La Fayette supported by the constitutionalists and the national guard, Petion by the Girondists and the Jacobins.

The royalist party, by pronouncing for or against one of them, would decide the election.

The king had no longer the influence of the government, which he had suffered to escape from his grasp, but he still possessed the occult powers of corruption over the leaders of the different parties.

A portion of the twenty-five millions of francs (1,000,000_l._) was applied by M.de Laporte, the intendant de la liste civile, and by MM.

Bertrand de Molleville and Montmorin, his ministers, in purchasing votes at the elections, motions at the clubs, applause or hisses in the Assembly.