The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
The Count d'Artois, sent to hold a bed of
justice in the Cour des Aides, was hissed and hooted without reserve,
by the populace; the carriage of Madame de (I forget the name) in the
Queen's livery was stopped by the populace, under a belief that it was
Madame de Polignac, whom they would have insulted; the Queen, going to
the theatre at Versailles with Madame de Polignac, was received with
a general hiss. The King, long in the habit of drowning his cares in
wine, plunges deeper and deeper. The Queen cries, but sins on. The Count
d'Artois is detested, and Monsieur, the general favorite. The Archbishop
of Thoulouse is made minister principal, a virtuous, patriotic, and able
character. The Marechal de Castries retired yesterday, notwithstanding
strong solicitations to remain in office. The Marechal de Segur retired
at the same time, prompted to it by the court. Their successors are not
yet known. Monsieur de St. Priest goes ambassador to Holland, in the room
of Verac, transferred to Switzerland, and the Count de Moustier goes to
America, in the room of the Chevalier de La Luzerne, who has a promise
of the first vacancy. These nominations are not yet made formally, but
they are decided on, and the parties are ordered to prepare for their
destination.
As it has been long since I have had a confidential conveyance to you,
I have brought together the principal facts from the adjournment of the
Notables to the present moment, which, as you will perceive from their
nature, required a confidential conveyance. I have done it the rather,
because, though you will have heard many of them, and seen them in the
public papers, yet, floating in the mass of lies which constitute the
atmosphere of London and Paris, you may not have been sure of their truth;
and I have mentioned every truth of any consequence, to enable you to
stamp as false, the facts pretermitted. I think that in the course of
three months, the royal authority has lost, and the rights of the nation
gained, as much ground by a revolution of public opinion only, as England
gained in all her civil wars under the Stuarts. I rather believe, too,
they will retain the ground gained, because it is defended by the young
and the middle aged, in opposition to the old only. The first party
increases, and the latter diminishes daily, from the course of nature. You
may suppose, that in this situation, war would be unwelcome to France. She
will surely avoid it, if not forced into it by the courts of London and
Berlin. If forced, it is probable she will change the system of Europe
totally, by an alliance with the two empires, to whom nothing would be
more desirable. In the event of such a coalition, not only Prussia, but
the whole European world must receive from them their laws. But France
will probably endeavor to preserve the present system, if it can be done,
by sacrificing to a certain degree, the pretensions of the Patriotic party
in Holland. But of all these matters, you can judge, in your position,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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