difmiffions and appointments, M. Roland to the interior department, M. Claviere to that of finance, and foon after M. Servan to be minifter of war-men who poffeffed the entire esteem and confidence of the nation.

The categorical answer of the court of Vienna at length arrived, infifting, " 1. on the reftitution of the feudal rights of the German princes in Lorraine and Alface; 2. the restoration of Avignon to the Pope; and 3. upon adequate fatisfaction that the neighbouring powers fhall have no reafon for the apprehenfion which arofe from the prefent weakness of the internal government of France." The first two of these propofitions being inadmiffible, and the laft unintelligible, war was on the 20th of April declared against the king of Hungary.

At this crifis a very remarkable letter was written in confidence by the king of France to the king of England, doubtlefs by advice of his prefent popular ministers, expreffing in the most flattering terms his obligations to his Britannic majefty for his impartial conduct, and making the most eager advances to the formation of a treaty of amity and alliance. "Between our two countries, fays the French monarch, new connections ought to take place. I think I fee the remains of that rivalfhip which has done fo much mifchief to both, daily wearing away. It becomes two kings who have diftinguished their reigns by a conftant defire to promote the happinefs of their people, to connect themselves by fuch ties as will appear to be durable in proportion as the two nations fhall have clearer views of their own interefts. I confider the fuccefs of the alliance, in which I wish you to concur with as much zeal as I do, as of the highest importance. I confider it as neceffary to the ftability of the refpective conftitutions, and the internal tranquillity of our two kingdoms; and I will add, that our union ought to COMMAND PEACE to EUROPE."

VOL. II.

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It was indeed evident that at this period England might have commanded peace upon her own terms. Never did this country appear in a higher and more exalted point of view than at this moment; but from that fatality which has governed almost invariably the counfels of the present reign, the suffered the glorious golden opportunity to pafs by unnoticed and unimproved. A diftant and evasive anfwer was returned; England, it was affirmed, could not mediate without the affent and approbation of both the parties-not recollecting certainly the late armed mediation in favor of the Ottoman porte. And the patriots of France faw clearly from this moment, that the utmost they had to expect from the policy of the English court was a cold and fufpicious neutrality.

On the commencement of hoftilities M. Rochambeau was conftituted commander in chief of the French armies, a feparate command being conferred on M. de Fayette, The war began with an unsuccessful attack upon the cities of Tournay and Mons. M. Rochambeau, conceiving difguft at the conduct of the war minifter, refigned his command to M. Luckner, a veteran officer, by birth a foreigner, and who had acquired great reputation in the German war of 1756-being then in the fervice of Hanover. The new general did not disappoint the expectations of the public. On the 18th of June the important town of Courtray furrendered to the arms of France, and the example of Courtray was foon followed by Menin, Ypres, and St. Ghislain; but on a fudden, to the aftonishment of the world, thefe conquefts were evacuated, and the French armies retreated to their former ftations in France. fhal Luckner fubfequently declared, that in this business he acted in ftrict conformity to the pofitive orders received from the king, who by this time had again adopted violent and dangerous counfels. Into this perpetual fluctuation of fyftem there enters without doubt at least as much of imbecility as of treachery. Having no clear difcernment of

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his own intereft, and placing no reliance upon his own judgment, he was willing in a fituation of unparalleled difficulty to make trial of any plan that was recommended to him from any quarter. It was truly faid of him, " La derniere venue avoit prefque toujours raifon avec lui." At the prefent crifis his characteristic weakness feemed to approach the limits of abfolute infatuation.

On the 6th of June a decree paffed the affembly, on the fuggeftion of the military committee, for forming a camp of twenty thousand men in the vicinity of Paris. To this the king refused his fanction. The decree against the refractory clergy, which with fome variations had a fecond time paffed the affembly, was also rendered ineffectual by the royal veto; and to crown all, the king on the 12th of June announced in perfon to the affembly the difmiffion of the popular minifters Roland, Servan, and Claviere : and in a fhort time M. Dumourier alfo refigned his office. Previous to this event M. Roland wrote that celebrated letter to the king, which, had it not been written otherwife in the rolls of fate or providence, might have faved the monarch and the monarchy. "The fermentation is extreme, fays this firm and virtuous patriot, in the various parts of the empire; it will burft upon us with a DREADFUL EXPLOSION, unless it be calmed by a well-founded confidence in your majefty's intentions: but this confidence will not be established by mere promifes and proteftations-it can reft upon facts only. The French nation know their conftitution can fuftain itself; that government will have all neceffary aid whenever your majefty, wishing well to the conftitution, fhall support the legislative body by causing their decrees to be executed, and remove every pretext for popular diffatisfaction, and every hope of the malcontents. The revolution is eftablifhed in the public mind; it will be completed by the effufion of blood, if wifdom do not guard against evils which can YET be prevented. force were recurred to, all France would rise with

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with indignation; and, diftracted by the horrors of a civil war, fhe would difplay that gloomy energy, the parent of virtues and of crimes, ever fatal to thofe who provoke it." After this fatal ftep, a fucceffion of minifters, or phantoms. of minifters, paffed rapidly over the ftage; the general ftate of things verged towards anarchy, the pillars of the ftate feemed to bow, and the fabric of government tottered to its fall.

On the 20th of June an immenfe crowd affembled in the gardens of the Tuilleries, and, the gates of the palace being thrown open, the populace entered into the apartment of the king. One of their leaders, more daring than the rest, producing a red cap, the fymbol of liberty, defired the king to put it on. He complied; and, in anfwer to the inceffant and clamorous demands of the mob, he repeatedly declared, "that it was his firm intention to preferve the conftitution inviolate." Though the infults. which the unfortunate monarch was compelled to endure were grievous, no further injury was fuftained, and at the approach of night the people were perfuaded to disperse. The king made a formal complaint of this outrage to the affembly; but, in the prefent fituation of things, they could as easily calm the ftorms of the ocean as the tumults of the people.

At this crifis M. de Fayette, quitted his army without leave or propriety, prefented himself unexpectedly at the bar of the affembly, befeeching, or rather demanding, of them to fave their country from ruin, by diffolving the factious clubs, and inflicting exemplary punishment on the late disturbers of the public peace." By this moft impru dent and unwarrantable ftep that general entirely loft the confidence of the nation, and incurred for this dangerous and unconftitutional interference the fevere cenfure of the affembly; and he returned in a fhort time full of refentment and chagrin to his poft in the army.

On

On the rft of July it was proclaimed by the affembly, "that the country was in danger." "Your conftitution, citizens, fay they, reftores the principles of eternal juftice; a league of kings is formed to deftroy it-their battalions are advancing." The political horizon in France exhibited the deepest gloom. On the 14th of July the third anniversary of the revolution was celebrated, but inftead of the animating fhout of vive le roi! nothing was heard but the clamorous vociferations of vivent les jacobins! A bas le VETO!

It was in a fhort time after this ceremony announced, that the combined armies of Auftria and Pruffia had entered France under the duke of Brunfwic, who had on the 25th of July iffued a proclamation which feemed purposely calculated to complete the ruin of the king. In this famous manifefto the moft dreadful vengeance is denounced against the French nation. Such of them as are found in arms against the troops of the allied powers, are threatened to be punished as REBELS to their king, and destroyers of the public tranquillity; and the city of Paris, in cafe the king, queen, and the royal family are not immediately fet at liberty, is to be delivered up to the horrors of military execution.

This filled up the meafure of the popular fury. It was not doubted but the king had authorized the use thus made of his name, and matters were almoft immediately brought to a crifis. On the 3d of Auguft M. Petion at the head of the fections of Paris appeared at the bar of the national affembly, to demand the DECHEANCE of the king. A petition of the fame tenor was prefented by a countless multitude on the 6th, and the affembly had appointed the 10th of August to decide upon this grand question; but the difcuffion was dreadfully anticipated. Early on the morning of the roth the palace of the Tuilleries was attacked by the Parifian populace; and being refolutely defend

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