Up to
the last, in spite of his partisans, he has tried to diminish or, at
least, not add to, the resistance the government had to overcome.
Nearly up to the last, in spite of his adversaries, he tried to
increase or, at least, not destroy the available forces of the
government. In defiance of the outcries of the clubs, which clamor
for the extermination of the Prussians, the capture of the King of
Prussia, the overthrow of all thrones, and the murder of Louis XVI.,
he negotiated the almost pacific withdrawal of Brunswick;[48] he
strove to detach Prussia from the coalition;[49] he wanted to turn a
war of propaganda into one of interests;[50] he caused the Convention
to pass the decree that France would not in any way interfere with
foreign governments; he secured an alliance with Sweden; he prescribed
beforehand the basis of the treaty of Basle, and had an idea of saving
the King.[51] In spite of the distrust and attacks of the Girondists,
who strove to discredit him and put him out of the way, he persists in
offering them his hand; he declared war on them only because they
refused to make peace,[52] and he made efforts to save them when they
were down.
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