292 
did not remain to France a shadow 
of doubt as to the true intentions of 
the Emperor,—the result of course 
is, that on the first head there was 
no ground for requiring the expla- 
nations which have been demand- 
éd, if the French minister had not 
been absolutely determined to start 
objections. 
EXPLANATION RESPECTING THE 
CONCERT OF POWERS. 
*¢ Without doubt,” says Mons. 
Delessart, ‘ there was an epoch in 
which their cause (that of the emi- 
grants) apparently connected with 
that of the King, might have excit- 
ed the true interest of sovereigns, 
and more particularly of the Em- 
peror.” 
At this period, which the minister 
fixes before the time that the King, 
by the acceptance of the constitu- 
tion, placed himself at the head of 
a new government, France gave to 
Europe the spectacle of a “lawful 
king forced by atrocious’ violence 
to fly; protesting solemnly against 
the acquiescence which they had 
extorted from him; and a little af- 
terwards, together with his family, 
stopped and “detained prisoners by 
his subjects. 
Yes; it then did concern the 
brother-in-law and the ally of the 
King to invite the other powers of 
Europe to join with him in a decla- 
ration to France, * that they all view 
*‘the cause of his Most Christian 
“¢ Majesty as their own; that they 
“demand that this prince a and his 
“ family be set at liberty, and'have 
“ power to go where they please ; 
“ and they requite for these royal 
«* personages inviolability and due 
* respect, which by the laws of na- 
*‘ ture and of nations are due from 
“subjects to their princes; that 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1792. 
‘‘ they will unite to avenge, in the 
“* most signal manner, every further 
* attempt that may be committed or 
‘* suffered to be committed against 
“ the liberty, the honour, and thie 
“« safety of the King, the Queen, and. 
“ the royal family; and that, final- 
“ly, they will not acknowledge as 
‘* constitutional laws, legally esta- 
** blished in France, any but those 
“which shall have the voluntary 
“* acquiescence of the King enjoy~ 
“ing perfect liberty. But if, on 
“the other hand, these demands 
“are not complied with, they will 
“in concert employ all the means 
“in their reach to’ put a stop to 
*« thescandalous usurpation of pow= 
“er, which bears the appearance 
“* of an open rebellion, and which, 
‘* from the danger of the example, 
“it concerns all the governments 
** of Europe to repress.” 
‘These are the terms of the de- 
claration which the Emperor pro- 
posed in the month of July 1791, to — 
the principal sovereigns of Europe 
to be made to France, and to be 
adopted as the basis of a general 
concert. 
He defies a word to be found 
which is not sanctioned by all the 
principles most sacred in the law 
of nations :—and is it pretended 
that the French nation, by its 
new constitution, has raised itself 
above the universal law of all 
coutitries, in all ages? Nay, more; 
they could not, without contradict- 
ing the constitution itself, give the 
title of a league against France, and 
an union of powers to oblige the 
King and the nation to accept laws 
which they shall have made, toa 
concert, whose only view was to 
succour and support the inviolabili- 
ty of the King and French monar- 
chy, which the new constitution ac-_ 
know- 
a ee a 
Re i si ng 
le eek See 
