I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1219 The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

On the west side of the line, Previdish stood ramrod straight, his boots together, his hand on the barrel of his rifle.

He lived for 21 years, but it was only during the few months he accompanied the Crown Prince on his campaigns that he truly experienced what it meant to feel proud, fulfilled, and passionate.

He couldn't help but recall the past two days since returning to Paris, during which those beautiful noble ladies had been pestering him, eager to hear stories of his "conquest of Vienna."

General Moreau's infiltration of the Austrian rear and the ensuing chaos had already been reported in the Parisian newspapers. Previdice, as a soldier who had participated in the battle, had become a hero in the eyes of those around him.

Even when he recounts his combat experience in Trento, during which he never fired a shot, it elicits gasps of astonishment from everyone present.

Of course, he would also emphasize the achievements of the Fifth Army Group to bring the atmosphere to a climax.

Well, now even his older brother, who used to look down on him, has become very respectful of him.

Previdish straightened his chest and thought to himself that he must eliminate a few enemies on the battlefield in the future, so as not to waste the opportunity given to him by His Highness the Crown Prince.

"stand at attention!"

At the officer's shout, Lieutenant Colonel Masson stepped to the front of the formation, surveyed the soldiers of the grenadier battalion, and announced loudly, "His Highness the Crown Prince is preparing to promulgate a very important decree—the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This is a..."

He had barely finished speaking when the soldiers shouted in unison, "Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Masson glanced helplessly at the orator, Mr. Krusei, beside him, feeling that there was no need to say anything more. Given the soldiers' fanaticism, they would carry out the order without hesitation even if the Crown Prince ordered them to demolish their own homes.

However, Cruzee proceeded with the established procedure and began to introduce the core content of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

As he spoke, the soldiers began to whisper excitedly among themselves: "His Highness is going to spread freedom and equality to everyone!"

"'Equality before the law'. God, that's the most philosophical thing I've ever heard!"

"This is truly the greatest decree ever!"

They were all young people, and most of them had previously been well-off and idle noble children, making them most likely to become idealists. They naturally had a strong support for the ideas in the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

In fact, historically, they were one of the core forces driving the French revolution.

In the Hall of Mirrors, a middle-aged nobleman wearing glasses looked at the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in his hand and shook his head repeatedly: "'Equality'? Does it mean that commoners and nobles should be equal? ​​No, that would only bring shame to noble bloodlines!"

His words immediately drew a chorus of agreement.

"What is nobility?" Viscount Varena, dressed in a black coat, strode to the front and waved.

“Those ‘gentlemen’ who come from noble families but are always drunk and spend their days shuttling between casinos and brothels, I believe no one would consider them noble.”

"If a person is knowledgeable, upright, or has made outstanding contributions, even if he is just an ordinary person, he can still be considered noble!"

Why are we worried about equality?
"Do you think you're less capable than those of lowly birth? That's not nobility, that's cowardice!"

Mirabo immediately led the applause: "You're absolutely right!"

He had already heard rumors from Baron Brettley that His Highness the Crown Prince intended to implement the 'Law of Equality', and today's spectacle made him guess that His Highness was about to formally put it into practice.

As the leader of the emerging aristocratic faction, he had naturally made extensive preparations to support His Highness, but his reaction was a beat too slow, allowing Varena to seize the initiative.

Mirabeau strode to the front of the wooden platform and raised the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen: "Look, everyone!"
"These are not just a few ordinary pieces of paper; they are France's cry to the world, a declaration of civilization and reason! From this moment on, the rights that everyone deserves will no longer be vague words in the books of our ancestors, but a clear and solemn declaration!"

"It belongs to you, and to you, and to every Frenchman!"

Just then, shouts came from outside the window from the Royal Guard grenadier battalion: "The Great Law..."

"Kiss freedom and equality!"

The nobles instinctively glanced sideways at the square, and many spotted their own nephews and nieces among the soldiers.

Footsteps sounded at the door. The nobles in the Hall of Mirrors turned to look and saw the King, Queen and Crown Prince entering. They quickly bowed in greeting.

Louis XVI went to the wooden platform at the front of the hall and tried hard to recall the words he had memorized, only to find that he had forgotten most of them due to nervousness.

He gestured expertly to his son: "I have signed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The Crown Prince will explain the details to everyone."

Joseph bowed slightly to his father, then went to the front row, cleared his throat, and said loudly:
"All of you here come from glorious and illustrious families."

“I know that from long ago, your ancestors steadfastly upheld honor and responsibility in governing and protecting the great France.”

"The old era has its own trajectory and imprint, and they always follow it."

"And today, this decree illuminates a more glorious, just, and vibrant path."

"Liberty and equality are not about preventing anything, but about protecting every French citizen and safeguarding everyone's legitimate interests. They will build a more solid foundation, a foundation built upon the law and the rights of every individual."

"France will reach unprecedented new heights because of it!"

Mirabo was the first to shout, "Long live His Majesty the King!"

Almost all the nobles present joined in the chant. The few nobles who were frowning had no choice but to express their support as well.

In reality, with the rapid increase in French industrial output in recent years, nobles have invested in industries to generate profits, so there are not many old nobles left in the true sense.

Joseph discovered that the resistance to promoting the Declaration of the Rights of Man was much less than he had expected.

He then announced that, in His Majesty the King's name, France would officially implement the decree of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, effective immediately.

The following day, all the newspapers published the full text of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen on their front pages, and people could be seen giving passionate speeches everywhere.

"Did everyone see that? 'All men are created equal'! From this moment on, each of us is a dignified individual! Thank you, Your Highness!"

"We will be free to think, debate, and pursue the truth! Regardless of wealth or background..."

“Everyone’s earnings, every Dane, belong to us, and no one can take them away from us! This is a right granted to us by His Majesty the King!”

At first, ordinary citizens did not understand the significance of this declaration, but soon, the whole of Paris began to be shaken.

Nearly 10,000 people spontaneously gathered outside the Palace of Versailles, holding newspapers printed with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

The shouts of "Long live His Majesty the King!" and "Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!" continued until dusk.

　Because there's a double monthly pass event at the end of September, it'll be more cost-effective to use your monthly passes at the end of the month!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)