Paris 321 



distress and even starving condition of manufacturers, artists, 

 and sailors, which grow more and more serious and must 

 make the idea of an attempt to overturn the revolution so much 

 the more alarming and dangerous. The only branch of industry 

 in the kingdom that remains flourishing is the trade to the 

 sugar-colonies; and the scheme of emancipating the negroes, or 

 at least of putting an end to importing them, which they 

 borrowed from England, has thrown Nantes, Havre, Marseilles, 

 Bourdeaux, and all other places connected secondarily with that 

 commerce, into the utmost agitation. The Count de Mirabeau 

 says publicly that he is sure of carrying the vote to put an end 

 to negro slavery — it is very much the conversation at present, 

 and principally amongst the leaders, who say that as the revolu- 

 tion was founded on philosophy, and supported by metaphysics, 

 such a plan cannot but be congenial. But surely trade depends 

 on practice much more than on theory; and the planters and 

 merchants who come to Paris to oppose the scheme are better 

 prepared to show the importance of their commerce than to 

 reason philosophically on the demerits of slavery. Many 

 publications have appeared on the subject — some deserving 

 attention. 



iSth. At the Duke of Liancourt's dinner to-day, meet the 

 Marquis de Casaux, the author of the mechanism of societies; 

 notwithstanding all the warmth, and even fire of argument, and 

 vivacity of manner and composition for which his wTitings are 

 remarkable, he is perfectly mild and placid in conversation, with 

 little of that effervescence one would look for from his books. 

 There was a remarkable assertion made to-day at table, by the 

 Count de Marguerite, before near thirty deputies ; speaking of the 

 determination on the Toulon buisness, he said it was openly 

 supported by deputies under the avowal that more insurrections 

 were necessary. I looked round the table, expecting some 

 decisive answer to be given to this, and was amazed to find that 

 no one replied a word. Monsieur Volney, the traveller, after a 

 pause of some moments, declared that he thought the people of 

 Toulon had acted right, and were justifiable in what they had 

 done. The history of this Toulon business is known to all the 

 world. This Count de Marguerite has a tete dure and a steady 

 conduct — it may be believed that he is not an enrage. At 

 dinner, M. Blin, deputy from Nantes, mentioning the conduct of 

 the revolution club at the Jacobins, said we have given you a 

 good president ; and then asked the count why he did not come 

 among them. He answered, Je me trouve heureux en verite de 



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