*Of the Lameths there are four brothers. The eldest never took any share in public affairs. The parts acted on the political theatre by the other three, have been important. They have always been united in the ftricteft bonds of harmony, confidence, and affection, as well as by the ties of blood. They have never swerved from their principles, from motives of either ambition or intereft: nor indeed have they ever been charged with fuch deviation. Alexander is endowed with the

greatest talents. But the whole of the three are equally diftinguished by fidelity in friendship, and a facred regard to their word, and to the truth. Thefeinen are enntled to a high place among the honourable victims of the French revolution. As to their family, it is one of the noblest in France. The celebrated Marefchal de Broglio is their maternal uncle.,

nification was more than 50,000,000* of livres. As it was inconvenient at the prefent time, to appropriate fo much money to the intent propofed, that fum was made part of the public debt, and the intereft of it aligned to the proprietors of the offices juft abolished.

Thefe arrangements were highly acceptable to the public. They were alfo viewed as indifpenfably neceflary for the fafety of the alfembly and the conftitution itself, as they filenced the clamours of a numerons clafs of individuals, whofe influence and refentments might have created much confufion, had they not received a due compenfation for the loffes to which they were compelled to fubmit for the convenience and better ordering of the fale.

under the confideration of the Af-. The fum required for their indem fembly, with a view to ftill greater alterations in it than in the former. This was the administration of juftice, which now underwent a complete reformation, and was transferred from the tribunals long in poffeffion of that important branch of the civil power, and configned to others more confiftent with the genius of the new government. In executing this defign, numbers of individuals poffeft of employments in the courts of law, were of courfe difmiffed. Through a ftrange perverfion of ideas, many of thofe employments were become hereditary and faleable: this abufe, of which the nation justly complained as an intolerable grievance, had been originally introduced in the reign of Francis the First, a prince in fome refpects generous and noble minded. The wars in which he was involved by his infatiable ambition, had fo drained his coffers and exhaufted his refources, that, forgetting the refpect and duty owing to his people, he publicly put up to fale the offices in the courts of judicature, together with the privilege of felling or of bequeathing them, as it fuited the convenience of the purchafers. Thus they were to all intents a patrimony and perfonal estate. This cuftom was now of more than two hundred and fifty years ftanding. The National Affembly refolved to put an end to this fcandalous practice; but was aware at the fame time, of the impropriety of depriving individuals of their property. In order, therefore, to reconcile public juftice with private intereft, the determination was taken to reimburle the poffeffors of thofe of fices, on their refignation of them.

In addition to these popular meafures, an object of the highest advantage and importance to the nation was laid before the Affembly. This was a calculation of the refpective amounts of the public revenue under the prefent and the late government. According to the report of the committee of taxes and impo fitions, feven hundred and thirty millions were annually levied, an tecedently to the revolution; but fince that event, no more than five hundred and fixty: a difference of one hundred and seventy millions. It appeared alfo, at the fame time, that the emiffion of the paper money, termed Affignats, was put into a due courfe of liquidation, purfuant to their primitive plan; and that a million of them, which had been returned, would forthwith be publicly burned. Nevertheless, as the taxes were not paid with any tolerabie degree of regularity; and

as

as there was a kind of stagnation in the collection of the revenue, arifing from the want of a fufficient number of proper agents and clerks, there had arifen a deficit in the ordinary income, to which the emiffion of affignats afforded only a temporary remedy. On the ftrength of thefe various operations, it was exultingly afferted that the affembly had made the moft aufpicious progrefs in the execution of its defigns. France, faid the revolution.fts, had fuccef-fully ftruggled against every obftacle that hatred and perfidy could oppofe to the courage and virtue of the nation. She had retrieved her finances from the utmoft confufion; and by prudent

regulations had placed them out of the reach of peculation and rapacity. She had, through wife alterations in her government, laid the firmeft foundation of national profperity; and notwithstanding the calumnious reprefentations of her foreign or domeftic enemies, was now become a model for the future imitation of all enlightened nations.

Such were the fentiments and perfuafions of the people of France at the clofe of the year 1790. The friends to the revolution confidered it now as fixed upon an immoveable bafis; and its enemies were in fo reduced a fituation, that no danger could reafonably be apprehended from them.

CHAP. VIII.

Diffatisfaction of the European Princes at the Proceedings of the Aembly. Complaints of the German Princes. Letter from the Emperor to the King of France. An Augmentation of the French Army voted by the Affembly. Affairs of the King's Aunts. Tumult at Vincennes. Infurredlion in Britanny. The King limited to the Nomination of Six Minifters. Apprehenfions of Hoftile Intentions to France from the Emperor and the other Abfolute Sovereigns in Europe. The Affembly demands an Explanation of his Conduct, and orders Preparations to face its Enemies. Zeal of the Revolutionifts for the Public Service. Confequences of the Decrce for the Civic Oath. Ecclefiaftical Affairs. Mr. Mirabeau Prefident of the Affembly. His Address to the Deputation from the Quakers. Right of Primogeniture abolished. Sequeftration. Diffatisfaction of the Pope at the New Arrangement of ChurchAffairs in France. Death of Mirabeau. Progrefs of the Affignats. Confidence of the Affembly in their Strength and Refources. Sufpicions of the King's Defigns. His Complaint of ill Treatment, and Declaration to the Public. Conduct of Mr. la Fayette to the National Guards. Menaces' of the German Princes. Altercations with the Pope. Enmity of the Spanish Court to the Revolutionifts Suppression of the Duties on Provifions brought into Paris. Progrefs of the Affignats. Scarcity of Cafb. Apprehenfions from the Emigrants and Foreign Powers. Meffage of the Affembly to the Prince of Condé. Claims of the German Princes taken into Confideration. Decrees againfibe Authority of the Pope. Various Decrees for the Security of the Affembly and the Conflitutional Government of the Nation. Increafing Popularity of the Affembly. Difcontents of the People in Spain at the Government.." Progrefs

of

of the Spirit of Liberty in various Countries of Europe. Forwarded by the Exertions of the French. They become odious to Foreign Princes on that Ac count. Political Opinions current at this Period. Hopes and Projects of the Enemies of the Revolution. The King's Flight from Paris, and Recapture. Circumflances attending that Event. Conduct of the Assembly on this Occafion. Declarations of the King and Queen. Royal Manifefto. Affembly's Reply.

THE conduct and politics of the National Affembly, and its uninterrupted fucceffes, began at this time to excite the ferious attention of most of the Sovereigns in Europe, who appeared to be highly averfe to its proceedings, and to confider it as a body of men inimical to the rights of all Sovereigns (January 1791). Several of the petty Princes in Germany complained that it violated the treaties fubfifting between France and the Empire. At their defire the Emperor wrote to the King of France, requiring them to be punctually fulfilled, and requesting him to interpofe his mediation for their due oblervance. By thefe treaties, 'fome territorial rights in the provinces of France bordering upon Germany, principally in Lorrain and Alfatia, were vefted in thofe Princes.

The King communicated this letter to the Affembly, informing them, however, that the purport of it was pacific, and that no hoftile intentions were entertained against France by the Princes of the empire. But fuch was the apprehenfion of malevolence from that quarter, that an addition of 100,000 men was immediately voted for the army, and every fpecies of preparation was directed to be made upon the frontiers, in order to

meet the approach of an enemy. What was principally dreaded in this conjuncture, was, that thefe foreign foes would be joined by the malcontents at home; though incomparably lets numerous than the friends to the revolution. They confifted of refolute individuals who had remained unfubdued in their principles amidst all threats, and who only waited the occafion of oppofing the prefent government with fome prospect of fuccefs.

The conduct of the violent royalifts excited everywhere jealoufies and fufpicions. The machinations of the Princes of the royal family abroad were no fecret, and thofe at home were equally mistrusted: a flagrant inftance of the little confidence repofed in them, happened in the cafe of the King's two aunts. They had received his permiffion to retire to Rome, in order, as it was alleged by thofe who were well affected to them, to live there in more tranquillity than they could enjoy in their own country: it was ftrenuoufly infifted on by others, that they were deep in the plot which had been concerted at Lyons, and were for that reafon haftening to fecure themselves from the refentment of the public, as a difcovery had been made of all the parties concerned *. The King

Thefe particulars are not to be confounded with the horrors which took place at Lyons, about two years after, under the tyranny of Robespierre.

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