FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1766   1767   1768   1769   1770   1771   1772   1773   1774   1775   1776   1777   1778   1779   1780   1781   1782   1783   1784   1785   1786   1787   1788   1789   1790  
1791   1792   1793   1794   1795   1796   1797   1798   1799   1800   1801   1802   1803   1804   1805   1806   1807   1808   1809   1810   1811   1812   1813   1814   1815   >>   >|  
of the Corps Legislatif; and I remember that the day on which their report was read he, appeared much disturbed, and before retiring walked up and down the room in much agitation, like one trying to make some important decision. At last he decided not to allow the publication of the address of the Corps Legislatif, which had been communicated to him according to custom. Time pressed; the next day would have been too late, as the address would be circulated in Paris, where the public mind was already much disturbed. The order was consequently given to the minister of general police to have the copy of the report and the address seized at the printing establishment, and to break the forms already set up. Besides this the order was also given to close the doors of the Corps Legislatif, which was done, and the legislature thus found itself adjourned. I heard many persons at this time deeply regret that his Majesty had taken these measures, and, above all, that having taken them he had not stopped there. It was said that since the Corps Legislatif was now adjourned by force, it was better, whatever might be the result, to convoke another chamber, and that the Emperor should not recognize the members of the one he had dismissed. His Majesty thought otherwise, and gave the deputies a farewell audience. They came to the Tuileries; and there his only too just resentment found vent in these words: "I have suppressed your address, as it was incendiary. Eleven-twelfths of the Corps Legislatif are composed of good citizens whom I know and for whom I have much regard; the other twelfth is composed of seditious persons who are devoted to England. Your Commission and its chairman, M. Laine, are of this number. He corresponds with the Prince Regent, through the lawyer Deseze. I know it, and have proof of it. The other four are of the same faction. If there are abuses to be remedied, is this a time for remonstrances, when two hundred thousand Cossacks are crossing our frontiers? Is this the moment to dispute as to individual liberty and safety, when the question is the preservation of political liberty and national independence? The enemy must be resisted; you must follow the example of the Alsatians, Vosges, and inhabitants of Franche-Comte, who wish to march against them, and have applied to me--for arms. You endeavor in your address to separate the sovereign from the nation. It is I who here represent the people, who have given me
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1766   1767   1768   1769   1770   1771   1772   1773   1774   1775   1776   1777   1778   1779   1780   1781   1782   1783   1784   1785   1786   1787   1788   1789   1790  
1791   1792   1793   1794   1795   1796   1797   1798   1799   1800   1801   1802   1803   1804   1805   1806   1807   1808   1809   1810   1811   1812   1813   1814   1815   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

address

 

Legislatif

 
Majesty
 

liberty

 

disturbed

 

adjourned

 

persons

 

composed

 

report

 

number


lawyer

 
resentment
 
Prince
 

Regent

 
corresponds
 
regard
 

twelfth

 

suppressed

 

citizens

 

incendiary


Eleven

 

twelfths

 

seditious

 

Deseze

 

chairman

 

Commission

 

devoted

 

England

 

Franche

 
inhabitants

Vosges

 

Alsatians

 
resisted
 

follow

 

applied

 
nation
 

represent

 
people
 

sovereign

 
endeavor

separate

 

independence

 

remonstrances

 
hundred
 

thousand

 

Cossacks

 
remedied
 

abuses

 

faction

 
crossing