sance, cast a benevolent and smiling look upon the multitude, and that look seemed to say, 'I shall never conceive any suspicion, I shall never feel any uneasiness, so long as I am in the midst of you.' The whole extent of the Champ-de-Mars was surrounded by steps of green turf, rising one above another, occupied by four hundred thousand spectators. Within this circle, upon appropriate elevations, decorated with flowers, were the king, the national authorities, the ministers and deputies. In the rear of the king was an elevated balcony, occupied by the queen and the court. Sixty thousand federalists performed their evolutions in the intermediate space; and in the centre, upon a base twenty feet high, was elevated the altar of the country. Three hundred priests, with white surplices and tri-colored scarfs, were arranged at the four corners of the altar, at which the celebrated Talleyrand, then Bishop of Autun, in his pontifical robes, celebrated mass, amidst vocal and instrumental music, and the peals of cannon. To this imposing ceremony, succeeded profound silence throughout the vast enclosure. Lafayette, dismounting from his horse, advanced as the first to take the civic oath. "He was carried (says Mignet) in the arms of grenadiers, to the altar of the country, in the midst of the acclamations of the people. He then, in an elevated voice, in his own name, in the name of the troops, and of the federates, spoke as follows: We swear to be faithful to the nation, to the law, and to the king; and to maintain with all our power the constitution decreed by the National Assembly and accepted by the king; and to remain united to all Frenchmen, by the indissoluble ties of fraternity.' Discharges of artillery, shouts of Long live the nation!' 'Long live the king!' the clashing of arms, the sounds of music, instantly mingled in one unanimous and prolonged cadence. The President of the Assembly took the same oath, and all the deputies repeated it at the same time. Louis XVI then rising, 'I,' said he, the King of France, swear to employ all the powers delegated to me by the constitutional act of the state, to maintain the constitution decreed by the National Assembly, and accepted by me." The queen being then led forward, and raising the Dauphin in her arms, and showing him to the people, said, Here is my son; he unites with me in the same sentiments.' At the same instant the banners were lowered, the acclamations of the people were heard in one loud and prolonged shout. Subjects believed in the sincerity of the monarch, and the monarch in the attachment of his subjects; and this happy day was terminated by a solemn chant of thanksgiving. The next day Lafayette reviewed the national guards of the departments who were present, and a part of the army of the line. The king and queen attended. Sixty thousand men were under arms, and presented a magnificent and imposing spectacle, at once military and national. The enthusiasm manifested on that occasion, and the previous day, indicated that the wish that the command of the whole national guards of the kingdom should be conferred on Lafayette, had not been abandoned. This induced Lafayette, in his address to the confederates, to use the following admonitory language: "Let not ambition take possession of you love the friends of the people; but reserve blind submission for the law, and enthusiasm for liberty. Pardon this advice, gentlemen: you have given me the glorious right to offer it, when, by loading me with every species of favor which one of your brothers could receive from you, my heart, amidst its delightful emotions, cannot repress a feeling of fear.” On taking leave of Lafayette, the deputations, who had come with the design of conferring upon him the chief command, spoke as follows: "The deputies of the national guards of France retire, with the regret of not being able to nominate you their chief. They respect the constitutional law, though it checks at this moment the impulse of their hearts. A circumstance which must cover you with immortal glory, is, that you yourself promoted the law; that you yourself prescribed bounds to our gratitude." CHAPTER XXIV. Empty pageant and professions-The factions-Lafayette endeavors to reconcile them-Counter disturbances-Lafayette suppresses them-His true position -Death of Mirabeau-Danger and duplicity of the king-Royal family escape-Lafayette blamed by the populace-Vindication-Is offered and rejects the vacant throneThe King arrested at Varennes and brought back to Paris-Lafayette receives and protects the royal family-The king suspendedLafayette responsible for his safe custody-The Jacobins demand a republic-Mob in the Champ-de-Mars-Lafayette fires upon and suppresses it-The constitution completed-The king restoredLafayette resigns his commission-Retires to Chavagnac-Is defeated as candidate for Mayor of Paris-Is appointed a general of the army-Accepts-Reception at Paris-Repairs to Mentz-Letter to Gen. Washington-War declared-Reign of Terror approaches -Lafayette remonstrates to the Assembly-His appeal comes too late-Insurrection of the 20th June. THE Solemn festival was ended. The national pageant passed away. And how soon were the royal oaths, the patriotic protestations, sworn upon the altar of the country, forgotten! Of those high functionaries, who thus solemnly pledged themselves before heaven and in the face of the nation, few besides Lafayette remained faithful. On the one hand, the club of the Jacobins, which afterwards established the Reign of Terror, and deluged France in blood, began to exercise a political influence. On the other, the court and the nobles continued their intrigues, and aggravated and encouraged the popular excesses, for the purpose of effecting a counter-revolution. To neither of these extremes was the constitution satisfactory. Their respective opinions of it, may be expressed in the language of Mirabeau : "For a monarchy, it was too democratic, and for a republic, there was a king too much." The difficulties of the period, and of his position, are thus stated by Lafayette, in a letter to Gen. Washington, dated August 26th, 1790. "We are disturbed with revolts among the regiments; and, as I am constantly attacked on both sides by the aris. tocratic and the factious parties, I do not know to which of the two we owe these insurrections. Our safeguard |