which had given rise to various political affociations of an alarming nature, and in which ideas of government reform were carried to a visionary and dangerous extreme; it was thought proper by many of the moft diftinguished advocates of constitutional liberty, about this period to inftitute a fociety under the name of the "Friends of the People," for the fole purpose of effecting a reform in parliament on the principles fo often stated and fo ably enforced by Mr. Pitt, and other judicious patrons of reform, prefuming that all other neceffary and beneficial reforms would follow in fafe and regular gradation. About thirty members of parliament entered their names as members of the affociation, which alfo comprehended many of the most eminent characters in the kingdom, whether in refpect of political or literary ability. It is remarkable, that this most useful and laudable affociation, this broad and lofty mound thrown up for the defence of the conftitution against the rage of republican innovation, feemed to excite more the alarm of the government than all the other affociations united. And when Mr. Grey, himfelf a member of the new fociety, gave notice of his intention to move, in the course of the ensuing feffion, for an enquiry into the ftate of the reprefentation, Mr. Pitt rofe with unufual vehemence to declare "his total difapprobation of introducing, at a period fo critical and dangerous as the prefent, a difcuffion of fuch difficulty and importance. This he affirmed was not a time for experiments; and if he was called upon either to rifque this, or for ever to abandon all hopes of reform, he would fay he had no hefitstion in preferring the latter alternative. He faw with concern the gentlemen to whom he alluded, virtually united with others who profeffed the reform of abuses, and ineant the fubverfion of government." The expediency and policy of timely and temperate reform were on the other hand powerfully argued by the friends of the projected motion. "As to the obnoxious allies of the late

affociators,

affociators, Mr. Fox faid, the objection might be completely retorted by afking the minifter, whom have you for your allies?' On the one part there are infuriated republicans, on the other the flaves of defpotifm. The first are the rafh zealots of liberty, the latter its inveterate and determined foes." The confternation of the ministers evidentally appeared by a ROYAL PROCLAMATION almost immediately iffued against the public dispersion of all feditious writings, and against all illegal correfpondenciesexhorting the magiftrates to vigilance, and the people to fubmiffion and obedience.

This proclamation being laid before the house (May 25), and an address moved of approbation and fupport, it was opposed by Mr. Grey with much warmth, and the proclamation itself condemned in fevere terms as a measure infidious and pernicious. The "diligent enquiry" enjoined by the proclamation after the authors and diftributors of wicked and feditious writings, could only tend to establish an odious and arbitrary fyftem of ESPIONAGE. This was the fyftem which had made the old government of France fo much the object of general deteftation, and it was a fyftem unworthy of the fovereign of a free people to recommend. Mr. Grey ftrongly intimated his belief, that the real object of the proclamation was merely to difcredit the late affociation in the view of the public."

This Mr. Pitt difclaimed in very explicit terms; and expreffed his high refpect for many of the members of the affociation in queftion, declaring "that he differed from them only in regard to the time and mode which they had adopted for the attainment of their object. The affociation in question, he said, did not come within the scope and purview of the proclamation, which was levelled against the daring and feditious principles which had been fo affiduoufly propagated amongst the people, under the plaufible and delufive appellation of the rights of man." The addrefs was finally carried without a division, and receiving

1

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ceiving the concurrence of the upper houfe was presented in form to the king. It was followed by addreffes from all parts of the kingdom: and the miniftry, finding their ftrength, commenced profecutions against a prodigious number of offenders, amongst whom Thomas Paine stood most confpicuous. Notwithstanding the profeffional ability of Mr. Erskine, whom he had engaged as his advocate, he was found guilty of the charge; but foreseeing the probability of this event, he had previously abfconded to France.

The attention of parliament towards the conclufion of the feffion was forcibly drawn to the fituation of India— for fome time paft involved in a general war, the origin and progrefs of which it may be proper concisely to explain. From the æra of the peace of Mangalore, concluded by the company with Tippoo Saib in 1784, the power of that prince had been regarded as very formidable. He was avowedly and devotedly attached to the interefts of France, to which country he had foon after that event fent a splendid embassy, and established an intimate friendship and aldiance. The period however at length arrived, when, France being occupied with other and greater objects, a severe vengeance might be fafely taken on the TYRANT OF MYSORE for all his real or pretended perfidies and oppreffions. The Dutch East India company had in the last century conquered from the Portuguese two forts, fituated within the territory of Myfore, called Cranganore and Acottah. These they had recently difpofed of by purchase to the rajah of Travancore, an ally of the English company. Tippoo resenting the conduct of the Dutch, and affirming that the rajah had no right to make any fuch purchase within the limits of his territory, marched a confiderable military force in the fummer of 1789 against Cranganore, with a profeffed intent to reduce it to his dominion. The conduct of the rajah in making the purchase in queftion, on fo precarious and invidious a title, was fe

verely

verely cenfured by the government of Madras; and Mr. Holland, the prefident, warned him to defift from his ambitious defigns.

In confequence of the powerful mediation thus interpofed, Tippoo withdrew his troops, ftill, however, afferting his claim to the feudal fovereignty of the forts, and offering, as it is faid, to fubmit his pretenfions to any impartial arbitration. But on the ift of May, 1790, the rajah, relying, as it afterwards appeared, on the support of the fuperior prefidency of Bengal, made an offenfive attack on the army of Tippoo Sultan; and the war having thus commenced, the English government was bound in honor and juftice to defend their ally. This the company were the better enable to do, not merely from their knowledge of the state of France, but from the treaties they had actually formed with the nizam of the Decan, and the Mahratta ftates, for the exprefs purpofe of humbling the power of Myfore.

The grand Carnatic army immediately affembling, under the command of general Meadows, marched through the fouthern or Coimbetore country, and penetrating the Ghauts or paffes of the mountains, advanced towards the city of Seringapatam, the capital of Myfore,

On the western fide, the Bombay army, under general Abercrombie, after reducing Cannanore and several other places on the coaft, entered the kingdom of Mysore; which, notwithstanding the pretended oppreffion of the government, exhibited every where the marks of the higheft cultivation and profperity. The fultan defending himfelf with great refolution, and no mean display of military ikill, general Meadows found himself under the neceffity of retreating to the vicinity of Madras; where, in the month of December (1790), lord Cornwallis affumed the command of the army in perfon.

The plan of the war was now entirely changed, and a grand effort refolved on, to force a paffage to Seringapatam through the country lying directly weftward of Madras.

On

On the 21st of March, 1791, the important town of Bangalore was taken by ftorm, with little lofs on the part of the British, but with a dreadful carnage of the unrefifting garrison.

On the 13th of May, the army, by extraordinary exertions, arrived in fight of the superb capital of Mysore, defended by the fultan in perfon: and, on the next day, an action took place, in which Tippoo was faid to be defeated; though he does not appear to have sustained any very confiderable lofs: and the fwelling of the Cavery (in an ifland formed by the branches of which Seringapatam is fituated), together with the want of provisions, compelled lord Cornwallis to begin his retreat to Bangalore, almost before his victory could be announced.

General Abercrombie,, who had advanced through the Ghauts on the oppofite fide, with a view to form a junction with lord Cornwallis, was now alfo obliged to lead back his army, fatigued, haraffed and difappointed, over the mountains they had fo lately and with fuch difficulty passed. During thefe tranfactions the troops of the Nizam and the Mahrattas kept difcreetly aloof, leaving the burden of the war almost entirely to the British.

But the next campaign, for which lord Cornwallis made unremitted preparations, opened under more favorable aufpices.

Early in February, 1792, the eastern and western armies, refuming their former plan of operations, effected, before the end of the month, a junction under the walls of Seringapatam; the forces of the Peifhwa and of the Nizam encamping also at a small distance, and furnishing to the British army a plentiful fupply of ftores and provifions.

On the 7th of February, a general attack was made by moonlight on the lines of the fultan, which was attended with important effects; Tippoo being compelled to relinquifh his former advantageous pofition, which covered his

capital,