The Insurrection of October, i/8p 31 



fended the absolute veto, and this brought them near the court 

 and ministerial parties and separated them from the patriots. 1 

 Towards the end of August, the breach between the conserva- 

 tives and the popular party widened. Lafayette tried in vain to 

 bring about a reconciliation. 2 The leaders of the left or patriot 

 side "were ready to accept the absolute veto and the two cham- 

 bers on three conditions : first, that the chamber of representa- 

 tives could not be dissolved by the king; second, that the upper 

 chamber have only a suspensive veto upon the decisions of the 

 lower ; third, that the national conventions be periodically charged 

 with the revision of the constitution." But Mounier believed the 

 majority of the assembly favored his views, and would make but 

 one slight concession. 3 So the parties separated. 



The fact that several presiding officers had been chosen from 

 among the moderates was not conclusive evidence that the ma- 

 jority of the assembly agreed with them politically. According 

 to Mathiez, the leaders were chosen for their eloquence and high 

 moral character, and the majority '"formed an undecided mass 

 floating between the two parties, made up of good sincere men, 

 passionately loving their country and profoundly attached to the 

 public welfare." They voted against the veto "in spite of Mou- 

 nier whom they esteemed and respected. In spite of him and in 

 spite of Necker, in whom they had great confidence, they did not 

 cease to demand the promulgation of the decrees of August 4." 

 It was, therefore, "in vain that the moderate leaders had a con- 

 nected policy — the majority on which they counted escaped them 

 at the decisive moment." 4 



The discussion of the veto caused much public agitation. 5 

 Fears were entertained that the moderates had become corrupted 

 by court influence. The August 4 decrees had not yet been 

 sanctioned. The absolute veto would be a convenient weapon in 



1 Duquesnoy, Journal, I, 320. 



2 Lafayette, Memoires, II, 298; Jefferson, Memoir, Correspondence and 

 Miscellanies, III, 40. 



3 Revue histonqne, LXVII, 266, 267. 

 *Ibid., LXVII, 269. 

 6 Malouet, Memoires, I, 367. 



297 



