New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-22

abduct the King and so release him from me MINUS
of the Paris factions, or whether the conspiracy
was directed against his life, Miles does not ap-
pear TO have been at all certain. 1t was on
February 90, 1901, that this mysterious analr
occurred Lafayette and his troops had been
called away from the city by the necessity Of
holding in check a mob from the Fanbours ~
! Antoine. which had set out with the intention
Of DESTROYING the chateau of Nincennes, two
leagues from Paris Mr.. Miles thus describes
what followed At the time that public curiosity
was directed toward Vincennes, and while the
metropolis was in manner abandoned ny u"
rabble and regular troops a movement was Cd
| served in the Tuileres, where a man was seiZed
! in the apartment of the Dauphin with pohlard
! and pistols concealed; he is native or 81
! Domingo a Chevalcr of the Order of ST. Louis
! and very we'll known in Paris. The alarm oeca-
! stoned NAV be easily conceived There was Nttlc
| doubt but the odium of an attempt to aSsasslna'e
| the King would fall the most violent OF the
! democratic party and such rumor was instantly
! spread Toward dusk the royal apartments hHeu
| in a most astonishing manner. and number OF
faces appeared which, though familiar TO the
| officers and servants of the Court. could not DC
recornized on account of the disguise of shabby
| clothing The crowd became great toward
10 o'clock as to give much anxiety to the officer
! I'll.
whisperngs insinuations and assurance of the
group assembled. The pockets of these eXtraor-
dinary visitors were remarked TO be overcharged,
and one of the guards touching the vestmcnts
of a suspected individual felt pair of pistols
| which proved to be twenty inches long in the
! barrel This led TO n general search. and. of
|. course, TO much uproar and ndccency and rough
| usage 1t is worthy of observation that these
adventurous knights were boasting the moment
| before of their gaantry and resolution TO de IN
| defence of their sovereign. Both their language
! and looks changed instantly their persons being
! examined, and it discovered that many
members Of the National Assembly. a Marcchal OF
! France. and cordonsbcu, were among the mum
Der searched The first of these insisted on an
| exemption from the ceremony and disgrace, on the
| plea that their persons were sacred; mt an
| affected disbelief of their assertions, accompanied
with much sarcasm and assurances that il was
| impossible that the representatives of the Nation
could degrade their character so much as 10 appear
in the royal apartments as assasSins, was followed
by blows and kicks. Of which the effects will
remain for some time They narrowly
searched and eghtv-two pairs Of pistols and
number of Italian stilcttocs. some Of which had
| three blades were thcrcupon seized
| There is much more Of it. but we have quoted
| enough to show the character Of the affair ~
doubt if was one Of those ill-planncd and bundor-
! irg attempts which the aristocrats were per
| petually contriving. 70 carry off the King. In
| any case. as Miles points out. II would have hacn
| impracticabe They could not" he SAYS have
! gone ton leagues from Paris without being stopped
| The whole country is in a state of alarm Tn"
! Jacobns have established a correspondence from
| the Pyrenecs to the Rlirc. and ?91 different clubs
of the same kind, ard for the same purpose in
/ std
with them. and are in daily communication.
| The interchange Of thoucht is so immediate and
universal that the whole country resembles the
whispering gallery Of st. Paul's Cathclrll-all is
| known in almost the same breath and the sam"
| instant that it is uttered" Tho opinion formed
| by Miles of the ariStocracv of the old regime i
set down with uncOmprOmsing severity. They
| have he declares. "neither talent, virtue, nor
courage; nor is there about The person Of the hap
| less monarch an individual who would rot desert
him if lie could thereby acquire the popularity
| Of Mirabeau or De Lafayette The spirit Of low
| and profoatc intrigue. in which pnrenteg" friend
ship. truth and honor are sold, hartcrcd or s1cr-
feed 10 personal interest or favor. rcigrs rs much
as ever: all is as much ever ESPIONAGE ct
| trahson'" When il was proposed ~ conli-ca'c
| the property of the cmicrants. however Mile
acclaimed lin the Jacobin Club against the
injustice and barbarity OF the measure: and he
was Joined by Mirabeau, who in the Assembly
defeated the proposal for the moment. Nj Miles
heard Mirabeau speak this occasion. and he
says: Never did man defend good cause 50
i'll. Mirabeau is 10 orator, and yet lac has TIC
impudcncc to compare himself to Mr.. Fox. The
dcnuncaton lof Mirabeau by the Lameths and
DuporU lasted full two hours ! him ascend
the tribune dismaycd and terrified. never heard
a man speak badly in my lie. In wee lac IS
eloquent; In tie cause OF virtue and Of justice
he was abashed. because lie not at home
lie spoke only ten minutes, and hall the TING
was consumed in lulsome and disnonorah,c
panegyric Oh the zeal and patriotism o. his
accusers."
II was evident that on this occasion Mirabca't
was out of coTdtiOn, for there remains too much
testimony 10 the commences and power OF ms
oratory for il TO be doubted that he possessed t'H
eift of eloquence. OF Danton Miles at one time
4. was inclined 10 thinS highly, and be recO9nH..
IN RObespierrP qualities which Ice thought would
carry him far. This they certainly, did; thou2,'
not exactly in the direction Of the observers
anticpatiOns. There is Ia Milcss comments ddr-
ing tie worst period Of the Revolution an appar-
ent disposition 10 treat those excuses with .
lenicncy apt t. be misunderstood Nc one Wa-
more Mortified by the ATROCITIES Of the Terror than
he, but he looked beyond them, pcrccl~td u"
impo,sibity of stopping The now OF the current
; and as a practical man addressed himself TO tho
future, when the present became wholly lntIacl-
able. lie continued % labor for peace, now taking
fresh courage from pass NJ Indications no" CIV.
ing way to dcsp0ndcnry. Driven from France al
last, and finding IL no LONGER possible - folio"
his old chief, Pitt. he retired TO country resi-
dcucp and there for many year, kept up a lively
and extensive correspondence, occasionally launch
ing pamphlets or letters to the newspapers ON
current questions Of state. He had a very sane
and sound Judgment in general and Ill his writ
ineS are characterized by n hish-mndcd and dis
interested concern for tnc people oi both tc
countries in which he took 80 deep III interest,"
His independence prevented hnn rom becoming a
strong partisan lie would not Ia Ike onice leS'
he should be called HpOn 20 surrender or do We"
!cnce to his cnvctons. IL short, he was sturdy
somewhat opnOnoted. but pure, unfelfisn and
p honest gentleman. His correspondence l. no.
marked BY literary brillianCy, but il Is lucid II
holds 10 high ethical standards IT is full Of IL
tellisence and it casts new light in many resp2c'
upon II. SO phases of the Frcnch Rcy0lnton WHICH
have escaped the vigilance Of the historians.