strenuously, an immediate compromise; to secure what
the government was now ready to yield, and trust to
future occasions for what might still be wanting.
It was well understood that the King would grant,
at this time, 1. Freedom of the person by habeas
corpus. 2. Freedom of conscience: 3.
Freedom of the press: 4. Trial by jury:
5. A representative legislature: 6.
Annual meetings: 7. The origination of laws:
8. The exclusive right of taxation and appropriation:
and 9. The responsibility of ministers:
and with the exercise of these powers they could obtain,
in future, whatever might be further necessary to improve
and preserve their constitution. They thought
otherwise, however, and events have proved their lamentable
error. For, after thirty years of war, foreign
and domestic, the loss of millions of lives, the prostration
of private happiness, and the foreign subjugation of
their own country for a time, they have obtained no
more, nor even that securely. They were unconscious
of (for who could foresee?) the melancholy sequel
of their well-meant perseverance; that their physical
force would be usurped by a first tyrant to trample
on the independence, and even the existence, of other
nations: that this would afford a fatal example
for the atrocious conspiracy of kings against their
people; would generate their unholy and homicide alliance
to make common cause among themselves, and to crush,
by the power of the whole, the efforts of any part,
to moderate their abuses and oppressions. When
the King passed, the next day, through the lane formed
from the Chateau to the Hotel des Etats, there
was a dead silence. He was about an hour in the
House, delivering his speech and declaration.
On his coming out, a feeble cry of Vive le Roy
was raised by some children, but the people remained
silent and sullen. In the close of his speech,
he had ordered that the members should follow him,
and resume their deliberations the next day.
The Noblesse followed him, and so did the clergy,
except about thirty, who, with the Tiers, remained
in the room, and entered into deliberation. They
protested against what the King had done, adhered
to all their former proceedings, and resolved the inviolability
of their own persons. An officer came to order
them out of the room in the King’s name.
‘Tell those who sent you,’ said Mirabeau,
’that we shall not move hence but at our own
will, or the point of the bayonet.’ In
the afternoon, the people, uneasy, began to assemble
in great numbers in the courts and vicinities of the
palace. This produced alarm. The Queen sent
for Mr. Necker. He was conducted, amidst the shouts
and acclamations of the multitude, who filled all
the apartments of the palace. He was a few minutes
only with the Queen, and what passed between them
did not transpire. The King went out to ride.
He passed through the crowd to his carriage, and into
it, without being in the least noticed. As Mr.