CONnOUCET.

189

which he committed to the people. Underhand dis-approbation was spread abroad, but did not become socurrent, but that the committee of public safety ap-plied to him to draw up a manifesto, which the conven-tion wished to address to every nation and government,with regard to the violation of the law of nations inthe persons of four deputies delivered up by Dumou-riez to the Austrians : they admired him as a writer, andbelieved that their cause would be eloquently and welldefended by his pen. He wrote with great fervourboth against Lafayette and Dumouriez , as having be-trayed the cause of their country, and appealed againstthe conduct of Austria to the interests and sense ofjustice of every free country.

Even on the approach of the 31st of May, not- 5793 ,withstanding his intimacy with Roland and other Giron- iEtat.dists on whom the Mountain party were about to seize, 49 .Condorcet continued to be consulted and employed by thecommittee of public safety. Those of the girondistswho, foreseeing the anarchy that must ensue from the tri-umph of the jacobins, considered their overthrow of moreimmediate importance than the repulsing the foe fromthe soil of France, disapproved of Condorcet ’s workingfor their enemies: he kept apart from both, while helaboured for the cause of the republic, and remarkedthat his friends were offended because he did not breakwith the committee of. public safety; and the com-mittee, on the other hand, desired that he should refrainfrom all intercourse with his friends. “ I endeavour,”he added, “ that each party shall think less of itself anda great deal more of the commonwealth.” He began toperceive, however, that it was impossible any longer to usemeasures of conciliation with Robespierre , but he hopedto restrain him by fear : the latter, however, triumphed.

The 31st of May brought with it the decree of arrest oftwenty-two Girondists: Condorcet was not among them.

He might by silence and prudence have continued forsome time longer to sit in the convention; but he sawwith indignation the empty benches on which his friends