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The History of the Rise, Progress and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by the British Parliament (1808) - Volume II by Thomas Clarkson
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arm in arm and singing tumultuously. Others were standing and conversing
earnestly together. Among the latter I heard one declare with great
vehemence, "that it should not be; that the revolution must go on." On my
arrival at Paris in the evening the Palais Royale was full of people, and
there were movements and buzzings among them, as if something was expected
to happen. The next day, when I went into the streets it was obvious what
was going to take place. Suffice it to say, that the next evening the King
and Queen were brought prisoners into Paris. After this, things were in
such an unsettled state for a few days, and the members of the National
Assembly were so occupied in the consideration of the event itself, and of
the consequences which might attend it, that my little meeting, of which it
had cost me so much time and trouble to procure the appointment, was
entirely prevented.

I had now to wait patiently till a new opportunity should occur. The Comte
de Mirabeau, before the departure of the King, had moved and carried the
resolution that "the Assembly was inseparable from his majesty's person."
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.
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