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.

MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE. 269
fidelity, and proposed to the soldiers to swear anew to the con
stitution. A very large proportion refused, and it immediately became apparent, from the movements, both at
Paris and in the army, that he was no longer safe. His
adversaries, who were determined and interested to ruin
him, were his judges; and they belonged to a party, which
was never known to devote a victim without consummating
the sacrifice. It was not long before Brissot prepared to
denounce him to the assembly, and demand against him a
decree of accusation;; I am grieved," he remarked, " at
this affair, for no one esteems him more than I do; but why
has he declared himself hostile to the Jacobins?" The resentment of this party appeared, for the present, to be prin.
cipally directed against Lafayette. His consistency had
mortally offended these factious spirits; they had tempted
ifim with the highest bribes, and the most splendid promises,-but he proved inflexibly attached to the constitutional
party, and determined to fall with the constitution. The
spirit which he evinced in his late fruitless journeyto Paris,
determined them to exert themselves to procure his immediate dismission; their clubs had been employed for weeks
in debates on his treason, and innumerable inflammatory addresses were presented to the assembly against him. The
decision upon the charges against Lafayette was deferred to
the eighth of August, when a long and tumultuous debate
took place. The report of the committee concluded by pro.
posing a decree of accusation, and was highly applauded by
the mob in the galleries. At length the motion for the
decree was rejected by four hundred and six voices againrst
two hundred and twenty-four. It was evident, from this decision, that the assembly, weak and incompetent as it was,
still preserved some share of decency in its character and
proceedings: but the Jacobins had made their party certain; the mob were completely devoted to them, and they
hoped to carry, by their force, the boldest measures." The, North American Review, January, 1825, —Hist. French Rev. ii.39.