be commanded by a magistrate.  They cannot conceive that General Washington, at the head of his army, during the late war, could have been commanded by a common constable to go as his posse comitates, to suppress a mob, and that Count Rochambeau, when he was arrested at the head of his army by a sheriff, must have gone to jail if he had not given bail to appear in court.  Though they have gone astonishing lengths, they are not yet thus far.  It is probable, therefore, that not knowing how to use the military as a civil weapon, they will do too much or too little with it.

I have said that things will be so and so.  Understand by this, that these are only my conjectures, the plan of the constitution not being proposed yet, much less agreed to.  Tranquillity is pretty well established in the capital; though the appearance of any of the refugees here would endanger it.  The Baron de Besenval is kept away:  so is M. de la Vauguyon.  The latter was so short a time a member of the obnoxious administration, that probably he might not be touched were he here.  Seven Princes of the house of Bourbon, and seven ministers, fled into foreign countries, is a wonderful event indeed.

I have the honor to be, with great respect and attachment, Dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER VII.—­TO JOHN JAY, August 12, 1789

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, August 12, 1789.

Sir,

I wrote you on the 19th, 23rd, 29th of the last, and 5th of the present month.  The last occasions not having admitted the forwarding to you the public papers, I avail myself of the present, by a gentleman going to London, to furnish you with them to the present date.  It is the only use I can prudently make of the conveyance.  I shall, therefore, only observe, that the National Assembly has been entirely occupied since my last, in developing the particulars which were the subject of their resolutions of the 4th instant, of which I send you the general heads.

The city is as yet not entirely quieted.  Every now and then summary execution is done on individuals, by individuals, and nobody is in condition to ask for what, or by whom.  We look forward to the completion of the establishment of the city militia, as that which is to restore protection to the inhabitants.  The details from the country are as distressing as I had apprehended they would be.  Most of them are doubtless false, but many must still be true.  Abundance of chateaux are certainly burnt and burning, and not a few lives sacrificed.  The worst is probably over in this city; but I do not know whether it is so in the country.  Nothing important has taken place in the rest of Europe.

I have the honor to be, with the most perfect esteem and respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER VIII.—­TO COLONEL GOUVION, August 15,1789