The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-17

which he could approve, his deep interest IN
France and profound attachment TO her wero
not shaken. He writes To Thomas pinCkncy:
II wish much. very much, the happiness Of this
inconstont PEOPLE. love them. | feel grateful
for their efforts in our cause, and | consider the
establishment OF q good Constitution here s the
principal means, under Divine Providence. of
extending the blessings of freedom to the many
millions Of my fellow men who gronn in bondage
OH the Continent OF Europe"
Prof. Hn2cn submits that this passage. lika
many another, shows that Morris was not nm
opponent OF the principles of revolution in
themselves; that in the special casc Of France
he believed that n revolution was desirable and
even necessary. and that, IL wisely conducted,
1t might lead to permanent Improvement. lie
believed that reform was demanded by the cxi.
Gcncics Of tho case. France, indeed. as he soon
came to think. rushed forward in the new path
too impetuously and too far; hut for q time he
saw reason to hope that, pcrCciving her error.
she might in tho future proceed more cautiously
and wisely. lie chung TO this hopc as long as 10
seemed possible that affairs might take a better
turn. Then he expressed repeatedly his sorrow
that a splendid opportunity for introducing .
better social and political order among men had
been lost, and perhaps forever.
1t will be remembered that the King, Louis
XVI, was bcheadcd on Jan. Il, 1893. Morris
wrote at the time to Jefferson: "Thc late King
OF this country has been publicly executed. IIp
died in a manner becoming his dignity. Mount
ing the scaffold, he expressed anew his forgive
ness OF those who prosecuted him, and n prayer
that his dcludcd people might be benefited by
his death. On the scaffold, he attempted to
speak, but the commanding officer, Santerre,
ordered the drums to beat. The King made two
unavailing efforts, but with tho same bad suo-
cess. The cNecutioncrs threw him down, and
were in such haste as to lot the axe fall before
he was properly placed. SO that he was man.
G.ed. . . = The greatest care was taken 10
prevent n concourse of people. This proves q
conviction that the majority was not favorable to
such a severe measure. In fact, the great mass
Of the people mourned the fate Of their unhappy
prince. l have seen grief such MS for the UNI
timely death of a beloved parent. Everything
wears an appearance OF solcmnity which is
awfully distressing" In a letter written some
what earlier, Morris expressed the belief that
not only was the Jacobin party determined 10
bring the King to the guillotine and able 10 CO.
cree the Girondists into a reluctant sanction Of
tho act, but that the monnrchical and aristo-
cratic parties themselves desired his death,
shock the national feeling. awaken their
ion. Thus he had become he adds. the
because he mad never, been the decided pa.
tron OF any one" This is, as Prof, H.zcn says.
" oNoi tiihN VIC" u NV IlttltT. Dul MOTIFS Wuu
in q position to know the truth. Another COM
ment on the subject, made at the time in a let
ter to jefferson. is worth quoting: ' To a person
the history Of human affairs. it Would .ecra
strange that the ihildcst monarch who ever
filled the French throne. one who Is precipitated
from 1t precisely because he would not adopt the
none could charge with u criminal act. should
be nroseGG,ed as one OF The most ne,arions
nsfSn,s tina. ' he. G tasTsa: & e 1"G s f""n;72 he i pr"sa.
cu,ed even to death; ) Yet, such !: The factn
became more aud more ditfirnlt and painful for
the American Minister, In his correspondence
ieetively with the ever.sh:ftins ANA varying
parties, To stand well with amy one OF them
would involve. he says such complete ahdiea.
That it would be wrong: The reisn Of arbitrary
arrested. in the, street, and not allowed TO pass
the barrier of the town. Servants of the GOV.
Of hiding there; He was insnlted by the Chair.
cd, demanded an apology. and received one. but,
as he wrote. the path of life in Paris was no
after the memorable 10th OF August. He writes
5laekeE. The PROSPECT is s't dIeadfhui Piaf Eater nnd
dangers are threatening. but, worst of all. is the
In short. he says, the fragment OF the pres
ent system is erected in a quaEmire." Tho rea-
Of the Girondists by the Jacobins is THAI
the former possessed only parole energy
wrote to President, Washington THE pres
emit Government is evidently a despot-
Convention now consists of only a part OF those
who were chosen to frame a constitution. These,
all power and have delegated The greater part
Of it to a Committee OF Safety. You will observe
that one Of the ordinary measures OF govern
mept is to send out commissions with unlimited
authority. They are invested with power to re-
ers in their places. This power as we'll as that
OF impriS3ning ON suspicion, is literally exer-
iishcd here to judge on general principIes,
gives un6orndcd scope TO arbitrary will. IL
the patriots that terror is the order Of the day"
Writing OF the September massacres. he says
that hundreds OF the best people of the country
their bodies thrown like dead dogs into the
fIEs5 h Sss that pf sS is. ,o Imrite in he adds; "f,9 Sn .
IN almost every countenance you can mark the
traces OF present woe and ofdismal forebodinE."
minated. and he proceeded slowly horneward.
spending several years by tho way in visiting
trlenus In different countries of Europe.
James Monroe represented the United States
in Paris from 1894 to 1897. Prof. Hazen devotes
some sixteen pages to extracts from his corre-
spondcncc. Monroe was an optimistic and almost
enthusiastic observer of the Revolution. We
shall here confne ourselves to noting that there
is no passage in his papers which indicates
that he anticipated tho breakdown OF tho
Constitution or the advent of q despot. Tho
keynote of his conclusions and expectations was
struck in his address to the Directory on pro.
scnting his letter of recall: II was a witness ia
a revolution in my own country: 1 was deeply
penetrated with its principles, which are the
same with those Of your Revolution; 1 saw.
too. its difficulties, and. remembering these
and the important services rendered us by
France upon that occasion, I have nartaken
with you in all the perilous and trying situa-
5 tionsin which you have been placed. It was nv
fortune to arrive among you in q moment OF
complicated danger from within and from with
, out: and it is with the most heartfelt s~atisfac-
l ton that. in taking my leave, l behold victory