lilah-Kiss, such was the destiny of
Parliament First, becomes a Philistine Battle!

Nay there goes a word that as many as Thirty of our chief Patriot
Senators are to be clapped in prison, by mittimus and indictment of
Feuillant Justices, Juges de Paix; who here in Paris were well capable
of such a thing. It was but in May last that Juge de Paix Lariviere, on
complaint of Bertrand-Moleville touching that Austrian Committee,
made bold to launch his mittimus against three heads of the Mountain,
Deputies Bazire, Chabot, Merlin, the Cordelier Trio; summoning them to
appear before him, and shew where that Austrian Committee was, or else
suffer the consequences. Which mittimus the Trio, on their side,
made bold to fling in the fire: and valiantly pleaded privilege of
Parliament. So that, for his zeal without knowledge, poor Justice
Lariviere now sits in the prison of Orleans, waiting trial from the
Haute Cour there. Whose example, may it not deter other rash Justices;
and so this word of the Thirty arrestments continue a word merely?

But on the whole, though Lafayette weighed so light, and has had his Mai
plucked up, Official Feuillantism falters not a whit; but carries its
head high, strong in the letter of the Law. Feuillants all of these men:
a Feuillant Directory; founding on high character, and such like;
with Duke de la Rochefoucault for President,--a thing which may prove
dangerous for him! Dim now is the once bright Anglomania of these
admired Noblemen. Duke de Liancourt offers, out of Normandy where he
is Lord-Lieutenant, not only to receive his Majesty, thinking of flight
thither, but to lend him money to enormous amounts. Sire, it is not
a Revolt, it is a Revolution; and truly no rose-water one! Worthier
Noblemen were not in France nor in Europe than those two: but the Time
is crooked, quick-shifting, perverse; what straightest course will lead
to any goal, in it?

Another phasis which we note, in these early July days, is that of
certain thin streaks of Federate National Volunteers wending from
various points towards Paris, to hold a new Federation-Festival, or
Feast of Pikes, on the Fourteenth there. So has the National Assembly
wished it, so has the Nation willed it. In this way, perhaps, may we
still have our Patriot Camp in spite of Veto. For cannot these Federes,
having celebrated their Feast of Pikes, march on to Soissons; and, there
being drilled and regimented, rush to the Frontiers, or whither we like?