Gazette of the United-States. (New-York [N.Y.]) 1789-1793, November 28, 1789, Image 2

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    ;il Aflembly to fit in. I fliall giva the neceflary
orders to prepare it. I /hall facilitate and expe
dite the mealures which mutual confidence may
require. LOUIS.
This letter occasioned Tome debate, and some
members argued against their removal to Paris.
It was put to the voice, and by a great majori
ty it was decided that they should remove to Pa
ris, conformable to their declaration to the King.
Several of the representatives imagining that
the National Aflembly is on the eve of being de
prived it its liberty, and that on its removal to
Paris it will be dangerous to manifeft opinions
contrary to thofeof the multitude, have demand
ed paflports.
Several Members complained of the insults
offered to themselves and other representatives
by the populace ; among other things it was ob
served, that they wanted to aflaflinate M. Ti
rieu, one of the deputies who accompanied the
King to Paris. One gentleman aliened, that his
own house would have been plundered, had it
it not been for the National militia—The fubjed:
was adjourned.
M. de Mirabeau complained to the Aflembly of
some expreflions used by M. de St. Priest, Mi'nif
ter tor Paris, on Monday last, which he said might
have been attended with fatal consequences.
M. Mirabeau aliened, that when 4 or fooo wo
men arrived at Versailles from Paris on purpose
for bread, they addrefled themselves to M. de
St. Priest; who replied in the following words:
" Ladies, when you had but one King you never
•wanted bread—at present you have 1200—go and
ask them for some."
This affair which excited the most lively sensa
tions in the Aflembly, was ordered immediately
to be reported to the Committee of Inquiry.
LONDON.
MIRABEAU.
M. de Mirabcan, whose name is frequently
heard in the debates of the French Parliament,
was fir ft brought into public notice during the
administration of M. de Calonne, who employed
him in an inferior capacity as an agent to fcruti-
Jiize into the conduct of the Prtiflian Cabinet, at
the moment when the late Monarch was on the eve
of diflolution, which threatened to produce a Re
volution in the Germanic system.
His letters to the French Minister, during his
residence at Berlin, betrayed strong marks of a
bility and talents for intrigue; and the beftproof
of their importance is, that having been since
publilhed, under the title of, " The secret His
tory of the Court of Berlin," the King of Prus
sia had fuflicient influence at the court of Ver
sailles to get the book condemned by the laws of
France, and it was afterwards burnt by the com
mon hangman. To give it greater celebrity, the
condemnation of it was preceded by a funeral
oration from the King's Advocate General.
Notwithstanding M. de Mirabeau's acknow
ledged talents in the line in which he was em
ployed, it is certain from his own letters tliat the
court of France did not think proper to trust him
with any of the secrets of the cabinet, for the
■want of which information he was always in the
dark, and unable to proceed perhaps to the extent
of his abilities. At the expiration of a year, M.
de Mirabeau was recalled.
M. de Mirabeau has been compared by his own
countrymen, to Cataline, and probably with great
justice. His superior and uncommon talents are
considered as a misfortune, rather than as a ser
vice to his country—and while they strike the
mind with admiration, they are never heard with
out fear and distrust. Tho of noble extraction,
his abilities have neither been able to procure
him a character nor fortune ; for being a man of
tire most degenerate and base principles, he is
shunned rather than courted by his fellow citi
zens ; and hence it is that his fine arguments in
the debates of the national aflembly make little
or no impreflion, and he is obliged to write a jour
nal of the proceedings of that Aflembly as a
means of livelihood.
i
Late ft accounts of the Difturlances at Versailles.
THE King's government may now be supposed
to be at an end. In fad;, he is the prisoner, not of
the nation, but of the people of Paris; and per
haps foreign Princes might, without any viola
tion of the laws of nations, or the rights" of So
vereigns, refufe to recognize.any longer his Am
bafladors.as the representatives of a Sovereign and
independent Prince ; for no two characters be
long less to any man, than sovereignty and in
dependence do to Louis XVl.'at this moment. Nay,
this unfortunate whose fault lies not in
his heart, holds not merely his crown, but his
very life, at the will of a multitude whose im
portance depends upon commotions, and who,
under e fettled government, however free, must
fink into the fuuation of hewers of wood, and
drawers of water.
The situation of the King Is truly deplorable,
when he was at Versailles he did not think his life
ft cure, though he was surrounded by the corps of
lifeguards, the 100 Swiss, and the regiment of dra
goons called Les trois Eveches, from the three bi
ilioprics of Toul, Metz and Verdun, in Lorraine,
where it was raised.
If was resolved, therefore, by the Council, in
coiifequence of his Majesty's wifli, that another
regiment fliould he ordered to Versailles, to do du
ty about the King.
In the felec r tio)i of the regiment which was to be
added to the King's guard, the Minsters considered
principally which was eminently diltinguifhed for
an attachment to his Majesty's person.
The Regiment du Roi, or the King's own regi
ment, would therefore have been singled out 011
this very account; but it confiftedof fourbattal
lions, and it was feared that the approach of so ve
ry numerous a corps, would have given umbrage
to the people.
The well known attachment of the Marquis de
Lufignan, sprung himfelf from kings, to the per
son of Louis XVI. and the attachment of his regi
ment to their Colonel, determined the King to
order the regiment de F land re, commanded bv
that Nobleman to march to Versailles.
The military etiquette, of France has cftabliffi
ed a custom through the service, that when are
gim ent marches into a town where there are troops
in garrison, it is always entertained at the expence
of those troops.
In consequence of this etiquette, and by no
means through design, the officers of the Flanders
regiment were invited to dinner by the lifeguards
The dinner wasferved up on the ftage'of the
opera-lioule in the palace, as the most capacious
place.
When the glass had circulated rather free
ly, some toasts were given by the life guards,
strongly expressive of loyalty to the King.
1 he officers of the Flanders regiment shouted
approbation when they heard them, and drank
them in the Engliffi stile with loud huzzas.
This convinced the lifeguards that their guests
and they were all of one mind; and then it was
that the proposal was made for trampling under
foot the National cockade, in which all joined
most heartily.
The appearance of the King and Queen, who
entered the place merely to do honor to the guests
incrcafed the flow ol loyalty; but when the mafic
fti uck up the air ot O Richard—Omy King, the
all ufion to his Majesty's situation, which those who
ordered the band to play this tune, would have
thought to be like that of Richard Coeur de Lion,
the fit nation of a monarch deprived of his liberty,
the officers felt themselves wound upto the highest
pitch, and as if animated by one foul, began all to
sing the words of the song.
I he King himfelf was atfeiffced ; he immediately
walked out, unable to speak, and with his hand
kerchief up to his eyes.
The officers then solemnly pledged themselves
to one another, that they "would Hand by their
King, release him from the bondage in which he
was kept by a vile canaille (such were their \yords)
or perish in the attempt.
These gentlemen,however, were comparatively
few in number, and therefore though they were of
approved gallantry, they knew that if they were
not backed by the soldiers, they could do nothing.
Such of the non-commissioned officers and pri
vates as were known to have most influence on
their fellow soldiers, were called in and founded.
They declared their readiness to fight for their
King, and second their officers in what they cal
led a glorious cause.
1 lie officers thus sure of support, treated the
Garde Bourgoife with sovereign contempt, ridi
culed their unmilitary appearance, and insulted
their national cockade.
As loon as the news of this tranfacftion reached
Paris, the people became alarmed for their fafety
they dreaded left thisfhould be the fore-runner
of a new revolution in the army, and that the dif
ferent regiments would soon delert the popular
canfe with as much precipitation, as they had em
braced it with levity.
They resolved therefore to crush this return of
what they called loyalty, in the bud ; and for this
purpose the Marquis de la Fayette marched to
Versailles with 20,000 men.
The Parisians have always been held in sove
reign contempt by the French army, when there
was any question of making tliem face an enemy ;
and therefore the regulars were not dismayed at
the fight of this army, preceded by a body of fu
ries inthefhape of women.
The life guards, the too Swiss, the Flanders re
giment, and the Trois Eveche's drew upto receive
them—and if a man could judge from appearan
ces, he would fay, that there was not a single sol
dier belonging to this little army, who was not de
termined towithftand the militia, whilfthehada
single round of powder and ball.
Ihe officers, deceived by this appearance of
firmnefs, did that which on no other occasion thev
would have been rash enough to do ; they cave
orders to fire. 6
The order was firft given to the life guards,
and was obeyed with alacrity.
It was next given to the Flanders regiment, but
not a man obeyed it, on the contrary, the whole
regiment went overtothe people.
The dragoons (les troisEveclie's) flieathed their
i words.
The commanding officer of the 100 Swiss, fee
ing this, gave no order at all.
riiciour companies of lite guards tV l.r
eel, thus betrayed, feeing thenifelveJlehev^ I ,'
to the fury of the militia, were obliged to ' !i y P ,,j
fon.e of the officers of the most •
nnhes in France fell victims to their for* ' '
That the life guards were betrayed, is'uncrf
Uonable, for bad they not had the molt po tl'
aflurances of fupportirom the relt of the'tronm
they never would have been raffi enough to vridf
ltand thousands.
The regiment de Flandre, which piqued itlelf
on being fans tache, without stain, has brought
indelig.ble disgrace upon itfelf, not for havf n! r
refilled to fire upon the people, for that - it, con
fidered abftra«ftly, might be called patri Jt ic
But for having promised to stand bv the life
guards and their officers whilst they had life and
tor having afterwards deferred them, and luffer
ed them to be cut to pieces by the militia.
As soon as the people became mailers of the pa
lace, they began to cry out, that if the King was
fuffered to remain vx Versailles, thel'afety of the
public would be endangered, and therefore tliev
Taid that he must consent to place liimfelf under
the protection of his good city of Paris, and reside
in that capital.
The sense of the people was made known to
the King, who had it not in his power to oppose
that sense.
He fonnd that so impatient were the people for
his departure, that they would not wait till apart
ments could be fitted up and aired for him in the
Louvre, where the French Court has not been
kept for many years ; and therefore he wasunder
the necessity of setting out immediately for what
he considered not his palace in Paris, but hispri
fon.
His ears were never once fainted with a Vive le
Roi on the road to the capital ; on the contrary
the snouts of Vive le Nation echoed on every fide.
The unfortunate Restorer of French Liberty,
was led captive thro the streets, and once or twice
he saw the dead bodies of two of the women killed
by the life guards, placed in his way, that he
might fee, the people confidercd him as. the au
thor of their death.
His Majeity endeavored occasionally to look
cheerful, but his dejection soon returned ; and
he had the appearance of a man who knew, or at
least feared, that his journey would be clofedby
the tragic scene of his death.
The never appeared more like a Queen,
neither dejetfted, or affecting indifference; she
difplaved an equanimity which even her enemies
were forced to admire.
LONDON, Oct. 3.
The scarcity of braad, which threatened a fa
mine at Paris, and was partly supposed to cause
the late convulsion at Versailles, immediately
ceased, and plenty was proclaimed on the King's
arrival at Paris. Ever since that time, the citi
zens have been composed and fatisfied refpe&ing
the article of corn.
The National Aflembly of France is a daily ex
pence of 24,000 livres to the Nation. Each De
puty is allowed 18 livres a day for his expences,
which, with the salary of Secretaries, lights, and
attendants, amounts to that sum. The good of
the Nation may therefore be said to cost it 1000
crowns for every hour the Aflembly fits, comput
ing the fitting at eight hours a-day.
The Clergy of France are a great, and have
been considered as a very powerful body. They
confilt, at present, of eighteen Archbifliops, and
one hundred and thirteen Bishops, all named and
appointed by the King—who has (we mean ki)
likewise the nomination of seven hundred and
ieventy abbes, and of the Superiors of three
hundred and seventeen converts of nuns. This,
it may be supposed, gave the Crown great influ
ence over the fubjetft. This wonderful fabric,
however, so lately deemed impregnable, is no*
evidently tottering.
Mr. Jefferfon, the American Agent, as wells'
his secretary, who followed him to Cowes, met
with every civility at the custom-house, by the
express orders of Mr. Pitt ; a circumftancewhich
has produced more will among the Ameri
cans, both for the miniller and the country, than
would have been obtained at another juncture
from favors far more important.
We learn from Madrid, that the King of Spam
has ordered a nine day's supplication to Heaven
(neuvaine) overall his dominions, praying that
the Almighty would be pleased to fruftrate ana
confound all thofecounfels which tend to the hu
miliation of the monarchical power in t ranee.
When the Inquisition in Spain is demolished, as
it certainly muit beinprocefsoftime,thehirtoi)
of that iniquitous prison will altoniih mankin ■
The Baftile has been a paradise to that place 0
torments.
A happy turn.—At one of the late country as
sizes, where an indictment for an aflault had been
preferred agairift a woman for the ill usage 0
her husband, who is superannuated, his Coun e,
in the heat of declamation, happened to lay> c ®
half the sex were devils ! But feeing a num
of genteel females in the Court, after a very
pause, he went on—" But the other half arc 3
gels ! and Teveral of them, said he, are now pt e * e