before the Convention. Vice-President Clinton, at
that time Governor of New York, offered him an asylum in his house and the
hand of his daughter, and M. Genet established himself prosperously in
America.
When my brother quitted Versailles he was much hurt at being deprived of a
considerable income for having penned a memorial which his zeal alone had
dictated, and the importance of which was afterwards but too well
understood. I perceived from his correspondence that he inclined to some
of the new notions. He told me it was right he should no longer conceal
from me that he sided with the constitutional party; that the King had in
fact commanded it, having himself accepted the constitution; that he would
proceed firmly in that course, because in this case disingenuousness would
be fatal, and that he took that side of the question because he had had it
proved to him that the foreign powers would not serve the King's cause
without advancing pretensions prompted by long-standing interests, which
always would influence their councils; that he saw no salvation for the
King and Queen but from within France, and that he would serve the
constitutional King as he served him before the Revolution. And lastly,
he requested me to impart to the Queen the real sentiments of one of his
Majesty's agents at a foreign Court. I immediately went to the Queen and
gave her my brother's letter; she read it attentively, and said, "This is
the letter of a young man led astray by discontent and ambition; I know
you do not think as he does; do not fear that you will lose the confidence
of the King and myself." I offered to discontinue all correspondence with
my brother; she opposed that, saying it would be dangerous. I then
entreated she would permit me in future to show her my own and my
brother's letters, to which she consented. I wrote warmly to my brother
against the course he had adopted. I sent my letters by sure channels; he
answered me by the post, and no longer touched upon anything but family
affairs. Once only he informed me that if I should write to him
respecting the affairs of the day he would give me no answer. "Serve your
august mistress with the unbounded devotion which is due from you," said
he, "and let us each do our duty. I will only observe to you that at
Paris the fogs of the Seine often prevent people from seeing that immense
capital, even from the Pavilion of Flora, and I see it more clearly from
St. Petersbu
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