48 Julia Crewitt Stoddard 



Accusations against the Duke of Orleans began to be heard in 

 the latter part of August. Among his accusers was Jefferson. 

 A letter written to John Jay on the 27th of August contains the 

 assertion that the faction of Orleans "wish to dethrone the reign- 

 ing branch and transfer the crown to the Duke of Orleans." 1 

 Two days later De Stael-Holstein, the Swedish ambassador, wrote 

 in his home despatch: "It is believed that the Duke of Orleans 

 is at the head of a formidable party." 2 And on the 17th of Sep- 

 tember he expressed himself more positively : "The party of the 

 Duke of Orleans takes the lead in extravagant and violent opin- 

 ions. I believe it is certain that this prince has high preten- 

 sions." 3 A few days later Bailly mentions the "fearful faction 

 at the Palais Royal working under the name of Egalitc."* La- 

 fayette believed there was "no doubt that the party of the Duke 

 of Orleans wished to place him on the throne." 5 As for this 

 Orleans party he goes so far as to name the principal members 

 of it. 6 Lafayette even claims that the duke tried to win his ad- 

 herence to the proposed measures, that he came to see him sev- 

 eral times on the subject. 7 



The Duke of Orleans was also accused of using his money 

 freely to feed the flame of revolution. 8 Young states in his jour- 

 nal for June 25 : "It is asserted expressly that the mobs have 

 been excited and instigated by the leaders of the commons, and 

 some of them paid by the Duke of Orleans." 9 And two days 

 later, speaking of the brilliant displays of fireworks at the Palais 

 Royal, and the question as to who paid for them he says : "There 

 is no doubt of its being the Duke of Orleans' money." 10 Mathiez 

 refers to the Procedure du chatelet for evidence of the fact that 



'Jefferson, Memoir, Correspondence and Miscellanies, III, 20. ' 

 2 De Stael-Holstein, Correspondance diplomatique ', 112. 



8 Ibid., 126. 



* Bailly. Memoires, II, 396. 



5 Lafayette, Mimoires, II, 335. 



*Ibid., IV, 138. 



7 Lafayette, Mimoires, II, 355-57. 



8 Capello, Dispacci degli ambasciatori Veniti, 77. 



9 Young, Travels in France, 122. 



10 Ibid., 125. 



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