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formal renunciation of the emperor's authority, and a declaration of independence, which have been followed by an union of the different ftates, and the establishment of a regular government-diftinguifhed by the appellation of "The United Belgic States."

Such were the caufe and progrefs of this important revolution; which cannot, however, be deemed complete, fince the ftrong fortrefs of Luxemburgh is ftill in poffeffion of the Imperialists, and fince the confent of foreign powers to acknowledge them as an independent ftate, is ftill wanting. But unanimity of fentiment, among the individuals of this new republic, cannot fail to perfect what a generous fpirit of freedom has fo happily begun. The only object of ferious apprehenfion, is the extenfive influence of the clergy; who, though hitherto confidered but as fecondary agents in promoting the general caufe, begin to exhibit certain fymptoms of a fanatic and intolerant fpirit, apparently founded on claims which would infallibly pollute the fair fountain of liberty; and might, if directed into a different channel, prove finally deftructive of that noble fabric which they have fo effentially contributed to raise.

A revolution, of a very different nature, has taken place in the kingdom of Sweden, where the people owe their emancipation from a ftate of the most abject fervitude, to an important extenfion of the royal authority. The changes in the government of Sweden, from the death of Charles the Twelfth, when the ftates compelled his fifter Ulrica Eleonora to renounce all hereditary right, and to convert an abfolute into an elective monarchy, to the revolution of one thousand feven hundred and feventy-two, when the fpirit and addrefs of Guftavus the Third, restored to the crown thofe

prerogatives it had loft for more than half a century, are fufficiently known. But fince that time an ariftocratic party, equally inimical to the liberties of the people and the conftitutional rights of the crown, have been gradually acquiring a dangerous degree of influence and power; the evil effects of which be

came manifeft on the commencement of the war with Ruffia. Stimulated by the intrigues, if not tempted by the bribes of the emprefs, they refufed their fupport to the monarch, and determined to with-hold thofe fubfidies, without which, they well knew, he would be unable to maintain the contest. Bur a timely exertion of vigour, on the part of the king, gave a feasonable check to these feditious efforts; having quenched the firft fparks of revolt, by committing the chief of thefe factious infurgents to prison, he proceeded to abolish the aristocratic influence, by the publication of an edict, which gave an equal right to all orders of the ftate to ferve their country in any fituation for which they are qualified by their talents or knowledge. By the adoption of this prudent meafure, and by the confequent admiffion of feveral citizens to the honour of a feat at his council, he has effectually conciliated the affections, and fecured the fupport, of the commons; thereby eftablifhing his own power on the most folid basis. Thus the infidious attempts of Ruffia, have experienced a

complete difappointment; and the emprefs may expect, in the enfuing campaign, to be attacked with that accumulation of force, and that increase of fpirit, which muft ever refult from the cordial union of king and people.

But the moft remarkable event of the prefent year-an event which will alone fuffice to render it a memorable æra in the annals of history-is the revolution which has taken place

arbitrary power, are deprived of their natural rights, without receiving a just and adequate return of civil liberty, they will, fooner or later, hake off the degrading yoke, which finks the man into the flave.

To inveftigate the causes, mediate and immediate, of this revolution; to trace its rife and progrefs, and mark its probable effects, as well on the French themselves, as on the general fyftem of European politics; would inevitably lead us into a train of difcuffions, that would far exceed the limits prescribed to this article of intelligence. Without entering therefore on thofe topics, we muft content ourselves with obferving, that it is probable the ftrict intercourfe which, for these last twenty years, has fubfifted between the English and French, and the extreme partiality evinced by the latter for the language and literary works of the former, tended to confirm that taite for liberty, and to diffuse that knowledge of the rights of man, which the writings of Montefquieu, Rouffeau, and Voltaire, had originally imparted. The perfidious part which the French embraced in the American war, fupported by the fhort-fighted policy of M. de Vergennes, (who had no rational claims to the ample conmendations he has received, either as a man or a minifter) introduced a fpirit of difcuffion on political topics, the moft dangerous that could poffibly be tolerated in an arbitrary ftate. Hence they naturally proceeded to a comparative view of their own fituation

and the prefident du Paty, and the inimitable pleadings of Target, breathed a fpirit of freedom, which would have done honour to any country, but which, in the preceding reign, would have proved the certain means of immuring those friends of mankind in the horrid dungeons of the Baftille.-Lettres de cachet, thofe dreadful engines of defpotifm, were next attacked, and in investigating the dangers with which they were pregnant, the principles of arbitrary power were, of courfe, expofed-and, of course, held up to univerfal deteftation. Thus the feeds of difcontent were fpread by degrees, and murmurs began to prevail throughout the kingdom: but the space between murmur and action was vast, and apparently impaffable; being defended by an army of two hundred thoufand men, whofe devotion to the defpot who governed the state was proverbially enthufiaftic. This obftruction, however, which indifferent fpectators deemed infurmountable, was fortunately removed; and as the alliance with America had already infpired the will, fo it now furnished the means, to effect a revolution in the established government. It is well known, that the ambition and munificence of Lewis the Fourteenth -- mifnamed the Great-involved the nation fo deeply in debt, that the utmoft exertions of his fucceffor were inadequate to repair the fatal ravages of his reign; and at the commencement of our dispute with our Ame

had therefore every motive of justice and reason, to fupport with energy the propofals they had made. The great butinefs of the nation being thus retarded, the king, on the twenty-eighth of May, wre to the prefident of the commons, recommending a fpeedy adjustment of the differences fublifting between the different orders; in confequence of which, a deputation waited on his majesty, to inform him, that all the impediments to a friendly and effectual union, originated with, and were still fupported by, the nobility and clergy. The king, in answer, repeated the exhortations he had urged in his letter; and the deputation having returned to the common. hall, the commons fent a fummons

were still in a state of derangement. But this confideration was inadequate to restrain the count de Vergennes from pursuing the dictates of that pitiful and mistaken policy, which feeks the depreffion of a rival, at the risk of its own welfare. He rufhed headlong into the American war, heedless of the confequences; and by that means encreafed the national debt so confiderably, that the augmentation of impofts, though great, proved infufficient to difcharge the intereft; nor have all the endeavours of the most fkilful financiers been hitherto able to prevent a gradual encreate of expenditure, which has conftantly exceeded the revenue, from one to between two and three millions fterling. This inability compelled the king, how-to the two first orders to meet them, ever reluctantly, to affemble the ftates of the kingdom, which had not been convened fince the last century, and thereby to afford an opportunity to the people, to affert thofe rights which they had fo recently learned to appreciate.

The first meeting of this important affembly, deftined to decide on the future fate of twenty-fix millions of people, was productive of * tumults and divifions, which feemed likely to defeat the grand object of their convention. It was ftrenuoufly contended, by the nobility and the clergy, that every question fhould be fubmitted to the feparate decifion of each of the three orders; when the commons, by an union of the two first orders, would have been left in a conftant minority, and have confequently remained as mere cyphers in the national affembly; whereas they infifted, on their part, that the three orders fhould form one conjunct body, and every question be decided by a majority of voices. This was a conteft of the greatest Importance, as the commons were equal in numbers to the two orders of the nobles and clergy united, and

for the purpose of proceeding to a verification of their refpective powers. This citation produced a meeting of the whole body of the commons, together with fome few individuals of the nobles and clergy, who were attached to the popular caufe. This meeting they formally pronounced to be-the National Affembly of France; and refolved, that the non-attendance of the majority of the nobles and clergy fhould not be fuffered to operate as an impediment to public bufinefs. They next proceeded to verify the elections, and then took into confideration the ftate of the nation, paffing feveral refolutions, which they declared to be the voice of the affembly of the ftates general of France, and ordered them to be registered accordingly.

Thefe proceedings, however, as they tended to destroy that aristocratic influence which formed the chief fupport of arbitrary power, were highly difagreeable to the king, who remonttrated with the prefident on their irregularity and impropriety. But the commons perfe. vered in the fame line of conduct, with that firmnefs which fhould

ever diftinguish the fupporters of a good caufe; and perceiving that fome violent measures were about to be adopted for the purpose of intimidation, they bound themfelves by a folemn oath to pursue their deliberations, and to preferve the ftrictest union among themselves, until the constitution of the kingdom fhould be eftablished on a folid and permanent batis.

On the twenty-third of June, the king having previously made known his intention of going to the hall, the commons, mixed with the greatest part of the clergy, were affembled in the anti-chamber by nine o'clock. The apartment not being fufficiently capacious to contain the whole number, many of the members remained without, where the murmurs were loud and the impatience was general. In the interval, part of the clergy, and all the nobility, entered at oppofite doors, and took their feats in the hall; where they were at last joined by the commons, whom they received ftanding and uncovered.

The king, being placed on the throne, made a speech; in which he obferved, that though the ftates-general had been affembled more than two months, they had not even adjusted the preliminaries of their operations; that instead of that harmony which fhould arife from the love of their country, the most fatal divifions had enfued, and the feeds of alarm been univerfally diffufed; that he came, as the common father of his people, to diffipate thofe dan gerous divifions, to recal to their memory the true fpirit of the conftitution, and to refift the infidious attempts which had been aimed against it. When he had finished his fpeech, the keeper of the feals read a royal declaration, containing, thirty-five articles; the firft of which enforced the diftinction of orders (contended for by the nobles and clergy) as effentially connected

with the conftitution of the kingdom; in confequence of which the king annulled the refolutions of the commons as unconftitutional. He ordered all deliberations relating to general affairs and to taxes, to be in common between the three orders; but all difcuffions relative to the conftitution to be deliberated by each order feparately. He likewife preferved the privileges and veto of the clergy in all matters of religion. After thefe preliminary regulations, followed a prohibition to make any change in the laws, taxes, or other parts of adminiftration or legiflation, during the fitting of the states; and an exprefs refervation to the king, of all exclufive power and authority over the armies and police. To render thefe orders more palatable, the king permitted the ftates to establish the liberty of the prefs, and to provide for the fuppreffion of lettres de cachet. When the keeper of the feals had gone through the whole of the articles, the king concluded his speech by what he termed a communication of his will; which was, that no tax fhould in future be levied without the confent of the ftates; that neither old nor new imposts fhould be in force longer than from one feffions of the states to the next; that he would never make any loan without confent of the ftates, except in cafe of neceffity, war, &c. and then the loan fhould not exceed one hundred millions of livres; that the states fhould examine the accounts both of receipts and expenditures; that the expences of each, department fhould be fixed and in-' variable; and finally, that the creditors of the ftate fhould be put on the faith of the public.

The king then departed, after ordering every one to retire and to meet again the next day, in the chamber of orders. A fhout of Vive le Roi! was heard from the nobles, and the majority of the clergy; but

the

the commons obferved a profound filence; nor could they be prevailed on to quit the hall; where, in conjunction with about fifty of the clergy, they immediately proceeded to difcufs the merits of the king's speech and declaration. Four times did the king fend an officer to order them, on their allegiance, to adjourn; and as often did they deny, in the most decifive manner, his authority to command their feparation; till, by their firmness, they at length carried their point. M. le Camus, one of the members for Paris, then moved, That the National Affembly do perfift in all its preceding refolutions; and this fpirited motion was unanimoufly carried. Another was made by the count de Mirabeau, for the purpofe of fecuring the perfonal liberty of the members, their freedom of opinion, and their right to investigate and cenfure all kind of abufes and obitacles to the public welfare and liberty. This was likewife carried by a majority of four hundred and forty-nine voices.

But the most important and politic refolution paffed by the states, was that of an addrefs to the king, that the pay of the national troops of France fhould be raised to the fame fum as that of the foreign troops in the French fervice; viz. from four fols and a half (two-pence farthing English) per diem, to fix fols and a half (three-pence farthing). By the adoption of this fagacious meafure, they effectually fecured the favour of the foldiery; and removed the only barrier which could poffibly be oppofed to their patriotic exertions in the caufe of freedom. If the

king complied with their request, the troops would afcribe the whole merit of it to them; and, if he refuted it, they would naturally thank them for the attempt, and affix an odium where it was their intereft it should be affixed. The event fully justified their conduct.

The utmost confufion now prevailed, both at Paris and Verfailles. The fpirited conduct of the commons had rouzed the people, and on the night of this memorable day, an immenfe multitude of all ranks affembled at nine o'clock; and being informed, that the king had dismissed M. Neckar, they forced an entrance into the inner court of the palace at Verfailles, and with loud exclamations, accompanied by menaces, infifted that he fhould continue minifter. The alarm in the palace was inexpreffibly great; the princes, the count d'Artois in particular, called to arms: but when the troops were collected, and ordered to fire, they unanimously refused to draw a trigger on their countrymen, though beneath the very windows of the palace.

On the fucceeding day, M. Neckar appearing in his ufual station with the king, it was fuppofed that the cabinet had adopted a different line of conduct, and meant to comply with the wishes of the people. The commons continued their deliberations, and were joined by the duke of Orleans, at the head of more than forty of the principal nobility, and two hundred of the clergy, who fubfcribed the oath which the commons had previously taken, and gave their unanimous affent to the feveral refolutions they had paffed. Their example was fpeedily followed by the remainder of the two first orders; which important acceffion of strength rendered the victory of the commons complete, and enabled them to purfue their measures with vigour and effect.

The king, in the mean time, appears to have been in an aukward predicament; which, confidering the native imbecillity of his mind, was rather calculated to excite pity, than to rouze indignation. On one fide, ftrenuously exhorted by Neckar, and fuch of his ministers

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