Gazette Of The United States

The National Assembly now seem alarmed at the situation of the kingdom, and begin to feel some of the effects of so much precipitation in its proceedings. In endeavoring to relieve the nation it has almost annihilated it, by sacrificing so many great interests to flatter the multitude. Supposing the aid of this necessary to operate a regeneration, it has fallen into a false and dangerous system of policy. It is here the destruction of royal authority, the privileges of the nobility, the destruction of the parliaments, and the despoiling of the clergy have been effected by the aid of the people, but these have been dearly paid for by the abolition of the Gabelle, the suspension of imposts, and the license and impunity given to crimes. The disordered state of their finances is such, that the Assembly, protected by the multitude, can no longer make that multitude a return of service and protection. On the first shock there must be a division between the Assembly and the people. The efforts of the latter are now confined to applause in favor of the partizans of assignats, and a few motions at the Palais Royal and the Tuilleries. The Duc d'Orleans' immense revenue is now reduced to 20,000 l. a year, and his influence to a nut-shell. So rapid and violent a degradation of fortune is hardly to be instanced in the history of mankind.