were well affected to the King, as 
some of them were* for this night’s 
service. 
By the new method of doing 
duty, many of the disaffected were 
introduced into the palace among 
others; and by the contagion of 
their principles, at so critical a 
time, when the minds of men were 
exalted to extraordinary suscepti- 
bility, seduced their comrades from” 
their duty. Yet this contagion 
might perhaps have been counter- 
acted by an opposite spirit of fide- 
lity to the King and constitution, 
and even of military honour and 
pride, had not this spirit been dis- 
couraged and damped; and all the 
steps that had been taken for the 
detence of the palace been rendered 
ineffectual by a ymeasure as flagi- 
tious, but as prompt and decisive 
as any thing recorded in history. 
A new council-general of the 
municipality of Paris, elected at 
midnight in the midst of confusion 
and alarm, dissolved the old coun- 
cil, murdered the commander of 
the national guards, usurped the 
whole executive government, and 
- instantly established their authority 
over the National Assembly and the 
whole of Paris. It is not to be 
supposed that this nefarious plan 
_ originated in an instantaneous re- 
_ solution of the various sections of 
Paris: the whole had been arrang- 
ed by a few conspirators, of whom 
Danton was believed to be one of 
the chief, and who possessed an 
absolute sway over the electors of 
the sections. The new deputies, 
_ previously pointed out’ by the con- 
_ Spirators, found little difficulty in 
vad 
were zealously attached to the King. 
HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
[37 
dismissing the old, who were sur- 
prised by so bold an attack; and 
many, very probably, at: such a 
crisis, were not displeased with the 
usurpation, Of the old elected 
into the new council were Petion, 
Danton, and Manuel. This council, 
like all others, constituted autho- 
rities, was permanent, and in the 
present crisis was better attended 
than the others. The assemblies 
of the forty-eight sections had been 
declared permanent by law, but 
could not be said to be so in reality, 
most of the citizens, as national 
guards, being occupied at different 
posts in their respective quarters of 
the city. The King’s ministers had 
applied to the National Assembly for 
a -de¢ree that would permit the 
national guards to rally themselves 
wherever danger might require it ; 
but Petion, who seems. to have 
conceived a personal rancour a- 
gainst the King and royal family, 
opposed this proposition, and re- 
fused to let the guards carry arms, 
without particular orders, beyond 
the precincts of their own sections 
or wards; while the rabble, supe- 
rior to orders, were preparing to 
attack the palace. 
‘the old council-general of the 
municipality of Paris were, on the 
whole, as already observed, dis- 
posed to support the King and the 
constitution; but the energy of a. 
few acting in concert, prevailed, as 
usual, over superior numbers, not 
united in one design and plan of 
operation. A body of determined 
Jacobins, separated from the esta- 
blished common council (August 
10, 1792) between the hours of 
yond Particulanly those of the sections of Petits Peres, and Filles St, Thomas, whe 
[D] 3 
twelve 
