central revolutionary
army, analogous to that English parliamentary army under command of
Cromwell, which had brought Charles I. to the scaffold. "Servan, a
very wicked man and most inimical to the King," says Dumouriez again,
"took the notion to write to the President of the Assembly, without
consulting his colleagues, and propose a decree for assembling an army
of twenty {161} thousand men around Paris. This was at the time when
the Girondin faction was at the height of its power, having the
Jacobins at their command, and governing Paris through Petion. They
wanted to destroy the Feuillants, perhaps at the sword's point, to put
down the court, and probably to begin putting their republican projects
into execution. Thus it was this faction which brought to Paris the
federates who ended by causing every one of them to perish on the
scaffold after making Louis XVI. ascend it." Dumouriez was indignant
that the Minister of War should have taken it on himself to propose
such a decree without even mentioning it to the sovereign. The dispute
on this matter was so violent that, but for the presence of the King,
the meeting of the Council might have come to a bloody close. Louis
XVI., deeply grieved by such scandals, resolved to dismiss the three
ministers, who, instead of supporting him, were merely conspirators who
had sworn his ruin.

The anguish of the unhappy monarch had reached its height. Four
councils were held without his returning the decrees submitted to him
for consideration. The National Assembly grew impatient. The Jacobins
were in a rage. At last the King concluded to take up in the Council
the decree relative to the camp of twenty thousand federates. "I
think," said Dumouriez, "that the decree is dangerous to the nation,
the King, the National Assembly, and above all to its authors, whose
chastisement it {162} will turn out to be; and yet, Sire, it is my
opinion that you cannot refuse it. It was proposed by profound malice,
debated with fury, and decreed with enthusiasm; everybody is blinded.
If you veto it, it will none the less be passed." The hesitation of
Louis XVI. redoubled. As to the decree concerning the clergy, he
declared that he would never sanction it. This was the only time that
Dumouriez ever saw "the character of this gentle soul somewhat changed
for the worse."

Meanwhile, Madame Roland, more impatient and vindictive than ever,
wrote the famous letter supposed to issue from her