60 ] 
wanted. Thus the new govern- 
ment of France was shifted from 
that basis of morality on which 
Condorcet, and other leaders inthe 
Constituent Assembly, pretended 
to establish it, and rested wholly 
on a violation of private property, 
and afraud committed, in the crea- 
tion of assignats, on public credit, 
rendered by the varied and extend- 
ed intercourses of society and of 
commerce, the common bankers 
of Europe, and the whole civilized 
world. 
Having taken a brief survey 
of the character and conduct of the 
new government of France, we 
return to those of the royal family, 
on whose ruins it was erected. 
When the King and royal fa- 
mily came to the Assembly, they 
were received with respect, as it 
was not then known how the 
contest expected at the Thuil- 
Jeries might terminate. When 
the roar of musquetry and cannon 
had ceased, and the cry was heard 
that the Swiss fled, then all appear- 
ance of respect for the royal family 
was laid aside: the oath of equa- 
lity was unanimously taken, and 
the suspension of the King unani- 
mously voted, as above related. It 
was decreed at first, that the King, 
with his whole family, should be 
sent to the palace of the Luxem- 
burg ; and also, that as the civil 
list was suspended, a revenue should 
be assigned out of it for the King. 
It was not known how far the 
French nation might suffer any 
treatment of the King less respect- 
ful or moderate. Perhaps the As- 
sembly itself did not at this time 
feel those sanguinary and deadly 
sentiments towards the King and 
blood royal that were soon inspired 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1792. 
by conscious guilt and consequent’ 
terror; and by the very fury that’ 
arises in every animal against any’ 
living creature it has once made an 
object of hatred and persecution. 
Be all this as it may, the royal fa-' 
mily was not conducted to the pa-' 
lace, nor supported at the expence’ 
of a liberal, a decent, or any fixed’ 
and certain revenue whatever. The’ 
unfortunate Louis XVI. with his’ 
amiable and unfortunate family, 
was doomed to a miserable prison, 
harsh treatment, and the bare ne- 
cessaries of nature :—every remain’ 
of comfort and consolation, even 
that of social intercourse, was gra-' 
dually taken away. Death shook 
his dart day and night over their’ 
heads, and what remained of the 
course of life was embittered by a 
series of cruelties that seemed to 
have been dictated by the ferocity’ 
of the most savage nation, and the’ 
subtlety of the most refined. But, 
under all these severe sufferings the’ 
whole royal family displayed the’ 
most magnanimous and amiable 
virtues; fortitude, piety, resigna- 
tion to the will of God; conjugal, 
parental, filial, and fraternal affec- 
tion; and a generous concern for 
the fate of their friends, and the’ 
whole unhappy French nation. | 
While the new rulers rioted in the’ 
midst of prosperity in every lust of 
sensuality and power,—the family 
driven from the throne exhibited, 
in a prison, and under the most 
terrible circumstances that can be’ 
imagined, a mostbrilliant pattern of 
moral excellence. Many publica- 
tions, all of them agreeing in the’ 
main and most affecting points, il- 
lustrate the truth of what is now 
asserted concerning the deportment: 
of the royal prisoners of France a 
the © 
