"
It was expected, therefore, that the National Assembly would immediately
transfer its sittings to Paris. This took place on the nineteenth. It was
now more easy for me to bring persons together, than when I had to travel
backward and forward to Versailles. Accordingly, by watching my
opportunities, I obtained the promise of another meeting. This was held
afterward at the Duke de la Rochefoucauld's. The persons before mentioned
were present; except the Comte de Mirabeau, whose occupations at that
moment made it utterly impossible for him to attend.
The Duke opened the business in an appropriate manner; and concluded, by
desiring each person to give his opinion frankly and unequivocally as to
what might be expected of the National Assembly relative to the great
measure of the abolition of the Slave-trade.
The Abbe Syeyes rose up, and said, it would probably bring the business
within a shorter compass, if, instead of discussing this proposition at
large, I were to put to the meeting my own questions. I accordingly
accepted this offer; and began by asking those present, "how long it was
likely that the present National Assembly would sit." After some
conversation it was replied, that, "it would sit till it had completed the
constitution, and interwoven such fixed principles into it, that the
legislature, which should succeed it, might have nothing more to do, than
to proceed on the ordinary business of the state.
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