142 Travels in France 



bore the sway, that overpowers in critical moments all other 

 considerations. The eyes of the whole assembly were turned on 

 the Count de ^lirabeau. who instantly replied to the Marquis de 

 Breze — Oui, Monsieur, nous avons entendre les intentio7is qu'on 

 a suggeries au Rot, et vous qui ne sanriez etre son organs aupres 

 des etats gencraux, vous qui n'avez ici ni place, ni voix, ni droit de 

 parler, vous ft'etes pas fait pour nous rapeller son discours. 

 Cependant pour eviter toute equivoque, et tout delai, je vous declare 

 que si Von vous a charge de nous faire sortir d'ici, vous devez 

 demander des ordres pour employer la force, car nous ne quitterons 

 nos places que par la puissance de la baionette. — On which there 

 was a general cry of — Tel est le vceu del VAssemblee. They then 

 immediately passed a confirmation of their preceding arrets; 

 and. on the motion of the Count de Mirabeau, a declaration that 

 their persons, individually and collectively, were sacred: and 

 that all who made any attempts against them should be deemed 

 infamous traitors to their country-. 



24//z. The ferment at Paris is beyond conception: 10,000 

 people have been all this day in the Palais Royal: a full detaU of 

 yesterday's proceedings was brought this morning, and read by 

 many apparent leaders of little parties, with comments, to the 

 people. To my surprise, the king's propositions are received 

 with universal disgust. He said nothing explicit on the periodi- 

 cal meeting of the states: he declared all the old feudal rights to 

 be retained as property. These, and the change in the balance 

 of representation in the provincial assemblies, are the articles 

 that give the greatest offence. But instead of looking to, or 

 hoping for further concessions on these points, in order to make 

 them m.ore consonant to the general wishes, the people seem, 

 with a sort of frenz}-, to reject all idea of comprom-ise, and to 

 insist on the necessity of the orders uniting, that full power may 

 consequently reside in the commons, to effect what they call the 

 regeneration of the kingdom, a favourite term, to which they 

 affix no precise idea, but add the indefinite explanation of the 

 general reform of all abuses. They are also full of suspicions at 

 M. Keeker's off'ering to resign, to which circumstance they seem 

 to look more than to much more essential points. It is plain 

 to me, from many conversations and harangues I have been 

 witness to, that the constant meetings at the Palais Royal, 

 which are carried to a degree of licentiousness and fury of liberty 

 that is scarcely credible, united with the innumerable inflam- 

 matory- publications that have been hourly appearing since the 

 assembly of the states, have so heated the people's expectations. 



