To the most negligent observer, the state of the capital at this period must have appeared very threatening. Par ties ran excessively high ; and on neither side was there moderation. But the most alarming symptoms were, that a most active and numerous association was evidently form ing, who regarded even those who had hitherto taken the lead against the royal party, as lukewarm, and stopping far short of what they ought to have achieved. On the feelings of the lowest of the mob, this third party operated with wonderful but most mischievous effect. The scarci ty which still existed, was ascribed to government. A re port that the King intended to leave Versailles, and proba bly the kingdom, was industriously spread, and the most innocent actions of the royal family were grossly misrepre sented. Unfortunately the Queen did not conduct herself with that reserved and prudent caution, which her unpopu larity, and the circumstances of the times, absolutely re quired. At an entertainment given by the garde du colts, to the regiment of Flanders, which had been ordered to Versailles to protect the King, the national cockade, which had been lately adopted, was thrown aside, and while cock ades supplied by the ladies of the court. This imprudent behaviour was soon known at Paris, where, while the peo ple were suffering under the pressure of famine, they learned that a splendid entertainment had been given at Versailles, as if to insult their misery, and that the symbol of that constitution, from which they expected the removal of their grievances, had been supplanted by the symbol of that government, to which they ascribed them. The po pulace were joined by the militia of Paris and the ancient French guards ; and the Marquis de la Fayette was inform ed that they were determined to go to Versailles, to ex terminate those who had insulted the national cockade, and even to depose the King, if he did not protect and relieve them. The Marquis employed his influence and authori ty in vain. An immense number of women of the lowest rank, clamorous for bread, and rather encouraged than pre vented by the military, set off for Versailles. As soon as they arrived, they besieged the National Assembly, and, in a manner, compelled them to send along with them, to the King, a deputation of their members. In the mean time, La Fayette, having collected the national guard, also arri ved. fle first presented himself to the National Assem bly, and afterwards went to protect the King and royal fami ly. The Queen was the principal object of the fury of the populace, and a desperate attempt was made on her life ; but she, as well as the rest of the royal family, were saved by the interposition of La Fayette : but they were obliged to promise to leave Versailles, and go to Paris immediate ly. The journey was dreadful, not only in its actual cir cumstances, but as a dreadful foreboding of what was to come. Before, around, and behind the royal family, were a mob of frantic women, debauched and drunken, attended and cheered by men, if possible, more diabolical than them selves. The procession was headed by two men, who, with their arms naked and bloody, displayed aloft on their pikes, the heads of two of the garde du corps, whom they had massacred.
The success and triumph of the unprincipled and fe rocious party, who were anxious to lay hold of all the power, in order that they might gratify their diabolical passions, was now nearly complete. By having forced the King and the National Assembly to Paris, they had suc ceeded in overawing them both, and in virtually placing all authority in the mob. In vain did the King declare his willingness to adopt any measure that would benefit the nation ; in vain did the National Assembly, while they de clared themselves the advocates and supporters of liberty, deprecate licentiousness. Every day beheld their authority tottering, and the influence of the most desperate and aban doned of the inhabitants of Paris increasing. The Duke
of Orleans secretly encouraged the licentiousness of the mob ; and though, for a short time, he was persuaded by La Fayette to retire to England, yet he soon returned ; and, even during his absence, his emissaries were at work, carrying on their measures of anarchy and licentiousness.
The principal proceedings of the National Assembly during the remainder of the year 1789, related to the division of the kingdom into departments, and the confis cation of the church lands. Early in the following year, they suppressed the monastic establishments, and confis cated their lands. These decrees evidently tended to con ciliate the people at large : in June the army and navy were in a great measure gained over, or kept firmly at tached to the National Assembly, by the passing of de crees for the augmentation of their pay.
In the mean time, the emigrants from France were active and indefatigable in their endeavours to stir up foreign powers in their behalf; and the proceedings which had lately taken place in Paris and in different provinces, gave them too strong pretexts for urging their interference. It was therefore necessary for the Assembly to provide for the not improbable case of a speedy war ; and when M. Montmorency communicated to them the hostile prepara tions in which England and Spain were engaged, respect ing a right of fishery on the coast of America, the ques tion was discussed, " Who ought to possess the power of declaring peace or war ?" The debate was long, and con ducted with considerable animation and talent : but the time was gone by, when the royal party, however wise their measures, or strong their arguments might be, could reasonably expect to carry their point. On this occasion the triumph of the popular party was complete ; and it was decreed that the right of peace or war belonged to the nation.
As the Assembly were sensible that their proceedings were viewed with suspicion and jealousy by foreign powers, they decreed that the French nation would never embark in any war with a view to conquest, nor ever employ their forces against the liberties of any people. Thus was the crown, in a very short time, stripped not only of its unjust and hurtful prerogatives, but also of those which were necessary to give it due and proper weight, and to pre serve to the constitution the reality as well as the name of a monarchy.
On the 19th of June, a motion was made to suppress all hereditary titles, liveries, and coats of arms. This was also carried ; and, of all the King's ministers, Neckar alone, a plebeian, bred and born in a democracy, and who had always professed republican principles, advised his Ma jesty to refuse his assent to the decree.
The French are fond of spectacle; and of this fondness it was now resolved to take advantage. The Bastile had been destroyed on the 14th of July the preceding yt.ar. As the anniversary of this event was now approaching, it was proposed that on that clay a civic oath should he taken. The Champ de Mars, a spacious plain which adjoins the capital, was fixed on for the ceremony. In the midst of it an altar was placed, and around the altar an amphitheatre was constructed, capable of containing 400,000 people. At 4 o'clock in the evening, the Marquis de la Fayette ascended the altar, and took an oath to be faithful to the nation, the law, and the King : the deputies of the regular troops and militia repeated, " I swear." The Marquis was followed by the president of the National Assembly, who took an oath varying in substance a little from that taken by the military ; and each deputy repeated aloud, after the president, "I swear." The King also, stretching his arm towards the altar, took an oath to employ all the power de legated to him by the constitution, for the maintenance of the constitution, and the execution of the law.