History of the Girondists, Volume I: Personal Memoirs of the Patriots of the French RevolutionLamartine, Alphonse de
History
History of the Girondists, Volume I: Personal Memoirs of the Patriots of the French Revolution
Lamartine, Alphonse de
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799; Girondists
cast upon it since the king's departure, is ready to disappear before
the divisions so skilfully fomented by perfidious imputations. (Loud
cheering.) You will see renewed, do not doubt this, the disorders, the
convulsions of which you are weary, and to which the completion of the
Revolution ought also to be a completion. You will see renewed without
hopes, projects, temptations which we openly brave because we feel our
strength and are united--because we know that so long as we are united
they will not be attempted; and if extravagant ideas should dare to try
them it would always result in their shame. But the attempts would
succeed, and on the success of them they might, with some semblance
rely, if we were once divided amongst ourselves, not knowing in whom we
might believe. We suspect each other of different plans when we have but
the same idea--of contrary feelings, when every one of us has in his
heart the testimony of his colleagues' purity, during two years of
labour performed together--during consecutive proofs of courage--during
sacrifices which nothing can compensate but the approving voice of
conscience."
Here Barnave's voice was lost in the applauses of the majority, and the
Assembly electrified, seemed for the moment unanimous in its monarchical
feeling.
X.
At the sitting of the 25th of August, the Assembly discussed the article
of the constitution which declared that the members of the royal family
could not exercise the rights of citizens. The Duc d'Orleans ascended
the tribune to protest against this article, and declared, in the midst
of applauses and murmurs, that if it were adopted, there remained to him
the right of choosing between the title of a French citizen and his
eventual right to the throne; and that, in that case, he should renounce
the throne. Sillery, the friend and confidant of this prince, spoke
after him, and combated with much eloquence the conclusions of the
committee. This discourse, full of allusions to the position of the duc
d'Orleans, impossible to be misunderstood, was the only act of direct
ambition attempted by the Orleans party. Sillery began by boldly
replying to Barnave:--"Let me be allowed," he exclaimed, "to lament over
the deplorable abuse which some orators make of their talents. What
strange language! It is attempted to make you believe that you have here
men of faction and anarchy--enemies of order, as if order could only
exist by satisfying the ambition of certain individuals! It is proposed
to you to grant to all individuals of the royal family the title of
prince, and to deprive them of the rights of a citizen? What
incoherence, and what ingratitude! You declare the title of French
citizen to be the most admirable of titles, and you propose to exchange
it for the title of prince, which you have suppressed, as contrary to
equality! Have not the relatives of the king, who still remain in Paris,
constantly displayed the purest patriotism? What services have they not
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account