14] 
was a common thing for the emi- 
grants to pass and repass publicly 
between Coblentz and the Thuil- 
leries ; and it became quite a mat- 
ter of fashion for the young men 
when they had got into their chaises 
in the court of the palace, to call 
out to their postillions, “ To Co- 
blentz.? It was very common for 
those about the persons of the King 
and Queen to speak with contempt 
and derision both of the new con- 
stitution and all those who were en- 
trusted with the execution of it. 
The people could not easily be in- 
duced to believe that the master 
was cordial in a cause which the 
servants without restraint made an 
object of ridicule. 
It was farther observed, that the 
King was more inclined to admit 
into his familiarity and confidence 
the zealous partizans of the ancient 
monarchy, though of obscure situa- 
tions, than any of the constitutional- 
ists; even of those who had risen 
to the most elevated situations in 
the military or other departments 
in the public service. 
New circumstances of suspicion 
sprung up before the jaundiced eye 
of jealousy every day; and, in the 
midst of this general mistrust and 
disaffection, the predominant party 
in the assembly were encouraged 
to proceed in the execution of their 
design of !essening the power of the 
King, and exalting their own on 
its ruins. 
The first step they took for the 
accomplishment of this end, was, 
by all means to get rid of the usual 
marks of respect to his Majesty’s 
person: in which insolence they 
were encouraged by dissentions 
and even bickerings in the cabinet. 
Feb. 6, 1792. Condorcet, ap- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1792. 
pointed president, was ordered to 
write a letter to the King, in which 
he was directed to lay aside the title 
of your Majesty, and to observe 
the same formula usually adopted 
by the King in writing to the 
national assembly. 
Condorcet wrote the letter ac- 
cording to the form prescribed: 
which, after being submitted to the 
assembly, was sent to the King by 
one of their ushers. This passed 
on the first day of their sittings.— 
On the second, it was decreed that 
when the King should come to the 
assemby, he should place himself 
in an arm-chair, on the left hand 
of the president, exactly alike and 
on the same level with that on which 
the president himself was seated. 
As nothing had been fixed by the 
constitution with’ respect to the 
King’s and the president’s chairs, 
and as the former assembly had 
never thought of refusing the most 
honourable place to his Majesty, 
this insolent pretension of the new 
deputies excited without doors a 
very general indignation, Whe- 
ther it was still thought proper by 
the French nation that the King 
should be honoured; or that the 
usual odium was excited against 
upstart vanity and eminence; it was 
the general wish that the King on 
this occasion should firmly assert 
his dignity. The matter being dis- 
cussed in the council, the King 
himself found means of eluding the 
intended humiliation in the consti- 
tution, which did not oblige him to 
open the sessions in person. The 
assembly perceiving the public voice 
to be against them, repealed their 
odious decree; and the King then 
consented to go to the opening of 
the assembly. The external signs 
of 
