Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Foreign News
January 18, 1804
Alexandria Daily Advertiser
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
Extract of a 1792 letter from Louis XVI to his brother (future Louis XVIII), describing a radical proposal by M. De Rivarol to wear the Jacobins' red cap to counter revolutionaries, which the king rejects on grounds of religion, honor, and dignity.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
LOUIS XVI.
Extract of a letter from the late unfortunate King of France, written to his brother (now Louis 18th) in 1792.
M. De Rivarol, whose talents are precious at home, and whose zeal is persevering, made to me yesterday a most singular proposition, and which perhaps any other person than myself would adopt:
"I have meditated," said he on your situation; have weighed the chances for and against you, and think I know the character of the French sufficiently to advise you to take advantage of the folly of the day in a manner which will triple your power. Since the Jacobins will destroy every thing only to reign, go boldly to the society itself; place upon your royal brow the red cap, in the name of which they command; you have the birthright of authority. The astonishment, the phrensy, which so extraordinary a step will excite, will incontestably baffle all the criminal designs of your enemies: it will naturalize you, & strike dumb the band of conspirators." Such, my dear brother, is, in substance, one of those thousand and one plans, proposed to me by the zeal of the friends to the monarchy, in order to struggle with the monster who is on the eve of devouring France. You will feel that my religion, my honor, the dignity of the crown, and my tenderness for my family, will oppose my adopting a plan which would render me a spectacle in the eye of Europe.
Extract of a letter from the late unfortunate King of France, written to his brother (now Louis 18th) in 1792.
M. De Rivarol, whose talents are precious at home, and whose zeal is persevering, made to me yesterday a most singular proposition, and which perhaps any other person than myself would adopt:
"I have meditated," said he on your situation; have weighed the chances for and against you, and think I know the character of the French sufficiently to advise you to take advantage of the folly of the day in a manner which will triple your power. Since the Jacobins will destroy every thing only to reign, go boldly to the society itself; place upon your royal brow the red cap, in the name of which they command; you have the birthright of authority. The astonishment, the phrensy, which so extraordinary a step will excite, will incontestably baffle all the criminal designs of your enemies: it will naturalize you, & strike dumb the band of conspirators." Such, my dear brother, is, in substance, one of those thousand and one plans, proposed to me by the zeal of the friends to the monarchy, in order to struggle with the monster who is on the eve of devouring France. You will feel that my religion, my honor, the dignity of the crown, and my tenderness for my family, will oppose my adopting a plan which would render me a spectacle in the eye of Europe.
What sub-type of article is it?
Political
Royal Event
What keywords are associated?
Louis Xvi Letter
French Revolution
Jacobins
Red Cap
Monarchy Proposal
What entities or persons were involved?
Louis Xvi
Louis Xviii
M. De Rivarol
Where did it happen?
France
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
France
Event Date
1792
Key Persons
Louis Xvi
Louis Xviii
M. De Rivarol
Outcome
louis xvi rejects the proposal due to religion, honor, crown dignity, and family tenderness.
Event Details
In a letter to his brother, Louis XVI recounts a proposition from M. De Rivarol to wear the Jacobins' red cap to exploit revolutionary fervor and neutralize enemies, but declines it as it would make him a spectacle in Europe.