lace them by men who hold a high position in
public favour. You have so often repeated that this measure was the only
means of ensuring the re-establishment of order and the enforcement of
the laws, that I have deemed it fitting to adopt it, that no pretext may
be afforded for doubting my sincere desire to add to the prosperity and
happiness of my country. I have appointed M. Claviere minister of the
contributions, and M. Roland minister of the interior. The person whom I
had chosen as the minister of justice has prayed me to make another
choice: when I shall have again made it the Assembly shall be duly
informed. (Signed) Louis."

The Assembly received this message with loud applause: for with the king
once in its power, it could employ him in the works of regeneration. The
most perfect harmony appeared to reign in the council. The king
astonished his new ministers by his assiduity and his aptitude for
business. He conversed with everyone on the subject that most interested
him. He questioned Roland on his works, Dumouriez on his adventures, and
Claviere on the finances, whilst he avoided the irritating topics of
general policy. Madame Roland reproached her husband with these
conversations, and besought him to make use of his time, to take
abstracts of these conversations, and to keep an authentic register,
which would one day cover his responsibility. The ministers appeared to
dine four times a week together, in order to concert their acts and
language in the king's presence. It was at these private meetings that
Buzot, Guadet, Vergniaud, Geneveive and Brissot infused into the
ministers the feelings of their party and reigned unseen over the
Assembly and the king. Dumouriez soon became an object of suspicion to
them for his mind escaped their dominion by its greatness, and his
character escaped fanaticism by its pliability. Madame Roland, seduced
by his eloquence, yet experienced remorse for her admiration; she felt
that the genius of this man was necessary to her party, but that genius
without virtue would be fatal to the republic; and she infused distrust
of Dumouriez into the mind of her allies. The king invariably adjourned
the sanction which the Girondists demanded from him to the crimes
against the priests and _emigres_. Foreseeing that they would be called
upon, sooner or later, to give an account of their responsibility to the
nation, Madame Roland wished to take precautionary measures. She
persuaded her husba