The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-08-21

Ried Win his Studies the exercises Of q uiiitar,
life. formed his body to fatigue, at tho same Tim,
that he fashioned his mind to lofty ideas; equal
ly skilled In handling a sword, and daring il
subduing horse"
Lsmartine's history has called ont let,e,
from Mr.. GEoRcr SUMNER. of Boston, correct,
ing certain errors into which he has fallen abou,
this country. The first relates to Thomas Psine
II Is thus stated by Mr.. Sumner:
ain the 18th volume Of the Girondns. liy. %
chaps. vi. and VII, you give fragment Of a
letter written TO the convention by the Depu,y
Of Calais, Thomas Payne, in which he urges
the necessity Of bringing LOUIS XVI. to iudr
| meni, ano YOU continuc :-"Such were the
terms Ia which the voice Of America, epfr,n.
| chiscd by Louis XVI, echoed in the pri,an n,
Louis XVI! An American--a Citizen, s,rs
demanded, Ii not the head, at least the igno-
miny Of the King who had covered with French
bayonets the cradle Of his coun,ry's liberty.
Ingratitude expressed itself in outrage. :.
| Payne had been treated with all attention an
kindness BY the King, during his mission 10
| Paris, to ask the aid Of France in favor o;
America Lonis XVI. had MADE a presen, o.
six millions TO the young Republic; ana it was
| in tire hands OF Franklin and Payne that the
| gift of the King WINS deposited. The last
| man on earth 10 show hatred 20 Louis XVI
| should have been the Apostle of America ana
| the friend Of frankn."
81. 1, difficult TO understand how or when the
Eng ish man Payne became the "Apost,e Of
| America tie did, indeed, live some time in
| America, and was naturalizsd thcrc--as he was
afterwards in France-but he was never sen,
apon any mission, nor did he ever have any en-
picyneut under the authority Of, or In connec.
| ton with the American Government, except
! that OF Clerk in the Bureau in one of the Com
| mitiees IF Concress--which post, after n few
months OCT upation, he was glad to resign, ia
| order 20 prevent removal for misconduct. The
Commission VIZ sent from the United States to so
| icit the aid and alliance Of France, during the
var OF Independence, were Franklin, Deane.
and Lee; ani IL was TO them that the sums Of
! fered by Louis XVI. as a doa grotuif and nc
cePted az a lean from the government of France,
were paid. All the documents and correspon-
| iencc relative To this negotiation have been
| printed either in the "Secret Journals Of Con-
gress,' or in the diplomatic Correspondence
of the Revolution" II volumes, published By
| order of the q Government. These works have
| At Your disposition, and they will show Won tina,
Payne had 10 part in this, Or ia any other
diplomatic transaction of the United States.
Thomas Payne tried to save the life of Louis
XVI. letter ia quoted TO prove this. He
recommended the United States as a place where
he would be s,fe from assault, and in no position
to DO harm. "There. far away from the mise
res and crimes Of royal lifc,'' saye Payne. "hc
VIII learn by the constant spectacle Of public
Prosperity, tiat tho true system Of q ovcrnment
isnot that of kings. but thst Of representatives
Mr.. Sumner goes fally into details. We sub
DIN portion Of his letter, a. alike interesting
for the information II gives. and IN. manner in
which il is conveyed.
! you will, air. upon further examination a, be-
come convinced, believe, that the man whom
| you designate a. the Apostle Of America hal
| nothing in his position or character TO Justify
! that title. Permit me to say. further. that NJ
voice of unhindness towards Louis WI. ever
| came from the United States. All that could
be done in his behalf was done. The sympathy
So universally felt for him in America, was
| shown in the conduct of the MiRister Penpo-
Tertiary of the United States TO Frsnce-Gouv-
erneur Morris-who did not hesitate to COM
promise, not only mis- own personal safety, hut
the diplomatic relations of the two cou al ries. 7
order 10 save poor Louis XVI. from ,he sad fate
| which Morris ioresaw awaited him. While the
tri,l was going on, efforts were made by him.
with several members of the Convention, to Sc
cure the lie of the King and his passage 10 Am
| erica Before the events of the l0th August.
Morris was in frequent consultation with Louis
XVI: he had counseilei the King 10 1ui, Paris,
ana the arrangements for his flight were con-
certed at the American Legation. Towards the
end of July, 1892, Louis XVI. deposited with
| Morris certain private papers, and money to the
| amount Of rs 100 iiyres tournois. The events
| OF the 10Th August put an end 10 the plan Of
! iight, and on II al dav, VI. de Moncel Bremond
and others concerned in it. together with the
Count q Estainr, took refuge in the Hotel OF the
! American Legation. "Whctber my house viii
| be protection to yon or me- said Morris,
| "God only knows !; bat such refuge "a i affords
you shall have, let what will 5eii me- Part Of
the funds Deposited By Louis NNI. were en-
| poyed 10 save from the mass@cre5 of September
/ and TO aid the escape of persons compromise )
/ by their attachment to the King. An exact
| note of these Ills bu rsements was kept by Nor
ris, and the moment that his mission 20 Paris
was ended, he went TO Vienna, TO render 20 Ma
dame Royal, tn. oaurhter Of Louis XVI, now
Duchess CT Angoulemc an account of his trust
and TO pay over 10 her the sum which remained
| in his hands.
You speak OF the gift Of six million livres
| made BY Louis XVI. to the L nitei States. Fer
! nit me. sir, 10 draw your attention 10 certain
facts which have a bearing upon this assertion
| The whole amount advanced TO the United
States. by the Court Of France, during tho wal
Of independence, was eighteen million livres.-
Part of this was generously offered as don grs'
| fHit, but it was accepted only as loan, and by
the Convention between Count Nergennes and
Franklin, signed on the 10th July, l1S2, Ia copy
| of which have At your service il was agreed
that interes. at FIVE per cent. should be paid OF
il from the day Of the conclusion of Peace
| The French Government became responsible,
ALSO for other debts of the piied States, con
tracted in Holland and elsewhere, amounting Il
| sixteen million ivrcs, so that the whole Anleri
can debt 10 France, at the CONNIE ncement o
| lisa. was thirty-four million livres tournois.-
Most Of this bore interest al FIVE per cent, anI
vas to be repaid At intervals, after delay OF
twelve years. A. the close Of l1s9, Nccker
being sorely pressed for money. made indircc
propositions 10 III, American Government fo
an immediate repayment Of this loan, at 4 grea
discount These propositions were not accept
ed. "Jus;ice and honor require" said Wash
; ngton, then President, "thai our deb, to franc
should be fully paid, aud tina; we should in no
wise profit by the temporary embarrassment o
. her finances
"A law of Congress was Immediately passed
appropriating money and authorizing u new
|, loan in Holland. for the early acquittsl of rhi
sacred debt. The repayments were commence
!, on the Sd Of December, 1891, and before ih
events of the 10th August, 1871 $50 livres ha
besn paid. On the 10th August, further pay
ment Of six millions was to have been made a
81 Amsterdam, but the bankers of the srenc,
. Government, Mcssrs Hognen, Grand X Go
A refused 10 receive any sums to the credit q
Louis XVI, declaring that their account wa
4 with the Executive Council alone. Under thes
circumstances, the Minister of the Unit,
States TO Holland. Hr. Short, deferred The pay
ment. The endeavor Of tse American agent I
Il L