234 
much it has always been my sole 
interest, my first wish. How many 
griefs might be effaced by the slight- 
est remarks of its return ! _ 
(Signed) © Louis. 
(Undersigned) Bicor St. Crorx. 
by the King of the 
Proclamation 
( rench. 
Frenchmen, Aug. 7, 1792. 
WHILE numerous armies ad- 
vance upon our frontiers, and are 
preceded by declarations which me- 
nace the independence of the na- 
tion, indignation against their lan- 
guage; and the desire of defending 
the country, should leave in our 
hearts only one sentiment, one re- 
solution. . Union is now the first of 
necessities ; and those who endea- 
vour to disturb it: those who would 
break the bond, the first force of 
‘empires; those who estrange their 
minds by distrust and agitate them 
by calumnies; those who endeayour 
to separate the nation from the 
King,—they are the true public 
enemies, and afford to the powers 
who attack us, the only, support 
which. can give them triumph. | 
Can it be possible that the am- 
bition of certain individuals, who 
have aspired to share among them- 
selves the supreme executive pow- 
er, is able to strike the French na- 
tion in.an instant, with such dread- 
ful blindness, that it shall lose the 
view of its clearest interests to be- 
come itself the victim and the price 
of their plots! ' 
Is it not then easy to snatch the 
mask of patriotism from a few con- 
spirators, who, to remedy the small- 
ness of their number, think to mul- 
tiply themselves by agitation, over- 
whelm the national opinion by their 
cries, inspire terror by their enter- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1792. 
prizes, and, trampling upon the laws 
and justice, dictate proudly their 
wills to the French people ? 
Tothese fanatical efforts the King 
ought to oppose ‘moderation ; his 
Majesty ought to shew the truth to 
minds borne away from it—recall 
the confidence which is endeavour- 
ed to be estranged—approach the 
people from whose cause his is vain- 
ly endeavoured to be divided; for 
the interests of the King are the in- 
terests of the people; he can be 
only happy in their happiness, pow- 
erful in their force; while those 
who do not cease to excite them 
against his Majesty, torment them 
at presentby distrust,aggravate their 
evils by concealing from them their 
cause and theirremedy, and prepare 
for them great unhappiness and 
long repentance, by impelling them 
to violent and criminal resolutions. 
The King does not fear to com- 
mit the majesty of the throne, for 
which he-is responsible to the na- 
tion, when he repels the calumnies. 
accumulated against his person. 
Since the instant when he accepted. 
the, constitution, he cannot be re- 
proached, .we will not say with an 
infraction, but with the slightest at- 
tempt against the law which he has 
sworn to maintain. He has con- 
sidered it.as the expression of the 
general will, and has had no other, 
than to cause its observance in all 
points. toi 
Since his Majesty has known the; 
designs of the powers coalesced 
against France, he has used every: 
endeavour torestrainthem by means. 
of negotiations, and to divert them 
from a plan as contrary to theirin-._ 
terests, when properly understood, 
as to that of this empire. To di 
solve this league, he has employed 
not only all the official means which)" 
belong 
