apprehension, a person, whose information would have weight, wrote to the Count de Montmorin, adjuring him to prevent it by every possible means, and assuring him that the flight of the King would be the signal of a St. Barthelemi against the aristocrats in Paris, and perhaps through the kingdom.  M. de Montmorin showed the letter to the Queen, who assured him solemnly that no such thing was in contemplation.  His showing it to the Queen, proves he entertained the same mistrust with the public.  It may be asked, What is the Queen disposed to do in the present situation of things?  Whatever rage, pride, and fear can dictate in a breast which never knew the presence of one moral restraint.

Upon the whole, I do not see it as yet probable that any actual commotion will take place; and if it does take place, I have strong confidence that the patriotic party will hold together, and their party in the nation be what I have described it.  In this case, there would be against them the aristocracy and the faction of Orleans.  This consists, at this time, of only the Catilines of the Assembly, and some of the lowest descriptions of the mob.  Its force, within the kingdom, must depend on how much of this last kind of people it can debauch with money from its present bias to the right cause.  This bias is as strong as any one can be, in a class which must accept its bread from him who will give it.  Its resources out of the kingdom are not known.  Without doubt, England will give money to produce and to feed the fire which should consume this country; but it is not probable she will engage in open war for that.  If foreign troops should be furnished, it would be most probably by the King of Prussia, who seems to offer himself as the bull-dog of tyranny to all his neighbors.  He might, too, be disturbed by the contagion of the same principles gaining his own subjects, as they have done those of the Austrian Netherlands, Liege, Cologne, and Hesse-Cassel.  The army of the latter Prince, joining with his subjects, are said to have possessed themselves of the treasures he had amassed by hiring troops to conquer us, and by other iniquities.  Fifty-four millions of livres is the sum mentioned.  But all these means, external and internal must prove inadequate to their ultimate object, if the nation be united as it is at present.  Expecting within a few days to leave Paris, and that this is my last letter on public subjects, I have indulged myself in giving you a general view of things, as they appear to me at the time of my leaving them.  Mr. Short will have the honor of continuing the narration, and of correcting it, where circumstances unknown or unforseen may give a different turn to events.

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

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER XVI.—­TO MR. NECKER, September 26,1789