u and from you: cease then for awhile to mistrust
us, condemn us afterwards if we have merited it; but first give us with
confidence the means of serving you."

Such words as these touched even the most prejudiced, and it was
unanimously voted that the speech should be printed, and sent to all the
departments. In order to cement the reconciliation of the king and the
nation, M. de Narbonne went to the committees of the Assembly,
communicated to them his plans, discussed his measures, and won over all
to his resolutions. This government in common was the spirit of the
constitution; the other ministers saw in this the abasement of the
executive power and an abdication of royalty, whilst M. de Narbonne saw
in it the sole means of winning back public feeling to the king. Opinion
had dethroned the royalty; it was to opinion that he looked to
strengthen it, and therefore he made himself the minister of public
opinion.

At the moment when the emperor sent to the king a communication
threatening the frontiers, and the king personally informed the Assembly
of the energetic measures he had adopted, M. de Narbonne, re-entering
the Assembly after the king's departure, mounted the tribune. "I am on
the eve of quitting Paris," said he, "in order to visit our frontiers;
not that I believe the mistrust felt by the soldiers for their officers
has any foundation, but because I hope to dissipate them by addressing
all in the name of their king and their country. I will say to the
officers, that ancient prejudices and an affection for their king
carried to an excess for a time, may have excused their conduct, but
that the word treason is unknown amongst nations of honourable men. To
the soldiers, your officers who remain at the head of the army are bound
by their oath and their honour to the Revolution. The safety of the
state depends on the discipline of the army. I confide my post to the
minister of foreign affairs, and such is my confidence, such should be
the confidence of the nation in his patriotism, that I take on myself
the responsibility of all the orders that he may give in my name." M. de
Narbonne displayed on this occasion as much skill as magnanimity; he
felt that he had sufficient credit with the nation to cover the
unpopularity of his colleague, M. de Lessart, already denounced by the
Girondists, and thus placed himself between them and their victim. The
Assembly was carried away by his enthusiasm; he obtained 20,000,000 of