autobiography-第15部分

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sions　that　France　would　interfere；　and；　either　openly　or　secretly　support　the　Barbary　powers；　and　they　required　that　I　should　ascertain　the　dispositions　of　the　Count　de　Vergennes　on　the　subject。　　I　had　before　taken　occasion　to　inform　him　of　what　we　were　proposing；　and　therefore　did　not　think　it　proper　to　insinuate　any　doubt　of　the　fair　conduct　of　his　government；　but　stating　our　propositions；　I　mentioned　the　apprehensions　entertained　by　us　that　England　would　interfere　in　behalf　of　those　piratical　governments。　　〃She　dares　not　do　it；〃　said　he。　　I　pressed　it　no　further。　　The　other　agents　were　satisfied　with　this　indication　of　his　sentiments；　and　nothing　was　now　wanting　to　bring　it　into　direct　and　formal　consideration；　but　the　assent　of　our　government；　and　their　authority　to　make　the　formal　proposition。　　I　communicated　to　them　the　favorable　prospect　of　protecting　our　commerce　from　the　Barbary　depredations；　and　for　such　a　continuance　of　time　as；　by　an　exclusion　of　them　from　the　sea；　to　change　their　habits　&　characters　from　a　predatory　to　an　agricultural　people：　towards　which　however　it　was　expected　they　would　contribute　a　frigate；　and　it's　expenses　to　be　in　constant　cruise。　　But　they　were　in　no　condition　to　make　any　such　engagement。　　Their　recommendatory　powers　for　obtaining　contributions　were　so　openly　neglected　by　the　several　states　that　they　declined　an　engagement　which　they　were　conscious　they　could　not　fulfill　with　punctuality；　and　so　it　fell　through。

　　　　　　　　May　17。　　In　1786。　while　at　Paris　I　became　acquainted　with　John　Ledyard　of　Connecticut；　a　man　of　genius；　of　some　science；　and　of　fearless　courage；　&　enterprise。　　He　had　accompanied　Capt　Cook　in　his　voyage　to　the　Pacific；　had　distinguished　himself　on　several　occasions　by　an　unrivalled　intrepidity；　and　published　an　account　of　that　voyage　with　details　unfavorable　to　Cook's　deportment　towards　the　savages；　and　lessening　our　regrets　at　his　fate。　　Ledyard　had　come　to　Paris　in　the　hope　of　forming　a　company　to　engage　in　the　fur　trade　of　the　Western　coast　of　America。　　He　was　disappointed　in　this；　and　being　out　of　business；　and　of　a　roaming；　restless　character；　I　suggested　to　him　the　enterprise　of　exploring　the　Western　part　of　our　continent；　by　passing　thro　St。　Petersburg　to　Kamschatka；　and　procuring　a　passage　thence　in　some　of　the　Russian　vessels　to　Nootka　Sound；　whence　he　might　make　his　way　across　the　continent　to　America；　and　I　undertook　to　have　the　permission　of　the　Empress　of　Russia　solicited。　　He　eagerly　embraced　the　proposition；　and　M。　de　Semoulin；　the　Russian　Ambassador；　and　more　particularly　Baron　Grimm　the　special　correspondent　of　the　Empress；　solicited　her　permission　for　him　to　pass　thro'　her　dominions　to　the　Western　coast　of　America。　　And　here　I　must　correct　a　material　error　which　I　have　committed　in　another　place　to　the　prejudice　of　the　Empress。　　In　writing　some　Notes　of　the　life　of　Capt　Lewis；　prefixed　to　his　expedition　to　the　Pacific；　I　stated　that　the　Empress　gave　the　permission　asked；　&　afterwards　retracted　it。　　This　idea；　after　a　lapse　of　26　years；　had　so　insinuated　itself　into　my　mind；　that　I　committed　it　to　paper　without　the　least　suspicion　of　error。　　Yet　I　find；　on　recurring　to　my　letters　of　that　date　that　the　Empress　refused　permission　at　once；　considering　the　enterprise　as　entirely　chimerical。　　But　Ledyard　would　not　relinquish　it；　persuading　himself　that　by　proceeding　to　St。　Petersburg　he　could　satisfy　the　Empress　of　it's　practicability　and　obtain　her　permission。　He　went　accordingly；　but　she　was　absent　on　a　visit　to　some　distant　part　of　her　dominions；　（*　4）　and　he　pursued　his　course　to　within　200。　miles　of　Kamschatka；　where　he　was　overtaken　by　an　arrest　from　the　Empress；　brought　back　to　Poland；　and　there　dismissed。　　I　must　therefore　in　justice；　acquit　the　Empress　of　ever　having　for　a　moment　countenanced；　even　by　the　indulgence　of　an　innocent　passage　thro'　her　territories　this　interesting　enterprise。

　　　　　　　　（*　4）　The　Crimea。

　　　　　　　　May　18。　　The　pecuniary　distresses　of　France　produced　this　year　a　measure　of　which　there　had　been　no　example　for　near　two　centuries；　&　the　consequences　of　which；　good　and　evil；　are　not　yet　calculable。　For　it's　remote　causes　we　must　go　a　little　back。

　　　　　　　　Celebrated　writers　of　France　and　England　had　already　sketched　good　principles　on　the　subject　of　government。　　Yet　the　American　Revolution　seems　first　to　have　awakened　the　thinking　part　of　the　French　nation　in　general　from　the　sleep　of　despotism　in　which　they　were　sunk。　　The　officers　too　who　had　been　to　America；　were　mostly　young　men；　less　shackled　by　habit　and　prejudice；　and　more　ready　to　assent　to　the　suggestions　of　common　sense；　and　feeling　of　common　rights。　　They　came　back　with　new　ideas　&　impressions。　　The　press；　notwithstanding　it's　shackles；　began　to　disseminate　them。　Conversation　assumed　new　freedoms。　　Politics　became　the　theme　of　all　societies；　male　and　female；　and　a　very　extensive　&　zealous　party　was　formed　which　acquired　the　appellation　of　the　Patriotic　party；　who；　sensible　of　the　abusive　government　under　which　they　lived；　sighed　for　occasions　of　reforming　it。　　This　party　comprehended　all　the　honesty　of　the　kingdom　sufficiently　at　it's　leisure　to　think；　the　men　of　letters；　the　easy　Bourgeois；　the　young　nobility　partly　from　reflection；　partly　from　mode；　for　these　sentiments　became　matter　of　mode；　and　as　such　united　most　of　the　young　women　to　the　party。　Happily　for　the　nation；　it　happened　at　the　same　moment　that　the　dissipations　of　the　Queen　and　court；　the　abuses　of　the　pension…list；　and　dilapidations　in　the　administration　of　every　branch　of　the　finances；　had　exhausted　the　treasures　and　credit　of　the　nation；　insomuch　that　it's　most　necessary　functions　were　paralyzed。　　To　reform　these　abuses　would　have　overset　the　minister；　to　impose　new　taxes　by　the　authority　of　the　King　was　known　to　be　impossible　from　the　determined　opposition　of　the　parliament　to　their　enregistry。　　No　resource　remained　then　but　to　appeal　to　the　nation。　　He　advised　therefore　the　call　of　an　assembly　of　the　most　distinguished　characters　of　the　nation；　in　the　hope　that　by　promises　of　various　and　valuable　improvements　in　the　organization　and　regimen　of　the　government；　they　would　be　induced　to　authorize　new　taxes；　to　controul　the　opposition　of　the　parliament；　and　to　raise　the　annual　revenue　to　the　level　of　expenditures。　　An　Assembly　of　Notables　therefore；　about　150。　　in　number　named　by　the　King；　convened　on　the　22d。　of　Feb。　　The　Minister　（Calonne）　stated　to　them　that　the　annual　excess　of　expenses　beyond　the　revenue；　when　Louis　XVI。　came　to　the　throne；　was　37。　millions　of　livres；　that　440。　millns。　had　been　borrowed　to　reestablish　the　navy；　that　the　American　war　had　cost　them　1440。　millns。　（256。　mils。　of　Dollars）　and　that　the　interest　of　these　sums；　with　other　increased　expenses　had　added　40　millns。　more　to　the　annual　deficit。　　（But　a　subseqt。　and　more　candid　estimate　made　it　56。　millns。）　He　proffered　them　an　universal　redress　of　grievances；　laid　open　those　grievances　fully；　pointed　out　sound　remedies；　and　covering　his　canvas　with　objects　of　this　magnitude；　the　deficit　dwindled　to　a　little　accessory；　scarcely　attracting　attention。　　The　persons　chosen　were　the　most　able　&　independent　characters　in　the　kingdom；　and　their　support；　if　it　could　be　obtained；　would　be　enough　for　him。　　They　improved　the　occasion　for　redressing　their　grievances；　and　agreed　that　the　public　wants　should　be　relieved；　but　went　into　an　examination　of　the　causes　of　them。　　It　was　supposed　that　Calonne　was　conscious　that　his　accounts　could　not　bear　examination；　and　it　was　said　and　believed　that　he　asked　of　the　King　to　send　4。　members　to　the　Bastile；　of　whom　the　M。　de　la　Fayette　was　one；　to　banish　20。　others；　&　2。　of　his　Ministers。　　The　King　found　it　shorter　to　banish　him。　　His　successor　went　on　in　full　concert　with　the　Assembly。　　The　result　was　an　augmentation　of　the　revenue；　a　promise　of　economies　in　it's　expenditure；　of　an　annual　settlement　of　the　public　accounts　before　a　council；　which　the　Comptroller；　having　been　heretofore　obliged　to　settle　only　with　the　King　in　person；　of　course　never　settled　at　all；　an　acknowledgment　that　the　King　could　not　lay　a　new　tax；　a　reformation　of　the　criminal　laws；　abolition　of　torture；　suppression　of　Corvees；　reformation　of　the　gabelles；　removal　of　the　interior　custom　houses；　free　commerce　of　grain　internal　&　external；　and　the　establishment　of　Provincial　assemblies；　which　alltogether　constituted　a　great　mass　of　improvement　in　the　condition　of　the　nation。　　The　establishment　of　the　Provincial　assemblies　was　in　itself　a　fundamental　improvement。　　They　would　be　of　the　choice　of　the　people；　one　third　renewed　every　year；　in　those　provinces　where　there　are　no　States；　that　is　to　say　over　about　three　fourths　of　the　kingdom。　　They　would　be　partly　an　Executive　themselves；　&　partly　an　Executive　council　to　the　Intendant；　to　whom　the　Executive　power；　in　his　province　had　been　heretofore　entirely　delegated。　　Chosen　by　the　people；　they　would　soften　the　execution　of　hard　laws；　&　having　a　right　of　representation　to　the　King；　they　would　censure　bad　laws；　suggest　good　ones；　expose　abuses；　and　their　representations；　when　united；　would　command　respect。　　To　the　other　advantages　might　be　added　the　precedent　itself　of　calling　the　Assemblee　des　Notables；　which　would　perhaps　grow　into　habit。　　The　hope　was　that　the　improvements　thus　promised　would　be　carried　into　effect；　that　they　would　be　maintained　during　the　present　reign；　&　that　that　would　be　long　enough　for　them　to　take　some　root　in　the　constitution；　so　that　they　might　come　to　be　considered　as　a　part　of　that；　and　be　protected　by　time；　and　the　attachment　of　the　nation。

　　　　　　　　The　Count　de　Vergennes　had　died　a　few　days　before　the　meeting　of　the　Assembly；　&　the　Count　de　Montmorin　had　been　named　Minister　of　foreign　affairs　in　his　place。　　Villedeuil　succeeded　Calonnes　as　Comptroller　general；　&　Lomenie　de　Bryenne；　Archbishop　of　Thoulouse；　afterwards　of　Sens；　&　ultimately　Cardinal　Lomenie；　was　named　Minister　principal；　with　whom　the　other　ministers　were　to　transact　the　business　of　their　departments；　heretofore　done　with　the　King　in　person；　and　the　Duke　de　Nivernois；　and　M。　de　Malesherbes　were　called　to　the　Council。　　On　the　nomination　of　the　Minister　principal　the　Marshals　de　Segur　&　de　Castries