, and by assuring the majority to his proposition for the non
re-election of the members of the National Assembly to the Legislative
Assembly, it sanctioned the convention. The royalists took away the
weight of one great opinion from the balance, which consequently then
leaned towards the disorders that ensued, and which in their progress
carried off the head of the king and their own heads. A great opinion
never lays down its arms with impunity for its country.

VI.

The Jacobins perceived this great error, and rejoiced at it. On seeing
so large a body of the supporters of the constitutional monarchy
withdraw from the contest voluntarily, they at once foresaw what they
might dare, and they dared it. Their sittings became more significant in
proportion as those of the Assembly grew more dull and impotent. The
words of "forfeiture" and "republic" were heard there for the first
time. Retracted at first, they were afterwards again pronounced: uttered
at first like blasphemies, they were not long in being familiar as
principles. Parties did not at first know what they themselves
desired--they learnt it from success. The daring broached distempered
ideas; if repulsed, the sagacious disavowed them--if caught up, the
leaders resumed them. In conflicts of opinions _reconnaissances_ are
employed, as they are in the campaigns of armies. The Jacobins were the
advanced guard of the Revolution, who measured the opposing obstacles of
the monarchical feeling.

The club of Cordeliers sent to the Jacobins a copy of a proposed address
to the National Assembly, in which the annihilation of royalty was
openly demanded.

"We are _free and without a king,_" said the Cordeliers, "as the day
after the taking of the Bastille; it is only for us to decide whether or
no we shall name another. We are of opinion that the nation should do
every thing by itself or by agents removable by her. We think, that the
more important an employ, the more temporary should be its tenure. We
think that royalty, and especially hereditary royalty, is incompatible
with liberty; we anticipate the crowd of opponents such a declaration
will create, but has not the declaration of rights produced as many? In
leaving his post the king virtually abdicated,--let us profit by the
occasion and our right--let us swear that France is a republic."

This address, read to the club of Jacobins on the 22d, at first excited
universal indignation. On the 23d, Danton mounted the