Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

pensions or salaries should be paid to those who Avere absent , and to those within the country none that exceeded 3 , 000 livres ; by the second , all pensions , salaries , clue previous to the 1 st January , 1790 , were referred to the Ameso , that is , they were

not to he paid till the Assembly had approved of the several demands . The first of the two decrees received the royal sanction on the 14 th of January , yet after that period the Prince de Conde , and the Due de Bourbonreceived if not in money

, at least in orders on the royal treasury which are negotiable , 300 , 000 livs . as part of money due to them on their Government . 390 , 000 livs . had also been paid to different persons , amongst which Avas a sum in money of 2655 livs . and orders to the

, amount of 27 , 0 C 0 livs . to the Due de Chatelet as part of the arrears due to him . Being Avithin the kingdom he was not liable to the first decree , and it appeared that the second had never received the

royal sanction . The Garde cles Sceaux qualified the delay on his part , by saying that as the decree regarded the finances , he waited till Neckar had taken his arrangements with the Committee of Finances . The debate finished by ordering the

names of all those good citizens Avho had thus obtained money or orders being made public , and a decree was passed that all decrees should be presented to the king within three days after they were given , and in ei ght clays after that time the Garde des Sceaux should signify the royal approbation , or the reason Avh y it was deferred .

The King ' s Ministers have twice brought him on the scene Avithin these feAV days , only to sheAv him his Avant of poAver , inflame the Democrates , and prove his dislike of their proceedings , when it is impossible he should derive any advantage from the one or the other . The decree relative

to the formation of the army Avas sent to the Assembly with the remark that the king had consented to it at the reiterated instances of the Assembly . The Democrates pretend that as it Avas a constitutional question ; the king had onl

y to accept , for his suspensive veto does not take place till the next legislature , and that during the present Assembly he had uo right to refuse any constitutional laAVs . The demand of Neckar for the formation

of a Bureau de Tresore , had been passed over in silence , because , determined not to grant , the Assembly Avould not openly refuse . The enclosed letter was yesterday sent by the king to the president , and although within the walls the Democrates preserved the appearance of respect , they exclaim loudly at the insolence and folly of such a letter .

These a ]) pearances of authority come too late ; there was a time Avhen an absolute refusal and a steady adherence to it would have perplexed the Assembly , and preserved some authority to the king , but the fear of a personal insult made him prefer the loss of all power , with the

preservation of apparent concurrence to an opposition which they dreaded , and Avhich they had not dared to prevent . The king , Avith all his Aveakness , with all his brutality , is possessed of an uncommon fund of knoAvledgeand a memory

, as extraordinary . A friend of M . de la Peyrouse told me that previous to his departure , the king had given him an audience of tAvo hours in Avhich his Majesty traced his voyage , mentioned every port he should touch at , every latitude

he should examine , ancl eA'ery precaution it was necessary to take , with all the exactness of a perfect geographer , and all the knoAvledge of an experienced sailor . The aristocratic leaders still maintain that his going to the Assembly on the

4 th of February , was only the act of a prisoner , AVIIO dares not refuse . It is true that on the night of the 3 rd all the enrages attended his Couchee , whether to intimidate or encourage I leave to others to determine .

The abolition of the Parliament has been so long expected , that the final bloAV does not seem likely to produce much effect . Dijou and Grenoble , the capitals of the two provinces most disaffected to the revolutions , are entirely ruined . It is in those provinces if anyAvhere that the Parliament will dare to resist .

The province of Nivemois is at present a prey to the troubles that have laid Avaste the rest of France . The King ' s Commissioners are gone to the different provinces to preside at the election of the administrators of

departments , and deliver into their hands Avhat yet remains of royal authority . The list of those to be named for this 2 A