[Author’s Name]
[Institution’s Name]
Essay on French Revolutionary History
To all, which the Legislative, tied up by an unmatched Constitution, can oppose nothing, by way of remedy, but bursts of parliamentary eloquence! They go on, debating, denouncing, objurgating. But their 2,000 and odd Decrees? Reader, these happily concern thee, and me. Occasional-Decrees, not foolish; sufficient for that day was its own! Of the whole 2,000 there are half a score, and those mostly blighted in the bud by royal Veto, that will profit or disprofit us. On the 17th of January, the Legislative, for one thing, got its High Court, its, set up at Orleans. The theory had been given by the Constituent, in May last, but this is the reality: a Court for the trial of Political Offenses; a Court that cannot want work. To this it was decreed that there needed no royal Acceptance, therefore that there could be no Veto. Also Priests can now be married; ever since last October. A Patriotic adventurous Priest had made bold to marry himself then; and not thinking this enough, came to the bar with his new spouse; that the whole world might hold honeymoon with him, and a Law be obtained.
Joyful are the Laws again Refractory Priests; and yet not less needful! Decrees on Priests and decrees on Emigrants; these are the two brief Series of Decrees, worked out with endless debate, and then canceled by Veto, which mainly concerns us here. For an august National Assembly must needs conquer these Refractories, Clerical or Laic, and thumbscrew them into obedience: yet, behold, always as you turn your legislative thumbscrew, and will press and even crush till Refractories give way, - King's Veto steps in with magical paralysis; and your thumbscrew, squeezing, much crushing, does act!
Truly a commendable Set of Decrees, a pair of Sets; paralyzed by Veto! First, under date the 28th of October, 1791, we have legislative proclamation......
