To these dreadful internal evils was now added an ap proaching invasion. The King of Prussia, in conjunction with Austria, was marching against France with an im mense force ; while the French armies were comparatively few in number, and by no means equal to their opponents in respect to the discipline and obedience of the soldiers, or the talents and experience of the officers. But their deficiencies, in these respects, it was hoped, would be more than compensated by their enthusiasm, and by the co-ope ration of the people. These, however, it was necessary' to rouse, and for this purpose the Assembly ordered a pro clamation to be made that the country was in danger. This object, however, was more effectually accomplished, by a manifesto, issued by the Duke of Brunswick, as com mander of the invading army, at Coblentz, on the 25th of July. In this manifesto, destruction to Paris, and the ex ecution of all who resisted, were denounced ; and the safety of the royal family was declared to be the only condition on which the capital, or the National Assembly, could pos sibly escape the severest vengeance of the allied powers. The immediate consequence of this imprudent and impo litic manifesto, was the union of all parties, for their mu tual defence, and the support of what they conceived to be the will of the nation, and the independence of France. However they might differ and quarrel among themselves, all felt and acted on the necessity, at the present moment, of opposing the allied powers, who entered France with such declarations of vengeance. The friends of the King soon fatally experienced the extent of mischief to him and his cause, which this manifesto produced. The republi cans, long anxious for his deposition, had now too good an opportunity to be neglected ;---for who, thought they, would dare to defend a King, who was such an enemy to France, as to have his safety put in competition with its liberty and independence ? But it was necessary, even yet, to proceed with caution in the deposition of Louis : the republicans could not expect that the National Assembly would willing ly agree to it. They had accused La Fayette Mow it, and he had been acquitted; and hence they inferred, that their measures respecting the King would not be well received by that Assembly ; it was therefore their object to excite the worst passions of the populace against him.
In Paris, at this time, there were too many, who might easily be made the zealous instruments of the worst of crimes ; for, besides the mob of the city, 15,000 Marseil lois had arrived, at the period of the confederation, on the 14th of July, not the least behind the most unprincipled and ferocious of the Parisians in their hatred of royalty and or der, and in their disposition to excite disturbance, and to commit murder. With these, and the mob of Paris, the republicans intrigued, and the friends of Louis were not long in perceiving that his life was in danger. The palace, therefore, was guarded by a number of gentlemen, by the Swiss troops, and by 12 pieces of cannon. Mandat, the commander of the national guards, was at their head. At midnight, on the 9th of August, the tocsin sounded, and the drums beat to arms; but the republicans knew that while Mandat lived, their efforts against the life of the King would be unavailing ; they therefore contrived to per suade him to leave his post, and come to the commune, which was entirely composed of their own friends ; and as he was leaving the hall, he was shot, and Santerre appoint ed to command the national guard in his place.
On the 10th of August, Louis found himself placed in such a perilous situation in the palace, that he sought pro tection in the National Assembly. Immediately after he left the Thuilleries, the insurgents, to the numbel of 20,000 men, attacked the Swiss who guarded it : a bloody combat ensued ; but the Swiss were overpowered, and most of them massacred. The republican pal ty, now strong in the success which had attended their first efforts, and in the terror which they had excited, resolved to push the execti: tion of their favourite object immediately ; the royal au thority was suspended ; the nation invited to choose a con vention ; commissioners sent to the army ; and the royal family imprisoned in the Temple.
The influence which La Fayette possessed with the ar my, it was hoped, by the friends of the king and of justice and order, would preserve them loyal and obedient ; but they were not to be depended upon, and La Fayette judged it prudent to leave the camp, soon after intelligence of the transactions at Paris had arrived, and to seek his safety in flight. He escaped from his own troops, but he was made prisoner by the enemy, and detained in Austrian and Prus sian dungeons for several years. The commissioners now found no opposition to the authority which they were empowered to exercise over the army ; but were received with respect by Generals Dumourier, Biron, Montesquieu, Kellerman, and Custine. Dumourier, having removed the suspicions formerly entertained of him by the republicans, was appointed commander-in-chief, on the flight of La Fay ette. This general was at the head of about 17,000 men, and, with this inadequate force, his object was to watch, for he could not hope to oppose, the progress of the allied forces. These had entered France so numerous and well equipped, that the conquest of that country seemed certain and near at hand. The Duke of Brunswick had 50,000 Prussians ; there were 15,000 Austrians under Clairfait ; and the Hessians and French emigrants raised the total force to 90,000 men. Their success at first was propor tioned to their strength and their hopes. Longwy and Ver dun surrendered, and Paris was already in alarm.
This moment of alarm was not to be overlooked by the Jacobin party,—it was too favourable to their views. They declared that the safety of the country, and the destruction of foreign foes, could not be accomplished, while there ex isted in Paris so many domestic enemies of the people. The most horrid massacres accordingly took place, at which the forms of justice were either entirely neglected, or attended to in such a manner, as to render the proceed ings still more repulsive to humanity. For two days, the mob, under the direction of Marat, Roberspierre, and Dan ton, who now led the common council, had the entire pos session of Paris ; no person besides dust stir out of their house ; the national guards at this crisis seemed disposed to interfere, but Santerre was too strongly attached to the violent Jacobins to repress cruelties which they had orga nized and ditected.