same. 'It
is impossible to submit to this,' said they,--'in concert with
Duport--we must quit France.' What! shall those who have been the
architects of the constitution undergo the mortification of witnessing
the downfall of the edifice they have reared, by this approaching system
of legislation? We shall be condemned to hear from the galleries of the
Assembly, some fool in the tribune attack our wisest enactments, which
we are denied the power of defending. Would to Heaven! that they would
quit France. Is it not enough to cause us to despise both the Assembly
and the people of Paris, when we see that the clue of this is, that the
supreme control was on the point of eluding the grasp of Lameth and La
Fayette, and that Duport and Barnave would not be again elected."

Petion, alarmed at these symptoms of discord, addressed the tribune of
the Jacobins in conciliatory terms--"You are lost" said he, "should the
members of the Assembly quit your party, and betake themselves _en
masse_ to the Feuillants. The empire of public opinion is deserting you;
and these countless affiliated societies, imbued with your spirit, will
sever the bonds of fraternity, and unite them to you. Forestall the
designs of your enemies. Publish an address to the affiliated societies,
and reassure them of your constitutional intentions; tell them that you
have been belied to them, and that you are no promoters of faction. Tell
them that far from wishing to disturb public tranquillity, your sole
design is to avert those troubles entailed on you by the king's
departure. Tell them that we submit to the rapid and imposing influence
of opinion, and that respect for the Assembly, fidelity to the
constitution, devotion to the cause of your country and of liberty, form
your principles." This address, dictated by the hypocrisy of fear, was
adopted and sent to all the societies in the kingdom. This measure was
followed by a remodelling of the Jacobins; the primitive nucleus alone
was suffered to remain, which re-organised the rest by the ballot over
which Petion presided.

On their side the Feuillants wrote to the patriotic societies of the
provinces, and for a brief space there was an interregnum of the
factions; but the societies of the provinces speedily declared _en
masse_, and with an almost unanimous and revolutionary enthusiasm, in
favour of the Jacobins.

"Free and sincere union with our brothers in Paris:" such was the
rallying cry of the clubs. Si