STATE PAPERS. 
minious circumstances which at- 
tend it. 
The anti-monarchic faction, irri- 
tated at seeing that their monarch 
had attempted to escape from the 
disgrace aud torment of his capti- 
vity ; irritated still more that he had 
seized the first moment of liberty 
which he had enjoyed for near two 
years to protest against all the acts, 
consents, speeches, and sanctions 
which constraint had forced from 
him,—dared to interrogate him; 
they again putfetters on him, as well 
as on the Queen, and deliberated 
whether they should not drag them 
both as criminals before their tri- 
bunal. They did it not; but by a 
refinement of villany not less cruel, 
though more advantageous to their 
views, they made use of, at one and 
the same time, the most savage me- 
naces, and the most treacherous 
illusion, to compel this unfortunate 
monarch himself to subscribe to the 
degradation of his throne and the 
ruin of his people. 
No persenal danger, if it had 
threatened him only, could have 
moved his soul: he has recently 
proved it. But they exlubited to 
him the poniard uplifted against 
what he held most dear; they told 
him that his refusal would lead to 
the massacre of his most faithful 
servants; and, at the same time, 
they held up to him the hopes of 
repentance on the part of his peo- 
ple, and the return of tranquillity. 
—He signed. 
What has been the fruit of all 
this?—Tranquillity has not been 
restored ; and the momentary re- 
Jease of the King from captivity 
(which was done with no other view 
than to impose on foreign nations) 
was soon after succeeded by renew- 
ed scenes of violence. Can there 
i 
255 
be astronger characteristic mark of 
it than enforcing him wantonly to 
declare war against his ally, against 
his nephew, and against a sovereign 
whose protection he could not but 
desire? Had he been free, this 
King, who had made such repeated 
sacrifices from a fear of doing an 
injury to his people, would he have 
drawn on them this terrible scourge, 
greater than any other calamity 
which they have brought headlong 
on themselves ? 
The greatest condescensions will 
never stop the impetuosity of sedi- 
titious villany, nor the combined 
manceuvres of an usurping faction: 
its audacity nourishes itself by the 
terror which it inspires, and yields 
only to the apprehension which it 
creates. 
Whatever the King has suffered, 
whatever he has done, said, or writ- 
ten, against his well-known will, has 
not prevented these barbarous li- 
bellers from continuing to load him 
with the most disgraceful opprobri- 
um, to expose his august consort to 
the outrages of an hired populace, 
who have answered her complaints 
by the most ferocious invective, and 
have even disputed with her the 
privilege of claiming the pity of 
her people. In these several tri- 
umphs they have exhibited the so- 
vereigns as chained to their designs. 
In the different progresses of his 
continued detention, they have 
made use of him as an organ to per- 
suade Europe of his pretended li- 
berty. But though no one has 
been imposed on by this cruel deri- 
sion, they continue impudently to 
persist in it, and force him to de- 
clare himself at liberty at the very 
moment they are disposing of his 
council, and imprisoning and mas- 
sacring his ministers; at the mo- 
ment 
