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the Girondists as a bone for him to gnaw on。 Sure of their strength
the Girondists renew the attack； and the plan of their campaign seems
to be skillfully prepared。 They are quite willing to retain the King
on his throne； but on the condition that he shall be a mere puppet；
that he shall recall the patriot ministers； allow them to appoint the
Dauphin's tutor； and that Lafayette shall be removed；＇11＇ otherwise
the Assembly will pass the act of de…thronement and seize the
executive power。 Such is the defile with two issues in which they have
placed the Assembly and the King。 If the King balks at leaving by
the first door； the Assembly； equally nonplused； will leave through
the second； in either case； as the all…powerful ministers of the
submissive King or as executive delegates of the submissive Assembly；
the Girondists will become the masters of France。
II。
Pressure on the King。 Pétion and Manual brought to the H？tel…de…
ville。 The Ministry obliged to resign。 Jacobin agitation
against the King。 Pressure on the Assembly。 … … Petition of the
Paris Commune。 Threats of the petitioners and of the galleries。
Session of August 8th。 … Girondist strategy foiled in two ways。
With this in mind they begin by attacking the King； and try to make
him yield through fear。 They remove the suspension pronounced
against Pétion and Manuel； and restore them both to their places in
the H？tel…de…ville。 They will from now on rule Paris without
restriction or supervision； for the Directory of the department has
resigned； and no superior authority exists to prevent them from
calling upon or giving orders as they please to the armed forces； they
are exempt from all subordination； as well as from all control。
Behold the King of France in good hands； in those of the men who； on
the 20th of June； refused to nuzzle the popular brute； declaring that
it had done well； that it had right on its side； and that it may begin
again。 According to them； the palace of the monarch belongs to the
public； people may enter it as they would a coffee…house； in any
event； as the municipality is occupied with other matters； it cannot
be expected to keep people out。 〃Is there nothing else to guard in
Paris but the Tuileries and the King？〃＇12＇ Another maneuver
consists in rendering the King's instruments powerless。 Honorable and
inoffensive as the new ministers may be； they never appear in the
Assembly without being hooted at in the tribunes。 Isnard； pointing
with his finger to the principal one； exclaims： 〃That is a
traitor！〃＇13＇ Every popular outburst is imputed to them as a crime；
while Guadet declares that； 〃as royal counselors； they are answerable
for any disturbances〃 that the double veto might produce。＇14＇ Not
only does the faction declare them guilty of the violence provoked by
itself； but； again； it demands their lives for the murders which it
commits。 〃France must know；〃 says Vergniaud； 〃that hereafter ministers
are to answer with their heads for any disorders of which religion is
the pretext。〃 〃The blood just spilt at Bordeaux；〃 says Ducos； 〃may
be laid at the door of the executive power。 〃＇15＇ La Source proposes
to 〃punish with death；〃 not alone the minister who is not prompt in
ordering the execution of a decree； but； again； the clerks who do not
fulfill the minister's instructions。 Always death on every occasion；
and for every one who is not of the sect。 Under this constant terror；
the ministers resign in a body； and the King is required at once to
appoint others； meanwhile； to increase the danger of their position；
the Assembly decrees that hereafter they shall 〃be answerable for each
other。〃 It is evident that they are aiming at the King over his
minister's shoulders； while the Girondists leave nothing unturned to
render government to him impossible。 The King； again； signs this new
decree； he declines to protest； to the persecution he is forced to
undergo he opposes nothing but silence； sometimes a simple； frank；
good…hearted expression；＇16＇ some kindly； touching complaining； which
seems like a suppressed moan。＇17＇ But dogmatic obstinacy and
impatient ambition are willfully deaf to the most sorrowful strains！
His sincerity passes for a new false…hood。 Vergniaud； Brissot； Torné；
Condorcet； in the tribune； charge him with treachery； demand from the
Assembly the right of suspending him；＇18＇ and give the signal to their
Jacobin auxiliaries。 At the invitation of the parent club； the
provincial branches bestir themselves； while all other instruments of
agitation belonging to the revolutionary machine are likewise put in
motion； gatherings on the public squares； homicidal announcements
on the walls； incendiary resolutions in the clubs； shouting in the
tribunes； insulting addresses and seditious deputations at the bar of
the National Assembly。＇19＇ After the working of this system for a
month； the Girondists regard the King as subdued； and； on the 26th of
July； Guadet； and then Brissot； in the tribune； make their last
advances to him； and issue the final summons。＇20＇ A profound
delusion！ He refuses； the same as on the 20th of June： 〃Girondist
ministers； Never！〃
Since he bars one of the two doors； they will pass out at the other；
and； if the Girondists cannot rule through him； they will rule without
him。 Pétion； in the name of the Commune； appears personally and
proposes a new plan； demanding the dethronement。 〃This important
measure once passed；〃＇21＇ he says； 〃the confidence of the nation in
the actual dynasty being very doubtful； we demand that a body of
ministers； jointly responsible； appointed by the National Assembly；
but； as the constitutional law provides； outside of itself； elected by
the open vote of freemen； be provisionally entrusted with the
executive power。〃 Through this open vote the suffrage will be easily
controlled。 This is but one more decree extorted； like so many others；
the majority for a long time having been subject to the same pressure
as the King。 〃If you refuse to respond to our wishes；〃 as a placard of
the 23rd of June had already informed them； 〃our hands are lifted； and
we shall strike all traitors wherever they can be found； even amongst
yourselves。〃＇22＇ 〃Court favorites；〃 says a petition of August 6；
〃have seats in your midst。 Let their inviolability perish if the
national will must always tamely submit to that lethal power！〃 In
the Assembly the yells from the galleries are frightful； the voices of
those who speak against dethronement are overpowered； so great are the
hooting； the speakers are driven out of the tribune。＇23＇ Sometimes the
〃Right〃 abandons the discussion and leaves the chamber。 The insolence
of the galleries goes so far that frequently almost the entire
Assembly murmurs while they applaud； the majority； in short； loudly
expresses anger at its bondage。＇24＇ Let it be careful！ In the
tribunes and at the approaches to the edifice； stand the Federates；
men who have a tight grip。 They will force it to vote the decisive
measure； the accusation of Lafayette； the decree under which the armed
champion of the King and the Constitution must fall。 The Girondists；
to make sure of it； exact a call of the house； in this way the names
are announced and printed； thus designating to the populace the
opponents of the measure； so that none of them are sure of getting to
their homes safe and sound。 Lafayette； however； a liberal； a
democrat； and a royalist； as devoted to the Revolution as to the Law；
is just the man； who； through his limited mental grasp； his
disconnected political conceptions； and the nobleness of his
contradictory sentiments； best represents the present opinion of the
Assembly； as well as that of France。＇25＇ Moreover； his popularity；
his courage； and his army are the last refuge。 The majority feels
that in giving him up they themselves are given up； and； by a vote of
400 to 224； it acquits him。 On this side； again； the strategy o