This feeling of backing the king, whose ministers they were, was the basis of a conspiracy of which Madame Roland was the origin.  At Roland’s there was nothing but ill humour; amongst his colleagues it was a rivalry of patriotism with Robespierre.  At Madame Roland’s it was that passion for a republic which was impatient of any remnant of a throne, and which smiled complacently at the factions ready to overturn the monarchy.  When factions had arms no longer, Madame Roland and her friends hastened to lead them.

II.

We see a fatal example in the step of the minister of war, Servan.  He, entirely controlled by Madame Roland, proposed to the National Assembly, without authority from the king, or the consent of the council, to assemble round Paris a camp of 20,000 troops.  This army, composed of federes chosen from amongst the most enthusiastic persons of the provinces, would be, as the Girondists believed, a kind of central army of opinions devoted to the Assembly, counter-balancing the king’s guard, repressing the national guard, and recalling to mind that army of the parliament which, under the orders of Cromwell, had conducted Charles I. to the scaffold.

The Assembly, with the exception of the constitutional party, seized on this idea as hatred seizes the arm which is offered to it.  The king felt the blow; Dumouriez saw through the perfidy, and could not repress his choler against Servan in the council-chamber.  His reproaches were those of a loyal defender of his king.  The replies of Servan were evasive, but full of provocation.  The two ministers laid their hands upon their swords, and but for the presence of the king, and the intervention of their colleagues, blood would have flowed in the council-chamber.

The king was desirous of refusing his sanction to the decree for the 20,000 men.  “It is too late,” said Dumouriez:  “your refusal would display fears too well founded, but which we must take care not to betray to our enemies.  Sanction the decree, I will undertake to neutralise the danger of the concentration.”  The king requested time for consideration.

Next day the Girondists called upon the king to sanction the decree against the nonjuring priests.  They came into direct contact with the religious conscience of Louis XVI.  Supported by that, this prince declared that he would rather die than sign the persecution of the church.  Dumouriez insisted as much as the Girondists in obtaining this sanction.  The king was inflexible.  In vain did Dumouriez represent to him that by refusing legal measures against the nonjuring priests he exposed the priests to massacre, and thus made himself responsible for all the blood that might be shed.  In vain did they represent to him that this refusal would render the ministry unpopular, and thus deprive them of all hope of saving the monarchy.  In vain did they appeal to the queen, and implore her, by her feelings as a mother,