This is the only source from which I should fear
a renewal of the late disorders; for I take for granted, the fugitives
from the wrath of their country, are all safe in foreign countries.
Among these are numbered seven Princes of the house of Bourbon, and six
ministers; the seventh (the Marshal de Broglio) being shut up in the
fortified town of Metz, strongly garrisoned with foreign soldiers. I
observed to you, in a preceding letter, that the storm which had begun
in Paris, on the change of the ministry, would have to pass over the
whole country, and consequently, would, for a short time, occasion us
terrible details from the different parts of it. Among these, you
will find a horrid one retailed from Vesoul, in Franche Compte. The
atrociousness of the fact would dispose us rather to doubt the truth of
the evidence on which it rests, however regular that appears. There
is no question, that a number of people were blown up; but there are
reasons for suspecting that it was by accident and not design. It is
said the owner of the chateau sold powder by the pound, which was kept
in the cellar of the house blown up; and it is possible, some one of
the guests may have taken this occasion to supply himself, and been
too careless in approaching the mass. Many idle stories have also been
propagated and believed here, against the English, as that they have
instigated the late tumults with money, that they had taken or were
preparing to take Cherbourg, Brest, &c.
Pages:
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31