showed that the republican
allusion of Bazire had been comprehended, and that above all, it was
necessary to remove a king and generals whose fidelity was suspected.
"No, no," returned Mailhe, "do not lose an hour in decreeing the liberty
of the whole world." "Extinguish the torches of your disagreements in
the blaze of your cannon, and the glitter of your bayonets," added
Dubayet. "Let the report be made instantly," demanded Brissot. "Declare
war against kings, and peace to all nations," cried Merlin. The war was
voted.

Condorcet, who had been informed already of this by the Girondists of
the council, read in the tribune a proposed manifesto to the nations.
The following was its substance: "Every nation has the right of giving
itself laws, and of altering them at pleasure. The French nation had
every reason to believe that these simple truths would obtain the assent
of all princes. This hope has not been fulfilled. A league has been
formed against its independence; and never did the pride of thrones more
audaciously insult the majesty of nations. The motives alleged by
despots against France are but an outrage to her liberty. This insulting
pride, far from intimidating her, serves only to excite her courage. It
requires time to discipline the slaves of despotism; every man is a
soldier when he combats against tyranny."

VIII.

But the principal orator of the Gironde mounted the tribune the last.
"You owe it to the nation," said Vergniaud, "to employ every means to
assure the success of the great and terrible determination by which you
have signalised this memorable day. Remember the hour of that general
federation when all Frenchmen devoted their life to the defence of
liberty and the constitution. Remember the oath which you have taken on
the 14th of January, to bury yourselves beneath the ruins of the temple
rather than consent to a capitulation, or to the least modification in
the constitution. Where is the icy heart that does not palpitate in
these important moments--the grovelling soul that does not elevate
itself (I venture to utter the words) to heaven amidst these
acclamations of universal joy; the apathetic man who does not feel his
whole being penetrated and his forces raised by a noble enthusiasm far
above the common force of the human race? Give to France, to Europe,
the imposing spectacle of these national fetes. Reanimate that energy
before which the Bastille fell. Let every part of the empire resou