Gazette Of The United States

This morning the capital was on the point of being a scene of confusion and bloodshed—on account of the populace receiving information that there were a large quantity of arms concealed in the King's Palace; they had assembled in vast numbers in the Faubourg St. Antoine, &c. but the virtuous Petion arriving and assuring them to the contrary, they dispersed without any bad consequences.

The present plan of the Jacobins adopted in their cavern on the 25th ult. is as follows:

I. To suspend the King. 2. To form an Executive Council instead of him. 3. To abolish the Civil List for ever, and that all the King's expenses and those of his family shall be defrayed by the National Treasury. The quantum to be fixed every year by the National Assembly. Those accounts to be published yearly. That this plan be sent, not to the 83 Departments as was at first intended, but to the 44,000 Municipalities of the kingdom.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, July 24.

M. Montequieu appeared at the bar. He plainly informed the august Diet, that the King of Sardinia has 70,000 troops ready to march, who receive war pay. M. Montequieu said that his army consisted of only 94 battalions for the defence of all the Southern Departments, and that 32 battalions only could be employed in the campaign. M. Guerin said that he would denounce to all good citizens any man who should maintain that the King ought not to be deposed.—"Then you may denounce me," cried M. Boulanger.

Read a letter from the war minister, containing information that the Austrians are extending their lines at Bavay, with a view to intercept all communications with Maubeuge, that the towns threatened with an attack are fortifying night and day, and that M. Dillon has held a council of war at Valenciennes on the operations most proper to be adopted at this critical moment: that the fire has consumed in that town all the camp implements, and that some men have been arrested on suspicion of being incendiaries.

M. Duhame declaimed loudly against the treachery of the executive power.—Adjourned.

On the motion of the military committee it was decreed, that every commander of a fortified place, who shall surrender before a practicable breach is made in it, or without sustaining at least one assault, if there be an interior entrenchment, shall be punished with death. That fortified places being the property of the whole nation, in no case can the inhabitants or administrative bodies of such places require the commander to surrender, on pain of being treated as rebels and traitors to their country.

The following extraordinary case was referred by one of the criminal tribunals to the Assembly:

"A woman, two months gone with child, had run some melted lead into her husband's ear, who instantly expired. The culprit made the most ample confession, and excused herself by saying, that she loved her husband tenderly, but that she could not resist the inclinations of a woman in her situation.

"We have consulted the Faculty on this point, and they have unanimously declared, that the LONGINGS of a woman with child might be such as to induce her to commit so horrible a deed, without her own volition.

"We request the Assembly to direct us how to proceed upon this subject."

JULY 26.

The Assembly decreed, that a Legion composed entirely of foreigners, should be raised under the name of Legion Blanche Etrangers. It is to consist of 2622 men, of whom 500 are to be mounted on horseback.

M. Gaudet, in the name of the commission of public safety, presented the project of an address to the King, requesting him, "in the name of their common country, and from regard to his own interest, to banish from about his person, all those who are the objects of public mistrust, and the cause of the present alarming and dangerous activity."

M. Brissot then rose, and in a pathetic and eloquent speech, deprecated precipitation, which according to him would produce a civil war. He observed, that the King ought not to be tried, until all France should be convinced of his perfidy. He concluded by moving: 1st, That the committee should bring in a report concerning those cases in which a Sovereign might be considered as having abdicated his Royalty: and 2dly, Whether an abdication had now really taken place? He recommended an address to the nation.

Mr. Arena moved that the late ministry be punished, without excepting one individual, as being guilty of having betrayed the nation.