stitution, which the Assembly had completed and adopted. This voluntary pledge of the king, gave rise to the adoption of a civick oath, by which the deputies, and each of the authorities throughout the kingdom, swore "to be faithful to the nation, to the law, and to the king, and to uphold with all his power the constitution decreed by the National Assembly, and accepted by the king." It was also determined to ob. serve the approaching 14th of July, the anniversary of the insurrection of the people, and the fall of the Bastile, and of the nation's deliverance, with suitable and imposing solemnities. A confederation of the whole realm was to take place in the Champ-de-Mars at Paris, and there, in the open air, deputies from the eighty-three departments, the depu ties of the Assembly, of the national guards at Paris, and throughout France, and the king in person, were to take the oath to the constitution. In the mean time, as preliminary to this patriotick festi. val, all that remained of empty privilege was abolished by decrees of the Assembly-all the hereditary titles of count, marquis, baron; armorial bearings, liveries, orders of chiv. alry. Lafayette had been the first to renounce these empty titles, as well as the privileges which were attached to them, although he was willing that any one who chose should re. tain the titles themselves. He was for the substance, while others pursued the shadow. At this eventful period, on the 11th of June, the death of Doctor Franklin was made known in France. The next morning, on the convening of the Assembly, Lafayette requested Mirabeau to preface a motion which he suggested, by some appropriate remarks. Mirabeau rose, and announced the event in a brief speech, of the most thrilling eloquence. This celebrated address, entirely unpremedita. ted, cannot be too often repeated in America. It was as follows: "FRANKLIN IS DEAD!" [A profound silence reigned throughout the hall.] "The genius, which gave freedom to America, and scattered torrents of light upon Europe, is returned to the bosom of the Divinity! "The sage, whom two worlds claim; the man, disputed by the history of the sciences and the history of empires, holds, most undoubt edly, an elevated rank among the human species. "Political cabinets have but too long notified the death of those who were never great but in their funeral orations; the etiquette of courts has but too long sanctioned hypocritical grief.-Nations ought only to mourn for their benefactors; the representatives of free men ought never to recommend any other than the heroes of humanity to their homage. "The Congress hath ordered a general mourning for one month throughout the fourteen confederated states, on account of the death of Franklin; and America hath thus acquitted her tribute of admira tion in behalf of one of the fathers of her constitution. "Would it not be worthy of you, fellow-legislators, to unite yourselves in this religious act, to particate in this homage rendered in the face of the universe to the rights of man, and to the philosopher who has so eminently propagated the conquest of them throughout the world? 66 Antiquity would have elevated altars to that mortal, who for the advantage of the human race, embracing both heaven and earth in his vast and extensive mind, knew how to subdue thunder and tyranny? 66 Enlightened and free, Europe at least owes its remembrance and its regret to one of the greatest men who has ever served the cause of philosophy and of liberty. “I propose, that a decree do now pass, enacting, that the National Assembly shall wear mourning during three days for Benjamin Franklin." Lafayette and Rochefoucault, simultaneously rose to second the motion. The decree passed, and the President was directed to write a letter of condolence on the occasion to the American Congress. This letter, dated June 20, 1790, contained the following paragraph: "May the Congress of the United States and the National Assembly of France be the first to furnish this fine spectacle [mutual liberty and amity,] to the world! And may the individuals of the two nations connect themselves by a mutual affection, worthy of the friendship which unites the two men, at this day most illustrious by their exertions for liberty, WASHINGTON and LAFAYETTE." Such was the estimation in which Lafayette was then held in France. Happy would it have been for the nation, had it continued to appreciate his worth, and to be governed by his examples and his counsels ! A rumour prevailed, that Lafayette was about to be appointed commandant of all the national guards of the king. dom. The court, unfriendly to, or distrustful of, Lafayette, pretended to be alarmed at this increase of his power. But, Lafayette was as disinterested as he was popular. He had no design of accepting a station which he had before and frequently refused. His ambition was of a more pure and noble character, than to aim at the possession or exercise of military despotism; although in his hands the command in question would have been unattended with either. To prevent all pretext of alarm or reproach, Lafayette at once proposed, that the same person should not command more than the guard of one department. The motion was carried by acclamations, and the disinterestedness of the general warmly applauded. Lafayette, however, was charged with the whole arrangements of the festival, and was appointed for that occasion Chief of the Federation, or Generalissimo, in his quality of commandant of the Parisian guards. The Champ-de-Mars, where the ceremonies were to take place, is a spacious area, on the left bank of the Seine, at the south-west extremity of the city. It was about half a mile in length and a quarter of a mile in breadth, slightly circling towards the river. The earth was to be removed from the centre to the sides, so as to form an amphitheatre, capable of containing an immense mass of spectators. In addition to twelve thousand labourers who had been em. ployed for weeks, the entire population of Paris volunteered to further the preparations. Females of the first families mingled in the labours, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. The 14th of July arrived. All the federal deputies of the provinces and the army, ranged under their chiefs and their banners, set out from the place of the Bastile. The procession passed through the principal streets of Paris, receiv. ing on their way the municipalities and the Assembly, and greeted with enthusiasm by the people, to the Champ-deMars. Lafayette, mounted on a superb white horse, and surrounded by his aids-de-camp, gave orders and conducted this immense procession, amidst the applause of the people. A French author (M. Ferrièras) states the following incident. "The perspiration trickled from his face. A man, whom nobody knew, pushed through the crowd, and advanced, holding a bottle in one hand, and a glass in the other. 'General,' said he, 'you are hot, take a glass.'— Raising his bottle, he filled a large glass and handed it to M. de Lafayette. The general took the glass, eyed the stranger for a moment, and drank off the wine at a draught. The people applauded, Lafayette, with a smile of complai.. |