"It may be asked," the Queen writes, "Why did the King give them his
signature? I answer without hesitation, because he had discovered
traitors among his most trusted friends, and knew not in whom he could
trust; and because he had every assurance, short of actual
demonstration, that the conspirators were ripe for revolution, and had
taken measures to have him assassinated if he refused.
"His movements of late had been watched, and his steps dogged, as though
he had been a fugitive from justice. Whenever he attempted to go out in
the evening, either to call at the hotel or visit any one of his
friends' houses, he was conscious of the presence of enemies who were
following stealthily on his track.
"But, happily, Providence watched over him, and thus he was guarded from
personal harm.
"He signed that constitution under absolute compulsion. Details of the
conspiracy have come to me since from sources upon which I can rely,
which lead to the conviction that but for the repugnance or timidity of
one of the executive committee, since risen very high in the counsels of
the so-called republic, he would have been assassinated.
"Then they had planned for the immediate abrogation of the monarchy, the
declaration of a republic, and a proposal for annexation to be made to
the United States.
"The constitution of the republic was actually framed and agreed upon,
but the plot was not fully carried out--more moderate counsels
prevailed.
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