ed Bailly and Lafayette to disperse
the meeting. On July 17 a collision ensued, shots were fired, and
several petitioners were killed. The Jacobins, for the moment, were
crushed. Robespierre, Marat, even Danton, effaced themselves, and
expected that the Feuillants would follow up their victory. It seemed
impossible that men who had the resolution to shoot down their
masters, the people of Paris, and were able to give the law, should be
so weak in spirit, or so short of sight, as to throw away their
advantage, and resume a contest on equal terms with conquered and
injured adversaries.

The Feuillants were thenceforward predominant and held their ground
until the Girondins overthrew them on March 18. It was the rule at
their club to admit none but active citizens, paying taxes and
possessing the franchise. The masses were thus given over to the
Jacobins. By their energy at the Champ de Mars, July 17, Lafayette and
his new friends had aroused the resentment of a vindictive party; and
when they took no advantage of the terror they inspired, the terror
departed, and the resentment remained. It was agreed that Malouet
should move amendments to the Constitution. The Feuillants were to
oppose, and then to play into his hands. But Malouet was deserted by
his friends, the agreement was not carried out, and the revision
failed in the Assembly. The Committees proposed that the famous decree
of November 7, by which no deputy could accept office, should be
revoked. The exclusion was maintained, but ministers were allowed to
appear and answer for their departments. No other important amendment
was carried, and no serious attempt was made to adjust and harmonise
the clauses voted during two hurried years. Various reforms were
vainly brought forward; and they indicate, as well as the sudden
understanding between Malouet and Barnave, that the deputies had
little faith in the work they had accomplished. They were tired of it.
They were no longer on the crest of the wave, and their power had
passed to the clubs and to the press. They were about to disappear. By
an unholy alliance between Robespierre and Cazales the members of the
National Assembly were ineligible to the Legislature that was to
follow. None of those who drew up the Constitution were to have a
share in applying it. The actual rulers of France were condemned to
political extinction. Therefore the power which the Feuillants
acquired by their very dexterous management of the s