The Life of John Marshall, Volume 2: Politician, diplomatist, statesman, 1789-1801

Volume II: Politician, Diplomatist Statesman

1789-1801

COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY ALBERT J. BEVERIDGE
COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I. INFLUENCE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION ON AMERICA 1

The effort of the French King to injure Great Britain by
assisting the revolt of the colonists hastens the upheaval in
France—The French Revolution and American Government under the
Constitution begins at the same time—The vital influence of
the French convulsion on Americans—Impossible to understand
American history without considering this fact—All Americans,
at first, favor the French upheaval which they think a reform
movement—Marshall's statement—American newspapers—Gouverneur
Morris's description of the French people—Lafayette's
infatuated reports—Marshall gets black and one-sided accounts
through personal channels—The effect upon him—The fall of the
Bastille—Lafayette sends Washington the key of the prison—
The reign of blood in Paris applauded in America—American
conservatives begin to doubt the wisdom of the French
Revolution—Burke writes his "Reflections"—Paine answers with
his "Rights of Man"—The younger Adams replies in the
"Publicola" essays—He connects Jefferson with Paine's
doctrines—"Publicola" is viciously assailed in the press—
Jefferson writes Paine—The insurrection of the blacks in
St. Domingo—Marshall's account—Jefferson writes his daughter:
"I wish we could distribute the white exiles among the
Indians"—Marshall's statement of effect of the French
Revolution in America—Jefferson writes to Short:
"I would rather see half the earth desolated"—Louis XVI
guillotined—Genêt arrives in America—The people greet him
frantically—His outrageous conduct—The Republican newspapers
suppress the news of or defend the atrocities of the
revolutionists—The people of Philadelphia guillotine Louis XVI
in effigy—Marie Antoinette is beheaded—American rejoicing at
her execution—Absurd exaggeration by both radicals and
conservatives in America—The French expel Lafayette—Washington
sends Marshall's brother to secure his release from the
Allies—He fails—Effect upon Marshall—Ridiculous conduct of
the people in America—All titles are denounced: "Honorable,"
"Reverend," even "Sir" or "Mr." considered "aristocratic"—The
"democratic societies" appear—Washington denounces them—Their
activities—Marshall's account of their decline—The influence
on America of the French Revolution summarized—Marshall and
Jefferson.