The Counter Revolution of June-July 123 



siderations and the alliance with Holland, so precious, but so 

 dearly gained and so shamefully lost." 



Mirabeau did not think the question concerned the national 

 assembly alone, but that it was important for the king himself to 

 have the deputies treated with decency because they were repre- 

 sentatives of the nation which made the glory of the king and 

 which constituted the splendor of the throne ; they were repre- 

 sentatives of the nation which rendered the person of king honor- 

 able in proportion as the king himself honored it. He continued 

 that these " odious forms and insulting proceedings " led those 

 around the king to think that " royal authority consists of the 

 debasing relation of the master to the slave." He claimed that 

 the measures were dangerous, both for the individual and for the 

 throne, and asserted that even if the disorders were of a nature to 

 be suppressed by troops, these troops were unnecessary as the 

 recent riot in the capital on the evening of June 30 had shown. 

 The word of the king had accomplished more than could have 

 been done with cannon and armies. He asked why the troops were 

 collected at this time and stated that the people had never been 

 more orderly. " Everything announces the end of misfortune 

 and the regeneration of the kingdom ; the attention of the people, 

 their hopes and their wishes are all centered in us. How can 

 there be a better guarantee of confidence and fidelity to the 

 monarch?" The presence of the assembly was a pledge of public 

 peace and it was a shame to submit the people to terrible projects 

 of despotism. 



Although he did not know all the schemes of the public enemies 

 the uselessness and danger of the troops was apparent to every- 

 one. " In what way will the people, weakened by so many calami- 

 ties, see this crowd of inactive soldiers come to dispute their sub- 

 stance with them ? " The contrast between the soldiers, " for 

 whom the manna falls without their ever thinking of it," and the 

 people who " obtain something only at the price of hard work and 

 grievous toil " was made to carry consternation into the hearts of 

 the people. " The presence of troops strikes the imagination of the 

 multitude and, arousing fears and alarms, causes a general com- 

 motion. Peaceful citizens are prepared for terrors of all kinds 



405 



