A complete history of the Marquis de Lafayette, major-general in the American army in the war of the revolution. Embracing an account of his tour through the United States, to the time of his departure, September, 1825. By an officer in the late army.

186 HISTORY OF THE
ting by orders, or by poll, a question which soon involved
the national representatives in faction and dispute, Lafayette
held himself in reserve, and, although he fully united with
the unanimous voice of the three orders in favour of a constitution, liberty, the assumption of natural rights, and the
protection of the public treasure, and afterwards placed himself in the first rank in constitutional enterprises, he did not
then speak on the occasion.
After a long contest relative to the mode of voting, ana
after the states-general, at the termination of five weeks,
found themselves in the same inactive state as at first, the
tiers-etats, or commons, resolved to emerge from this criminal inactivity; to make a last effort for a union of the orders;
and, should that fail, to form themselves into an active assembly for the despatch of business, On the thirteenth of June,
they accordingly proceeded to the call of the deputies, including those of the privileged classes. Not one of the nobility appeared, and but three of the clergy: the latter were,
the next day, followed by five more of their brethren. At
length the deputies of the people, finding themselves supported by the public opinion, proceeded, on the seventeenth of
June, 1789, to the daring step of assuming to themselves the
legislative government; and, on that memorable day, they
announced themselves to the public by the since celebrated
denomination of the national assembly.i
We must now confine ourselves to those parts of the history of the French revolution, in which the marquis de Lafayette was a principal or conspicuous actor.
The sitting of eleventh July, 1789, drew the public attention still more particularly towards Lafayette, and from that
day, may be dated the immense power which he acquired.
It was on that day, that he addressed the constituent assembly, and proposed a declaration of rights, nearly similar to
that which the Americans placed at the head of their constitution, after conquering their'independence. The English,
* Hist. Revol. in France, vol. i. p. 56, 7.