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[Drop-head title:] La constitution vengée des inculpations des ennemis de la Révolution. Discours prononcé par M. le Maire de Congis, Curé de la Paroisse, lors de la prestation du Serment civique, le Dimanche 7 Mars 1790, et envoyé à l’Assemblée nationale, suivant l’arrêté de la municipalité dudit lieu, en forme d’adresse.

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One of two editions of this early Revolutionary pamphlet, very rare, defending the draft version of the Constitution of 1791 as consistent with Christianity.

As both the mayor of Congis and a clergyman, Cerceau discusses religion and liberty ‘as a minister of one and of the other’, arguing that ‘the new constitution, far from undermining religion, has borrowed all of its principles’ (pp. 2-3 trans.). He proposes the equality of men as the defining quality of Christianity and considers the aristocracy a ‘monster’ and ‘enemies of the public good’, as well as offering a more guarded criticism of wealthy clergy. Nonetheless, he defends the constitutional monarchy as proposed as allowing the King ‘the power to do good, and the inability to do evil’.

We can trace no copies of this edition in the UK or US.

Cf. Saricks 2177 (different imprint and collation).