r for
this officer," said he; "and take upon myself the responsibility." M. de
Gouvion was heard, and affirmed that all the outlets from the palace had
been strictly guarded, and that the king could not have escaped by any
of the doors. This statement was confirmed by M. Bailly, the mayor of
Paris. The intendant of the civil list, M. de Laporte, appeared, to
present to the Assembly the manifesto the king had left for his people.
He was asked, "How did you receive it?" "The king," replied M. de
Laporte, "had left it sealed, with a letter for me." "Read this letter,"
said a member. "No, no," exclaimed the Assembly, "it is a confidential
letter, we have no right to read it." They equally refused to unseal a
letter for the queen that had been left on her table. The generosity of
the nation, even in this moment, predominated over their irritation.

The king's manifesto was read amidst much laughter and loud murmurs.

"Frenchmen," said the king in this address to his people, "so long as I
hoped to behold public happiness and tranquillity restored by the
measures concerted by myself and the Assembly, no sacrifice was too
great; calumnies, insult, injury, even the loss of liberty,--I have
suffered all without a murmur. But now that I behold the kingdom
destroyed, property violated, personal safety compromised, anarchy in
every part of my dominions, I feel it my duty to lay before my subjects
the motives of my conduct. In the month of July, 1789, I did not fear to
trust myself amongst the inhabitants of Paris. On the 5th and 6th of
October, although outraged in my own palace, and a witness of the
impunity with which all sorts of crimes were committed, I would not quit
France, lest I should be the cause of civil war. I came to reside in the
Tuileries, deprived of almost the necessaries of life; my body-guard was
torn from me, and many of these faithful gentlemen were massacred under
my very eyes. The most shameful calumnies have been heaped upon the
faithful and devoted wife, who participates in my affection for the
people, and who has generously taken her share of all the sacrifices I
have made for them. Convocation of the States-general, double
representation granted to the third estate (_le tiers etat_), reunion of
the orders, sacrifice of the 20th of June,--I have done all this for the
nation; and all these sacrifices have been lost, misinterpreted, turned
against me. I have been detained as a prisoner in my own palace; inste