South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-02-14

| ette look comparatively iitlie interest.
His views were more comprehensive.
The Assembly consisted Of one hum
bred and thirty seven persons, and
divided itself into seven sections or
bureaux, each presided by Prince Of
the blood. Lafayette was allotted to
the division under the Presidency OF
the Count d'Artois, The younger broth
er of the King, and since known as
Charles the Tenth. The propositions
made by Lafayette we're
| /. The suppression Of Le,tres de
Cachet, and the abolition Of all arbi-
,rary imprisonment.
| q. The establishment of religious
/ federation and the restoration Of the
Protestants to their civil rights.
8. The eonvoeation of a National
| Assembly, representing the People of
France-Personal Liberty Religious
Liberty-and Representative Assem-.
bly, Of the People. These we're his de-
mands.
The first and second Of them pre-
1 duced, perhaps, at the time, no deep
Impression upon the Assembly, nor
upon the public. Arbitrary impIison-
ment, and the religious prosecutions of
the Prolestants had become universally
odious. They were worn-ou, instru-
ments, even in the hands of those who
WELDED them. There was none TO de-
fend them.
But the demand for q National AS
sembIy startled the Prince al the head
1 ofthe Bureau. VIVA, said the Count
d'Artois, do you ask for the States
General : Yes, Sir, was the answer
Of Lafayette, and for something yet
better. You desire, then, replied the
Prince, that should take in writing,
and report to the King, that the motion.
to convoke the States General has been
made by the Marquis de Lafayette ,
eyes, Sir" and the name Of Lafayette
was accordingly reported TO the King.
The Assembly of NotabIes was dis
solved-De Calonne was displaced and
banished, and his successor undertook
to raise the needed funds, by the au.
| thority Of Royal Edicts. The war OF
litigation with the Parliaments recon-.
menced, which terminated only with a
positive promise that the States Gener-
al should be eonvoked.
From that time total revolution of
Government in France was in progress.
1t has been solemn, a sublime, often
a most painful, and yet, in the contem-
plation Of great results, refresipg and
cheering contemplation. cannot fol-
low il in its overwhelming multitude of
details, even as connected with the
/ Life and character of Lafayette. A
second Assembly Of Notables succeed
ed the first and then an Assembly of
the States General, first to deliberate in
separate orders of Clergy, Nobility,
and third Estate but, finally, consti-
tuting itself National Assembly, and
/ forming Constitution Of limited Mon
archy, with an hereditary Royal Exec
utive, and Legislature in a single
Assembly representing the people.
! Lafayette was member Of the
States General first assembled. Their
meeting was signalinsd by struggle
betw zen several orders Of which they
we're composed, which resulted in
breaking them all down into one Ma
tional Assembly.
| The cenvocation of the States Gen.
eral had, in one respect, operated in
the progress of the French Revolution,
like the Declaration Of independence
in that of North America. Ii had
changed the question in controversy.
1t was, on the part Of the king OF
France concession, that he had no
lawful power to tax the People without
their consent. The States General,
therefore, met with this admission al
ready conceded by the king. In the
American conflict the British Govern.
ment never yielded the concession.
They undertook 10 maintain their sup
posed right Of arbitrary taxation by
force and then the people Of the Col
onies renounced all community OF Co.
vernment, not only with the King and
Parliament but with the British Nation.
They reconstructed the fabric Of Gov.
eminent for themselves, and held the
people OF Britain as foreigners-friends
in peace-enemiss in war.
| The concession by Louis the Six
tenth implied in the convocation Of
the States General, was virtual sur
render of absolute power-an &C.
acknowledgement that, as exercised by
himself and his predecessors, it had
been usurped. 1t was, in substance,