"By this," say they, "its destruction will become
difficult to authority, which cannot break it up without the entire
disorganization of the whole state." They presume that, if this
authority should ever come to the same degree of power that they
have acquired, it would make a more moderate and chastised use of
it, and would piously tremble entirely to disorganize the state in the
savage manner that they have done. They expect, from the virtues of
returning despotism, the security which is to be enjoyed by the
offspring of their popular vices.
I WISH, Sir, that you and my readers would give an attentive
perusal to the work of M. de Calonne on this subject. It is, indeed,
not only an eloquent, but an able and instructive, performance. I
confine myself to what he says relative to the constitution of the new
state and to the condition of the revenue. As to the disputes of
this minister with his rivals, I do not wish to pronounce upon them.
As little do I mean to hazard any opinion concerning his ways and
means, financial or political, for taking his country out of its
present disgraceful and deplorable situation of servitude, anarchy,
bankruptcy, and beggary. I cannot speculate quite so sanguinely as
he does; but he is a Frenchman, and has a closer duty relative to
those objects, and better means of judging of them, than I can have. I
wish that the formal avowal which he refers to, made by one of the
principal leaders in the Assembly concerning the tendency of their
scheme to bring France not only from a monarchy to a republic, but
from a republic to a mere confederacy, may be very particularly
attended to.
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