217 
of Edinburgh^ Session 1863 - 64 . 
Tuesday forenoon I went to Versailles, chiefly from a desire of 
getting the earliest intelligence of the result (for I had heard before 
that no strangers were to be admitted into the Assembly), and I 
arrived just after the time the Seance Royale was ended. Every- 
body seemed to be in the greatest consternation, for the King had 
gone to the Salle^ without M. Necker, accompanied by the Garde des 
Sceaux and the other ministers. The noblesse had retired with the 
King, together with a great part of the clergy ; but the Deputies of 
the people were still sitting, although the K. had given them posi- 
tive orders to separate immediately, and to assemble again the day 
following. At that time everybody believed that M. Keeker was 
out of office, and it was generally supposed that the Prince of Conti 
would he at the head of the new ministry. 
The principal objects of the King’s speech were, to annul all 
the arrMes of the Tiers’ Etat, from the time that they had constituted 
themselves into the National Assembly, and to establish the mode 
of voting par ordre, agreeably to the wishes of the majority of the 
noblesse and a great party among the clergy. It contains likewise 
a variety of most important concessions in favour of the people, 
which I have not time to mention to you at present, and concludes 
in the following words (for, unfortunately for His Majesty, the 
speech was immediately printed) ; — 
‘‘ ^ Vous venez, Messieurs, d’entendre le resultat de mes disposi- 
tions et de mes vues : elles sont conformes au vif desir qui j’ai 
d’operer le hien public ; et si par une fatalite loin de ma pensee, 
vous m’abandonniez dans une si belle entreprise seul je ferai le 
hien de mes peuples, seul je me considerai comme leur veritable 
representant ; et connoissant vos cahiers, connoissant I’accord parfait 
qui existe entre le voeu le plus general de la nation et mes intentions 
hien faisantes j’aurai toute la confiance qui doit inspirer une si rare 
harmonie, et je marcherai vers le hut auquel je veux atteindre avec 
tout le courage et la fermete guHl doit rn’ inspirer ! 
“ ^ Eeflechissez, Messieurs, qu’ancien de vos projets, aucune de 
VOS dispositions, ne pent avoir force de loi sans mon approbation 
speciale. Ainsi je suis le garant naturel de nos droits respectifs, et 
tons les ordres de I’etat peuvent se reposer sur mon equitable impar- 
tialite. Toute defiance de votre part seroit une grande injustice. C’est 
moi jusqu’a present qui fait tout pour le bonheur de mes peuples, et 
