name of the French nation, and in virtue of the powers delegated to him by the constitution.

of prefent circumstances requires that I fhould rather be folicitous to preferve an agreement in our fentiments than conftitutionally to difcufs my rights. I ought, therefore, to make known to you that I have demanded of the Emperor, more than a fortnight fince, a pofitive explanation on the principal articles which are the object of your

III, The King fhall be invited to declare to the Emperor, that in cafe he fhall, before the 1ft of May next, fail to give full and entire fatisfaction upon all the points above, ftated, his filence, as well as every evafive or dilatory anfwer, will be confidered as a declaration of war.

IV. The King fhall be invited to adopt the most efficacious meafuros to put the troops in ftate to take the field upon the first orders they may receive.

On the 28th of January the King fent the following Anfwer to the Affembly.

I HAVE examined, gentlemen, the invitation, in the form of a decree, which you caufed to be prefented to me on the 15th of the prefent month. It is to me alone that appertains the right of preferving foreign connexions, or conducting negotiations; nor can the legiflative body deliberate upon war, but on a formal and neceflary propofition from me.

Without doubt, you may demand of me to take into confideration whatever interefts the national fafety and dignity; but the form which you have adopted is fufceptible of important obfervations. I will not now develope them. The weight

wards him that decorum which is reciprocally due between powers.

Should we have a war, let us not have to reproach ourselves with any wrong which might have provoked it. A certainty of this can alone affift us to fupport the inevitable evils it brings with it.

I know it is glorious for me to fpeak in the name of a nation which difplays fo much courage, and I know how to put a value on this immenfe means of ftrength. But what more fincere proof can I give of my attachment to the conftitution, than that of afting with as much mildnefs in negotiation as celerity in our preparations, which will permit us, fhould neceffity require it, to enter into a campaign within fix weeks. The moft uneafy diftruft can find in this conduct only the union of all my duties.

I remind the Affembly, that humanity forbids the mixture of any movement of enthusiasm in the decifion for war. Such a determination fhould be the act of mature reflection; for it is to pronounce, in the name of the country, that her interefts require her to facrifice a great number of her children.

I am nevertheless awake to the honour and fafety of the nation, and I will haften, with all my power, that moment, when I can in

form

Majefty fhall make to the conduct which is due from me to the great interefts of the French nation-to its glory, and to the fafety of the anfortunate victims of that war with which a powerful combination threatens France. Your Majefty cannot doubt that I freely and voluntarily accepted the conftitution. -I have fworn to maintain it-my repofe and my honour are infeparably connected with it-my fate is linked with that of the nation, whofe hereditary reprefentative I am, and which, in fpite of the calumnies thrown out against it, merits, and fhall always poffefs, the efteem of all nations.

The French have fworn to live free, or to die.—I am pledged by the fame oath.

The Sieur de Maulde, whom I fend as Ambaffador Extraordinary to your Majesty, will explain to you le means to avert thofe calamities of war which threaten Europe. With these sentiments I remain

how much fuch an alarm might prove offenfive to the French people.. Europe is in peace; and certainly the French who remain faithful to their country and their King, will not deferve the reproach of having difturbed its repofe. Befides, who could believe that the French would violate the rights of nations and the faith of treaties, by confidering as enemies thofe men against whom war had not been folemnly declared?-French loyalty repels with indignation a fufpicion repugnant to propriety. He is, never. thelefs, aware, that perfidious fuggeftions, that manoeuvres adroitly concerted, may occafion fome differences between the inhabitants or the troops of the respective frontiers, and that inconfiderate provocations may be productive of acts truly hoftile.-But to fruftrate thefe manævres it is fufficient to point them out. The King therefore recommends to the administrative bodies, and to the generals, to employ all their efforts to prevent the effects of the means which may be employed to irritate the impatience of the people, and the ardour of the army. Frenchmen, in the prefent momentous crifis, it depends upon you to give a memorable example to Europe; ftrong in the goodness of your caufe, proud of your liberty, let your moderation, and your fub, miffion to the law, make you refpected by your enemies. Know, that to wait the fignal of the law is in you a duty; that to anticipate it will be a crime. The King, in the name of the French nation, arms at a fatisfaction which has equally for its object juftice, the right of nati-ons, and the intereft of all Europe. If the King has made warlike pre parations, it was because he forefaw

the

the poffibility of a refufal; and it was his duty to put himself in a ftate to overcome an unjuft refiftance. But his Majefty does not yet defpair of the fuccefs of his reprefentations:- he has renewed them, he follows them up with energy, and he has reafon to believe that more precife explanations will occafion more juft difpofitions. Thofe, therefore, who fhall dare to disturb the caufe of negotiations by precipitate fteps, by private attacks, fhall be confidered as public enemies, odious to all the people, and obnoxious to all the laws in confequence. The King orders and enjoins the administrative bodies, the general officers, and commanders of the national and regular troops, to watch with the greateft attention, that all foreign territory may be inviolably refpected; to give equal attention that all ftrangers who may be found in France, of what nation foever, may enjoy there all the rights of hofpitality, and the protection of the laws while conforming to them. Laftly, To take the most efficacious measures to prevent any altercation taking place between the inhabitants or the troops on the refpective frontiers and to quiet them fpeedily, if they fhould take place. His Majesty enjoins all adminiftrative bodies to reprefs with all their power, and to caufe to be profecuted, all thofe who may act contrary to the laws, or difturb public tranquillity. His Majefty befides orders, that this proclamation fhall be printed, publifhed, and ftuck up throughout the kingdom.

Done in the Council of State held
at Paris the 4th of January, 1792.
(Signed)
LOUIS.
(Counterfigned) B. C. CAHIER.

Sire,

When you took an oath of fidelity to the conftitution, you became the object of the hatred of the enemies of liberty. No natural tie could ftop-no motive of alliance, of neighbourhood, of propriety, could prevent their enmity. Your ancient allies erafed your name out of the lift of defpots, and from that moment they forgot your Majefty's fidelity. The emigrants, rebels to the laws of their country, are gone beyond the frontiers to prepare a guilty aggreffion against France. They with to carry into its bofom fire and fword. Their rage would have been impotent, if the foreign princes had not feconded and encouraged their criminal manoeuvres. The house of Auftria has done every thing to encourage their audacity: the houfe of Auftria, who, fince the treaty of 1756, has found us good and faithful allies! This treaty, Sir, fubjected us to the ambitious views of this houfe. She engaged us in all her wars, to which the called us as her allies. We have been prodigal of our blood in the

cruel

cruel tragedies of defpotifm. The inftant that the house of Auftria faw the could no longer govern us for her purposes, it was then that the became our enemy.

It was Auftria that had ftirred up against France the reftlefs northern potentate, whofe tyrannical phrenzy had at laft made him fall under the fword of an affaffin. It was Auftria, who in office, of which Europe fhall judge, advifed one party of Frenchmen to take up arms against the other. The note of the court of Vienna, of the 18th of February, was in truth a declaration of war: M. Kaunitz there avows the league of the powers against France. The death of Leopold ought to have made fome change in this reftlefs and ambitious fyftem; but we have seen the con

trarv.

The note of the 18th of March is the ultimatum of the court of Vienna. This note is more provoking ftill than the former. The King of Hungary wishes that we fhould fubmit our conftitution to his revifion; and he does not in any degree diffemble the project of arming Frenchmen againft French

men.

Sire, continues the minifter, in charging me with the adminiftration of foreign affairs, you have imposed on me the telling of you the truth: I proceed to tell you the truth. It refults from this meature, that the treaty of 1756 is broken in fact on the fide of Auftria; that the maintenance of a league of the powers is an act of hofility againt France; and that you ought this inftant to order M. Noailles, your ambaffador, to quit the court of Vienna, without taking leave.Sire, the Auftrian

troops are on their march-the camps are marked out-fortreffes are building. The nation, by its oath, on the 14th of July, has declared, that any man who fhall accede to an unconftitutional negotiation, is a traitor. The delay granted to Auftria is expired-your honour is attacked — the nation is infulted; therefore, there remains for you no other part to take, but to make to the National Affembly the formal propofition of war against the King of Bohemia and Hungary.

[The minifter having read this minute, the King then refumed his fpeech.]

You have heard, Meffieurs, the deliberation and the decifion of my council. I adopt their determination. It is conformable to the wish, many times expreffed, of the National Affembly, and to that which has been addreffed to me by many diftricts of France. It appears to me to be the wifh of all the French people. Frenchmen prefer war to a ruinous anxiety, and to an humiliating ftate, which compromifes our conftitution and our dignity. I have done every thing to avert war- but I judge it indifpenfable; I come, therefore, in the terms of our conftitution, "to propofe to you formally to declare war against the King of Bohemia and Hun gary."

The Prefident anfwered,
Sire,

THE Affembly will proceed to deliberate on the great propofition which your Majefty has made to them. They will addrefs to you, by a meffage, the refult of their deliberation.

Decrea