is regal functions; and the Legislative Assembly
invited the nation to elect an extraordinary Convention, with the full
powers which the conjuncture required. To this Convention the members
of the National Assembly were eligible; and Barere was chosen by his own
department.

The Convention met on the 21st of September 1792. The first proceedings
were unanimous. Royalty was abolished by acclamation. No objections
were made to this great change; and no reasons were assigned for it. For
certainly we cannot honour with the name of reasons such apophthegms,
as that kings are in the moral world what monsters are in the physical
world; and that the history of kings is the martyrology of nations. But,
though the discussion was worthy only of a debating club of schoolboys,
the resolution to which the Convention came seems to have been that
which sound policy dictated. In saying this, we do not mean to express
an opinion that a republic is, either in the abstract the best form of
government, or is, under ordinary circumstances, the form of government
best suited to the French people. Our own opinion is, that the best
governments which have ever existed in the world have been limited
monarchies; and that France, in particular, has never enjoyed so much
prosperity and freedom as under a limited monarchy. Nevertheless, we
approve of the vote of the Convention which abolished kingly government.
The interference of foreign powers had brought on a crisis which made
extraordinary measures necessary. Hereditary monarchy may be, and we
believe that it is, a very useful institution in a country like France.
And masts are very useful parts of a ship. But, if the ship is on her
beam-ends, it may be necessary to cut the masts away. When once she has
righted, she may come safe into port under jury rigging, and there
be completely repaired. But, in the meantime, she must be hacked with
unsparing hand, lest that which, under ordinary circumstances, is an
essential part of her fabric should, in her extreme distress, sink her
to the bottom. Even so there are political emergencies in which it is
necessary that governments should be mutilated of their fair proportions
for a time, lest they be cast away forever; and with such an emergency
the Convention had to deal. The first object of a good Frenchman should
have been to save France from the fate of Poland. The first requisite of
a government was entire devotion to the national cause. That requisite