I had imagined that such ridiculous accusations were no longer thought of; the categorical explanations that Bailly himself gave on this topic, seemed to me as if they would have sufficed to convince the most prejudiced.  I was deceived, Gentlemen; the reproach of violence, of brutal insensibility, has just been repeated by the pen of a clever and a conscientious man.  I will give his recital:  “Scarcely two hours had elapsed since the royal child had breathed his last sigh, when Bailly, President of the Third Estate, insisted on admission to the king, who had prohibited any one being allowed to intrude upon him.  But so positive was the demand, that they were obliged to yield, and Louis XVI. exclaimed, ’There are then no fathers in that chamber of the Third Estate.’  The chamber very much applauded this trait of brutal insensibility in Bailly, which they termed a trait of Spartan stoicism.”

As many errors as words.  The following is the truth.  The illness of the Dauphin had not prevented the two privileged orders from being received by the king.  This preference offended the Communes.  They ordered the President to solicit an audience.  He discharged his duty with great caution.  All his proceedings were concerted with two ministers, Necker and M. de Barentin.  The king answered, “It is impossible for me to see M. Bailly in the situation in which I am to-night, nor to-morrow morning, nor to fix a day for receiving the deputation of the Third Estate.”  The note ends with these words:  “Show my note to M. Bailly for his vindication.”

Thus, on the day of these events the Dauphin was not dead; thus the king was not obliged to yield, he did not receive Bailly; thus the chamber had no act of insensibility to applaud; thus Louis XVI. perceived so clearly that the President of the Communes was fulfilling the duties of his office, that he felt it requisite to give him an exoneration.

The death of the Dauphin happened on the 4th of June.  As soon as the assembly of the Third Estate were informed of it, they charged the President, I quote the very words, “to report to their majesties the deep grief with which this news had penetrated the Communes.”

A deputation of twenty members, having Bailly at their head, was received on the 6th.  The President thus expressed himself:  “Your faithful Communes are deeply moved by the circumstance in which your majesty has the goodness to receive their deputation, and they take the liberty to address to you the expression of all their regrets, and of their respectful sensibility.”

Such language can, I think, be delivered without uneasiness to the appreciation of all good men.