drawing the proclamation, pub- millioners sent from Paris, the lithed at the moment when the northern army was in foine degree French general hoped to have in- re-organized; and general Damduced his army to attack the con- piere was appointed the provisional vention; and to have published commander in chief; nor did he another, which annulled all the wait many days before he had an pacific declarations of the former, opportunity of displaying his milj: Nay, it has been aflerted, that, on tary talents. He had already rethe publication of the first of these occupied the camp of Famars; and proclamations, the interior parts of on the 8th of May, made an atFrance had began to move, and tack on the Austrian and Prusthat this spirit of revolt immedi- fan posts, which brought on a very ately fubfided on the appearance of serious engagement, that ended in the second. But to prove the ex- favour of the allies. Their loss, in 3-5-7 aggeration of this statement, it will killed and wounded, amounted to be fufficient to observe, that the 800 men, and that of the French firft proclamation was signed on the to 4000. The duke of York took 5th of April ; and the next at fo a very decided part in this action; ihort a distance as the ninth ; and and the luccels of it was very much that, in fo fhort an interval as four promoted, by the bravery of the days, all that could poflibly have English troops. In this battle, reached the ears of the allies, was general Dainpiere finished his thort the total failure of Dumouriez's in- career ; and thus escaped the disfluence over his army, and the graceful exit of the guillotine, to horror with which the attempt to which so many brave men, whose march against the convention was, success did not answer to the wild to all appearance, received in demand of the convention, were France. Since the proclamation devoted. He lost his thigh by a jis seemed to have no effect on the cannon ball, and died of his wound minds of Frenchmen, it could not on the following day, leaving the be expected that the allies should command of the army to general continue to be bound by it, and La Marche. renounce the power of acting as On the 23d, it was determined circumstances might require. by the allies, to make an attack up

When the national convention on the fortified camp at Famars, was informed, that the commif- in order to dislodge the French fioners whom they had sent to seize from a situation which commanded Dumouriez, and conduct him to the city of Valenciennes; and, after Paris, had been arretted, and sent a severe contest, this important to the Austrian army, they decreed object was obtained. The enemy a permanent fitting, and proclaim- were obliged to abandon a position ed a large reward for taking him on which they placed great relialive or dead. They then made ance, as it was fortified with every arrangement necellary to pre- great care, and to leave Valen, serve the tranquillity of the capital, ciennes and Conde to their fate. as well as to defend the frontiers The loss sustained by the English againit the armies that threatened was very trilling, and that of the them. By the adivity of the com- Austrians and Pruflians by no

means

means confiderable. The allied Paris in a frequent state of disorder army was accordingly encouraged and uproar. The army on the to proceed to the tiege of Valen- Rhine had not been able to prevent ciennes, and the conduct of it was the capture of Mentz; and that of committed to the care of his royal the north had beheld, in a comhighness the duke of York. In pelled state of inactivity, the capthe mean tine, the town of Condé ture of Condé and Valenciennes. had been in a state of tiege since But it was not only an invading the beginning of April, and being enemy, which the convention had ill-ftored with provisions, was to fear, but internal toes: very obliged to capitulate on the roth formidable insurrections reared of July, to prince Ferdinard of their heads in different parts of Wirtemberg, lieutenant-general in France, and very contiderable bothe Imperial army.

dies of loyalists were allembled, Valenciennes was now closely in- particularly in Britanny and Poitou, vested, and though general Custine now diftinguitlied by the names of

was arrived from the Rhine to take La Vendee and Le Loire. The the last the command of the army of the convention confidered there come

north, he could not afford it anymotions, in their early state, as etfectual relief. The tiege, there arising merely from an indispofore, continued with great vigour, fition in the people to subinit to and a considerable part of the town the arrangements of the new gowas reduced to ashes. The gar- vernment; which were so different

rifon does not appear to have been from their former customs, and to may fufficient for its defence; and after contrary to their ancient prepofit repeated summons, general Fer- feflions. But their numbers, and

rand furrendered the city to the their conduct, plainly evinced, duke of York on the 26th of July, that these infurrections did not

who took poffeffion of it, in the proceed from any ludden impulte, kot name of the emperor of Germany. or temporary grievance; but were

With this important event, we the result of preconceried detign. hall, for the prefent, leave the af- They were distinguithed with counfairs of Flanders, and just glance ter revolutionary 1j mbols, assumed at those of the armies on the Rhine, the name of the Christian army, Oftkirmifhes, flight engagements, proferted to act under the authority and advantages mutually obtained, of Monfieur, as regent of France; fome account might be given, if and, excited to action by the hafuch details were cither interesting rangues of their priests, and the or inftructive. The most impor- fymbols of their religion, they were tant circumstance of the campaign luccessful in several encounters was the surrender of Ment2, which, with the national guards. On after a very tedious fiege, capitu- the 20th of March, the comlated on the 224 of July, to the millioners, who had been sent to king of Pruitia.

examine the nature and conditions In no point of view did the af- of these insurrections, liated to the fairs of France wear, at this time, convention; that the insurgents,

pronuifing aspect. The govern- in the department of the Lower ment was dittracted by parties, and Loire, lad attacked general Marce,

with some advantage, that the city not only persecuted the patriots, of Nantz was besieged by them; but favoured the emigrants and reand that their numbers were great- fractory priests : they even went so Jy increased. In the beginning of faras to demand, that his head should April, general Berruyere was ap- pay the forfeit of his contumacy. pointed to command against the in- The convention, therefore, decreed, furgent anny: nevertheless, the that general Paoli and the proroyalists had contrived to possess cureur-general Syndic of the dethemselves of a large extent of partment of Corsica, should be orcountry, and had defeated the re- dered to the bar of the nation, to publican army in two general en- give an account of his conduct. gagements. But it was not within The general, as may be supposed, the actual territories of France alone, refused to obey this citation; and that discontents prevailed against the the persons who were sent to arexisting rulers. The popular so- rest bim, represented the commisciety of Toulon denounced the fion as too dangerous to risque the Corsican general Paoli, as a sup- execution of it. The conduct and porter of despotism. They alledged character of that venerable man, that, in concert with the admini- and gallant soldier, will heighten ftrators of the departments, he the intereft of a future period.

CHA P. VII. Leading Parties in France. Proceedings of the National Convention. Efiae

blishment of a Revolutiorary Tribunal for trying Offences against the State. Decree for the Protection of Property. Decrees for inflicting Punishment on Publications in Favour of Monarchy. The Sentence of Outlawry decreed against all Persons attempting a Counter-Revolution. Å Committee of Pube lic Safely appointed. Its Powers specified. The Bourbon Family arrested. Decree respeciing the Paper-Currency of France. Violent Contests between

the Gironde and Jacobin Parties. Petition presented by one of the Seations " of Paris against certain Deputies. The Commons of the forty-eight Seations

of Paris demand, that certain Deputies pould be impeached and expelled the Convention. Various Accufations brought againsi the Convention by a Deputation of the Fauxbourg of St. Antoine. Marat sent to the Abbey Prison: is tried, and acquitted. The Convention enter upon a Confideration of the new Conftitution. A Commission of twelve Members of the Convention appointed for inspecting the Commonalty of Paris. Distracted State of the Convention. Forced Loan proposed. The Proceedings of the Commission of Twelve irritate the People. Its Diffolution decreed. Decrees respecting Public Instruction, and the Regulations of the Army. Paris in a State of infurrection. A Diputation from the revolutionary Committees appear at the Bar of the Conven. tion. Now Commotions in Paris. The Convention compelled to arrest cera tain Deputies. The New Confiitution. Declaration of the Rights of Man. Observations. Report respecting the imprisoned Deputies. The Southern Provinces in a state of Revoli. Marai ajillinated. Decree again Fue reigners. Decree for rising in a Mafs. Occurrences in the Weft iudies.

Capture of Pondicherry. V E now turn aside from the contests of domestic parties, My scenes of war to consider and describe the effects of those

com

rommotions which agitated the lity, and external as well as interconvention of France. The leaders nal safety of the republic, of every of this felf-created body of rulers plan tending to establish royalty, were certain literary men, whole and of every crime respecting the talents in political discussion, whe- fabrication of forged affignats. ther as orators or writers, had, at 2. The tribunal shall consist of this turbulent period, raised them fix judges, divided into two fecto the distinction of legislators, and tions. Three members in each who employed, as subordinate mi- fection shall be sufficient to exanisters, a few individuals that had mine facts denounced. acted as clerks under the regal go. 3. The judges shall be chosen by Fernment. Of these Briilot is the national convention, by the well known, and from his name nominal appeal, and by a relative

the party with which he was majority. the connected has been frequently 4. To this tribunal shall belong

called the Briffotin faction. At a public accuter, and two affiftants, Ort the head of the opposite party named by the convention in the

This was pra&ised with great suc- abolish the inviolability of the decels in France, and the prounise of puties of the convention, when acliberty and equality won the popu- cused of crimes against the state. lace to throw aside their preju On the 7th of April a committee dices, and to aslift in the robbery of public safety was appointed, of wealth in every form, whether with powers adequate to prevent or ecclefiattical, hereditary, or com- punish all insurre&tion and confpi- 1 mercial; as the pofleflions of re- racy: but as the authority deleligion, the inheritance from an- gated to it was of a more extenfive cctors, or the gains of industry. nature than had hitherto been That these deluded people should granted, its duration was limited fuppote that liberty fignified a state to the short period of a month. of licentiousness, and that by equa- This decree was the subject of much lity must be understood an equal debate, and contained the followpoffeflion, of property was a very ing articles :natural consequence. Nay, these 1. A committee of public safety, opinions were actually encouraged consisting of nine members, taken by the demagogues of France, till from the convention, thall be formthe revolutionary frenzy had done ed by open vote. its office. But as this levelling, 2. This committee fall delifyftem is equally hottile to power berate in secret, and thall be and to property, those who bave charged to watch over and acceobtained the poffeffion of them, lerate the actions of the adminiftraand have assumed withal the cha- tion entrusted to the executive racter of rulers, will think it ne- council, whole decrees it may cefiary to restrain and regulate fufpend, when it thinks them conthofe principles, which would now trary to the public intereft, being be as destructive to themselves, as bound at the same time to give init had been to thote with whore formation to the convention. spoils they are enriched. Hence it 3. It is authorised to pursue, in was that the convention formed a urgent circumstances, external and decree, denouncing punishment of internal measures of general de death againti any one who ihould fence, and its decrees signed by the propose an Agrarian law, or should majority of its deliberating mem-arch attempt to injure territorial, com- bers, which shall never be less mercial, or perfonal property. than two thirds, fhall be executed

On the 29th of March a decree by the provisional executive counwas pailed, by which it was de- cil; and it cannot in any case issue clared, that all persons convicted mandates of arreft but against exeof composing or printing writings cutive agents, and are bound, at de for the restoration of monarchy in the same time, to give immediate France, or the dissolution of the information to the convention. national representation, should be 4. The particular agents, whom tufla punished with death. - All persons the committee thall think proper guilty of attempting a counter-re- to employ, shall be paid from the volution were, at the same time, public treasury. declared outlaws: and on the first 5. The national treasury shall, of April a decree was pailed to for this purpose, keep in readiness,

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