The Insurrection of October, 1789 33 



and assembly to Paris should be all that was accomplished it 

 would still put an end to the influence of the conservatives/' 1 

 "On the 31st of August, while fears were still lively, Clermont- 

 Tonnerre proposed that in case of danger the national assembly 

 quit Versailles and establish itself in another city far from the 

 enterprises of the people of Paris." 2 



This proposition was afterwards adopted by the moderate 

 party as the best means of assuring the independence of the as- 

 sembly as well as preserving their own influence. 3 But they 

 could not put their plan into execution without the help of the 

 aristocrats, the ministers and the king. The aristocrats were 

 already very desirous of getting the king away from Versailles 

 and the neighborhood of Paris ; their consent was not hard to 

 win. At Soissons or at Compiegne their chances would be good 

 for getting control of affairs with the help of the army. 



As soon as the news reached Versailles of the threatened at- 

 tack on the assembly, an understanding was reached between the 

 leaders of the moderates and the representatives of the aristo- 

 crats. They agreed: "(1) That in view of the troubles and of 

 the nearness of Paris the position of the king at Versailles was 

 no longer tenable; (2) that the position of the assembly, threat- 

 ened as it had been for some time in its principal members, was 

 also untenable; (3) that whether the king should decide to leave 

 Versailles or remain there, some body of troops of the line was 

 absolutely necessary, conjointly with his guard, to preserve him 

 from popular enterprises.'' 4 



A delegation was sent at once to the king to ask him that the 

 assembly be transferred to Soissons or Compiegne. 5 His maj- 

 esty had been hunting and was very tired. It was nevertheless 

 thought necessary to hold a meeting of the council the same 

 night. The result was totally unexpected, not only by the mod- 

 erates and aristocrats but by the ministers themselves. The king 



1 Revue historique, LXVII, 270. 



2 Ibid., LXVII, 271. 



s Ibid., LXVII, 272. 



<Montlosier, Mhnoires, I, 278; Revue hisiorique, LXVII, 273. 



» Ibid., LXVII, 273. 



299 



