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
The emigrant princes, on the contrary, filled all courts with the words
uttered in favour of their cause in the declaration of Pilnitz. They
wrote a letter to Louis XVI., in which they protested against the oath
of the king to the constitution, forced, as they declared, from his
weakness and his captivity. The king of Prussia, on receiving the
circular of the French cabinet, in which the acceptance of the
constitution was notified, exclaimed, "I see the peace of Europe
assured!" The courts of Vienna and Berlin feigned to believe that all
was concluded in France by the mutual concessions of the king and the
Assembly. They made up their minds to see the throne of Louis XVI.
abased, provided that the Revolution would consent to allow itself to be
controlled by the throne.
Russia, Sweden, Spain, and Sardinia were not so easily appeased.
Catherine II. and Gustavus III., the one from a proud feeling of her
power, and the other from a generous devotion to the cause of kings,
arranged together, to send 40,000 Russians and Swedes to the aid of the
monarchy. This army, paid by a subsidy of 15,000,000f. of Spain, and
commanded by Gustavus in person, was to land upon the coast of France,
and march upon Paris, whilst the forces of the empire crossed the Rhine.
These bold plans of the two northern courts were displeasing to Leopold
and the king of Prussia. They reproached Catherine with not keeping her
promises, and making peace with the Turks. Could the emperor march his
troops on the Rhine whilst the battles of the Russians and Ottomans
continued on the Danube and threatened the remoter provinces of his
empire? Catherine and Gustavus nevertheless did not abate in their open
protection to the emigration party. These two sovereigns accredited
ministers plenipotentiary to the French princes at Coblentz. This was
declaring the forfeiture of Louis XVI., and even the forfeiture of
France. It was recognising that the government of the kingdom was no
longer at Paris, but at Coblentz. Moreover, they contracted a treaty of
alliance, offensive and defensive, between Sweden and Russia in the
common interest of the re-establishment of the monarchy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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