and the national affembly were 
to be placed, and where, the nation- 
al altar being likewife erected, they 
were to take the prefcribed oath in 
the fight of all the people ; who, in 
their feveral claffes, were all to go 
through the fame rite, or ceremo- 
nial, whichever it may be called. 
Nothing was omitted, nor no ex- 
pence fpared, which could afford 
fplendor to this {peétacle; mufic, 
incenfe, flags, ftreamers, military 
pomp, every thing that could daz- 
zle the eyes or fafcinate the imagi- 
nation of a vain and frivolous peo- 
ple, ever addiéted to fhows, and 
aptivated by trifles, was here exhi- 
bited. 
It fortunately happened, though 
contrary to expectation, that no dif- 
order or mifchief attended, or pro- 
ceeded from, this accumulation of 
fo extraordinary a multitude. The 
king, the affembly, the army, and 
the’ people, were all reciprocally 
fworn. The purport of the oath 
was the maintenance of the contfti- 
tution againft all oppugners; to 
which was added, “ to continue free 
or to perifh.” ‘Fhe fame oath was 
taken on the fame day throughout 
the whole kingdom; and all the 
troops of every fort, new and old, 
were perfonally fworn at their re- 
fpective ftations, as well as by dele- 
gation at Paris. 
The troops were, however, too 
far advanced in licentioufnefs, to be 
cured or reftrained by oaths; they 
claimed great merit from their fer- 
vices in redrefling the - alledged 
grievances of the nation ; and they 
prefumed that they were well au- 
thorized to redrefs their own. They 
pretended that their officers cheated 
them, for in the prefent ftate of 
things it fcarcely feems probable 
that it could have been more than a 
pretence, and under that colour fe- 
veral regiments plundered their mi- 
litary chefts. The averfion and 
contempt in which they were taught 
to regard their officers, led to accu-_ 
{ations of this nature, as well as to a 
total contempt of every degree of 
fubordination and difcipline. But 
this was only a fall part of the 
enormities which they were guilty 
of. The fraternal feafts and inti- 
mate connections between the inha- 
bitants and the foldiery, which had 
been fo much encouraged and pro- 
moted in the beginning of the revo- 
lution, for the purpofe of debauch- 
ing the army from its allegiance, 
befides producing that effect, pro-. 
duced others which either were not 
forefeen, or which, if they were, it 
was determined to fubmit to for the 
attainment of the grand object. 
The foldiers, as might be expected, 
vain of the new appellation of citi- 
zens, proud of their confraternity, 
and of thé new company into which: 
they were admitted, and their heads 
{till farther turned by the fhare 
which they expected to hold in that 
new fovereignty, which was to be 
fhattered into fo many divifions, 
became all at once politicians, ca- 
ballers, and reformers. They be-_ 
came every where members of thofe 
clubs where they were ftationed, — 
and naturally embracing their opi- 
nions, formed as many _ political 
feéts, and were as zealous partizans _ 
in all the great bufinefs of reform 
and government, as thofe with whom 
they lived. By thefe means they 
€ame 
