HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
thought it their duty to yield to the 
generat sense of commiseration, 
openly testified in behalf of the cap- 
tive princess. In order, however, not 
to be stigmatized as forgetful of the 
interests of the republic, they made 
_her enlargement instrumental in pro- 
¢euring that of those members of the 
convention whom Dumourier had, 
at the time of his detetion, deliver- 
ed into the hands of the Austrians, 
and of the two ambassadors to the 
Ottoman court, who had been seiz- 
ed on neutral ground by order of 
the imperial court. A negotiation 
for these purposes was opened with 
the Austrian ministry in the month 
of July, and towards the close of 
December, she was delivered from 
her imprisonment in the Temple, and 
eondutted to Basie, in Switzerland, 
where she was exchanged, pursuant 
to the agreement with the court of 
Vienna, for the persons above-men- 
tioned, 
But, while the rulers of France 
were thus endeavouring to wipe off 
the stain of inhumanity from their 
character, they were particularly ~ 
anxious not to incur the suspicion of 
sympathising with the royal cause, 
or its friends. They passed at this 
time, a variety of decrees tending 
torestrict the entrance into France, 
and the residence there, of foreign. 
ers, whose attachment to the exist- 
ing government was not clearly as- 
certained, and to dismiss all those 
who might be suspected of secretly 
adhering to the enemies of the re- 
public. These decrees were ex- 
tremely severe, and effectually ob- 
wiated all dangers that might have 
arisen, by permitting all foreigners 
indiscriminately to reside in France, 
at.a time when so. many conspiracies 
_ aod machinations were continually 
forming against the established go. 
wernment, 
[95 
The dangers to which it was 
perpetually exposed, originated, 
evidently, from the want of a firm 
and stable government, settled on a 
permanent constitution, The revo- 
Jutionary movements were yet so 
strong and rapid, that, unless they 
were stopped, it was feared they 
would at last overturn the constitu- 
tion itself. The nation was full of 
parties, cach obstinate in favour of 
that form of government to which it 
inclined. ‘The convention was full 
of individuals of abilities, ambition, 
and courage, who, therefore, might 
well be presumed to aim at the pos- 
session of power. ‘The radical de- 
fect, in the present administration 
of affairs, was the fluctuation of au- 
thority from one party to another, 
and the total want of a regular form 
of government, acknowledged by 
all parties, and organized on prin. 
ciples assented to by the nation at 
large. A constitution, framed con- 
formably to these ideas, was visibly 
the only remedy for the confusions 
that had so long, and still continued 
toagitate France. It was the ear- 
nest desire of all parties, which ap. 
peared cordially willing to lay aside 
their animosities, and to unite ina 
cordial reception of such a constitu. 
tion as should be acceptable to the 
majority. 
Impressed with the strongest con- 
viétion of the immediate necessity of 
such a measure, the convention, as 
already observed, had, towards the 
close of April, nominated eleven 
members, for the execution of this 
great business. They had now 
completed it; and, on the twenty. 
third of June, laid it formally be- 
fore the convention. Faithful to the 
original ideas on which the primary 
revolution was founded, the framers 
of the new constitution prefaced it 
by a solemn declaration of the 
rights 
