He found in the constitution the point of reconciliation between his fidelity to the people and his loyalty to the king; and he sought to defend this constitution with every weapon of the law which sedition had not broken in his grasp.

"Armed mobs threaten to violate the constitution, the Chamber of Representatives, and the dwelling of the king," said Roederer at the bar; "the reports of the night are alarming; the minister of the interior calls on us to march troops immediately to defend the chateau.

The law forbids armed assemblies, and yet they advance--they demand admittance; but if you yourselves set an example by suffering them to enter, what will become of the force of the law in our hands?
your indulgence will destroy all public force in the hands of the magistrates.

We demand to be charged with the fulfilment of all our duties: let the responsibility also be ours, and let nothing diminish the obligation we are under of dying to preserve and defend public tranquillity." These words, worthy the chancellor L'Hopital, or Mathieu Mole, were coldly listened to by the Assembly, and saluted by ironical laughter from the tribunes.

Vergniaud affected to bow to them, and weakened their effect.