appellation of _Jacobins_, formed themselves into a club; where
extravagant measures were proposed and then presented to the assembly; and
frequently were adopted, through intrigue and threats, when a majority of
the members were dissatisfied with them.

Attached to the constitution, a friend to justice and order, and an
advocate for the dignity and authority of the monarch, as limited and
defined by the constitution, Lafayette was among the most open and decided
in counteracting the views of the Duc de Orleans, Mirabeau, Petion,
Brissot, Robespeirre, and others of the jacobin faction, who aimed at
further changes to fulfill their own selfish and ambitious designs. Orleans
was an unprincipled and dangerous nobleman; of royal blood and cousin to
Louis: But his object was to bring about an entire revolution, and place
himself on the throne of France. He, therefore, hated and feared Lafayette;
who, he knew, was too honest to further his plans, and too powerful to
allow him to succeed: Orleans became obnoxious and was persuaded to leave
the kingdom. But he soon returned; and promoted or approved the shocking
excesses which were afterwards committed.

During the years 1790 and 1791 great agitations existed in Paris, on
various occasions, through the changing opinions of political leaders, and
the collisions of individuals, who were rivals for power. The grand
confederation took place in July 1790, when the constitution received the
sanction of all classes; and when Lafayette, at the head of the national
guards, attracted as much notice and possessed as great influence as the
king himself. His popularity seemed unbounded; nor did he commit any act of
cruelty or injustice to injure his high reputation. He could not, in all
instances, command the military or restrain the mob; but he had the merit
of using his greatest efforts to preserve order, and to maintain the
authority of the laws. When the King proposed to visit St. Cloud, he was