Lafayette, We Come!: The Story of How a Young Frenchman Fought for Liberty in America and How America Now Fights for Liberty in FranceHolland, Rupert Sargent
History
Lafayette, We Come!: The Story of How a Young Frenchman Fought for Liberty in America and How America Now Fights for Liberty in France
Holland, Rupert Sargent
Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834
It was clear that the National Guards were growing less and less
trustworthy, and equally evident that the people of Paris were becoming
more and more hostile to their King. Louis disliked staying at the
Tuileries, where he was constantly under the eyes of enemies, and at
Easter decided to go to the palace of St. Cloud, which was near Paris,
and celebrate the day there. Word of this got abroad, and the people
grumbled; more than that they said that Louis should not go to St.
Cloud.
On the morning of April eighteenth the King and his family entered their
traveling-carriage, only to have an angry crowd seize the horses’ heads
and forbid the King to move. Louis appealed to the National Guards
who were in attendance, but the soldiers took the side of the people
and helped to block the way. The mob swarmed close to the carriage,
insulting the King and his servants. Louis had courage. He put his head
out at the window and cried, “It would be an astonishing thing, if,
after having given liberty to the nation, I myself should not be free!”
At this point Lafayette and the mayor, Bailly, arrived, and urged
the mob and the Guards to keep the peace and disperse. The crowd was
obstinate; most of the Guards were openly rebellious. Then Lafayette
went to the royal carriage, and offered to use force to secure the
King’s departure if Louis would give the word. The King answered
promptly, “It is for you, sir, to see to what is necessary for the due
fulfilment of your constitution.” Again Lafayette turned to the mob and
addressed it, but it showed no intention of obeying his orders, and at
last he had to tell Louis that it would be dangerous for him to drive
forth. So the King and his family returned to the Tuileries, fully
aware now that they were prisoners of the people and could not count on
the protection of the troops.
Everywhere it was now said that the King must obey “the supreme will of
the people.” Louis protested; he went to the National Assembly and told
the deputies that he expected them to protect his liberty; but Mirabeau,
the leader who had used his influence on behalf of the sovereign in
earlier meetings, was dead, and the party of Robespierre held the upper
hand. The Assembly had no intention of opposing the people, and paid
little heed to the King’s demands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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