fidence, that you will, on all occa. man Catholics, fome of whom were fions, thew your firm deterinina- probably influenced by French motion to enforce due obedience to hey, as well as French principles, the laws, and to maintain the au- and affuming the title of defenders, thority of government, in which had done confiderable mischief, as you may depend on his majesty's well as committed very horrid enorcordial co-operation and support: mities in several parts of the kingand I have it in particular com- dom. As, in many instances, these mand from his majefty to recom- bands of desperate men had been mend it to you, to apply yourselves too powerful for the civil magifto the confideration of luch mea- trate, it became neceffary, in orfures as may be the most likely to der to enforce obedience to the laws, ftrengthen and cement a general to maintain the authority of gounion of sentiment among all vernment, and to preserve the geclatles and descriptions of his ma- neral tranquillity, to increase the jesty's Catholic lubjects, in support military force of the country. An of the established conftitution. act was accordingly passed for esta

ment, for alteration of matters estan power over the hereditary revenues blished by law, or redress of al- of Ireland, and to accept a liınited ledged grievances in church and sum for the expences of his civi) state, may be made uie of to terve list. The parliament, therefore, The ends of factious and feditious granted a civil list establishment of persons, to the violation of the pub- 225,000l. per ann. and limited the lic peace, and the great and ma- power of the crown to grant pent wirest encouragement of riot, tu- fions to 80,000l. per ann. and not to mult, and disorder : and it enacis, exceed 12001. to any one person, that all such allemblies, comunit- except the branches of the royal tees, or other bodies of perions family. An act was also pafied, clected, or otherwise conttituted or during this feflions, for exduding appointed, are unlawful assemblies; certain placemen and pensioners and that all persons giving or pub- from the House of Commops. lithing notice of the election to be The same causes which had come inade of such persons or delegates, bined to give a temporary check to or attending, or voting, or acting the commercial credit of Great therein by any means, are guilty of Britain, had operated with cqual an high' miidemeanor. The act alarm in the filter kingdom. The concludes, with a declaration," that parliament of Ireland, therefore, nothing in it thall impede the un- evinced the same prompt and predoubted right of his majesty's sub- ventive care as had been manifesijects, to petition the king or par- ed by the English government, by liament for redress of any public or undertaking to make good the sum private grievance.” It must be al- of 200,000l. which the bank had lowed, that this was a strong mea- engaged to advance to certain mer. sure; but, at the same time, it can- cantile houies, with intereit at not be denied, thai the feditious 5 per cent; a measure, which redifpofition which had appeared newed and enlivened the current of among certain classes of people, commercial credit, and prevented combined with the circumstances its short suspension from being at of the times, teemed imperiously to tended with any consequences predemand it. Two acts were alío judicial to the trade of the country. patted similar to those which the In thort, the vigorous conduct of yigilance of the British govern- the government of Ireland, during ment hadenacted under the titles of this period, was admirably adapted the alien and traitorous correspond to restore tranquillity, and defeat ence bills. In the same ieftions alio, the designs of those who wished to, an act was paid on the same prin- raise public discontent, and to inciple, and according the samciiluftra- 'troduce the principles of French pion of the law on libels, as that anarchy; while the falutary law's which had been introduced into the with which this sellion of parliaEriuin parliament, by Mr. Fox. ment strengthened the executive

lui erder that the legislature of power, were wisely formed to seIreland iviglt petiefs the same con- cure the bleilings of domelic peace troul over the application of the and public security. pullic money', as is enjoyed by that . The spirit of parliamentary reof Great Britain, his majeliy bad form bad found its partizans, and thought proper to Surrender his produced its aflociations in Scot

lane, land, as well as in England and ample, committees of organisation, Ireland; and Mr. Muir, one of the finance, and of fecrecy; made bofaculty of advocates, and Mr. Pal- nourable mention of le, vices ; demer, formerly of the university of creed their authors the honour of Cambridge, but since a diffenting the sitting ; instituted primary and minifter at Dundee, had been tried provincial ailemblies and departfor leditious conduct, at different ments ; and as, they adopted the meetings, allembled for the pur- forms, leemed to potlets the revopose of improving the parliamen- lutionary fpirit of the French contary repretentation of the country. vention. Several of the leaders They were found guilty, and sen- were, however, taken into custody, traced to be transported beyond the and, by the vigilance and activity fcas, to such place as his majesty, of the Scottish magiftrates, this colis with the advice of his privy coun- vention was dilperied. It appcarcil, thould judge proper, for the ed, nevertheless, to spring up again, space of fourteen years. But this though in feparate forins, and with necetary and affecting example did more expanded character: but the not prevent a very numerous aflo- power of the laws, the vigour with ciation from establishing itself at which they were employed by those Edinburgh, which, under the forms whohadthe administration of them, and tuned authority of a legitla- and the general loyalty and good tive alembly, dated their resolu- sense of the people, controuled the tions in the first year of the British spirit, frustrated the deties, and Convention, one and indivilible. at length dirolved the aiicciation They adopted the phrases and modes of theic ignorant, misguided, and et proceeding of the French go- feditious people. veniment, eitablished after its ex

CH A P. V. fairs of France. Priliminary Obferuntions. State of Parties in the Consentiun. Preparations for ibe Trial of Louis X?). Redures of the Commistres concerning in. The Order of conducting it. Criminating Papers produced. Toe Mayor conducts the King from the Temple in the Convention, Hus Conduct and Examination at the Bar of it. He demand's Counjel to allot bim in bis Defence. Cutrifel are appointed bim. His intermediate Emplora ment in the temple. His return to the Bar of the Convention. His D fence delivered by M. Defeyes, one of his Council. The King's Adürefs 10 ite con. vention. He is found guilty, and condemned 10 die. Tie Court of Spain ayplier to the desembly, in behalf of the deposed Sovereign. State of the votes on the Occasion. The Preparation of Louis for his End. The King is altwed Mr. Edgworth to attend bimas Prielt and Confeffer, Imad Segeration from bis Family. Various Circumstances that accompanied and followed spor bis Death. The Character of Louis XVI. Sutjequent circumstances,

W

E now proceed to consider event that presents itself to our atV the late, condition, and tention, is among the roft atrocious Fantadions of France; and the first and diigraceful acis that have tlain

ed

ed the annals of the world. We former station, and that they might tremble to draw aside the veil, and be qualified to live in tranquillity unfold the horrid crime: Over thc and respect, in any other part of bloody threshold we hesitate to ad- Europe they might chuse for their vance; and the same inscription residence. which the poet read on the out

There were others of the conward gate of hell, leems here en- vention who were very anxions to graved to turn us aside from such a save the king ; but dreading the path of horror.

consequences of avowing their opi

nions, endeavoured to delay ang Per me fi và nëlla citia dolente; Per me fi và nell eterno dolore ;

proceedings against him, until the Per me fi và tra la perduta senta.

public should be in such a state

of mind as to adınit of a fair and But, before we conduct the reader honest trial. When their endea. Le to the prison of the temple, the vours to attain this object failed of ure bar of the convention, and the fa- fuccefs, they attempted to carry the EPA tal scaffold, it may be neceflary to sentence of confinement, during offer some preliminary remarks to the war, and exile after it. When , his attention.

they were baffled in that attempt; It was an undoubted principle, they tried the appeal to the pris. with the most active party of the mary affemblies; and, finally, they convention, that, while Louis lived, strove to save the devoted monarch, there would be no permanent fecul- by proposing to postpone the execu- 1020 rity for them ; the object, there- tion of his fentence. But the party a fore, of all their councils and de- who considered the king's death as a la hyns, was to bring the unhappy effentially neceffary to the views of monarch to that fate which he lo their ambition, and were, there Toon Tuffered. But their views were fore, most violent against him, left and by i not accomplithed without much in- no measure unexerted, and no ar- og terruption, contiderable difficulty, tifice unemployed, both within and to and the exertion of the most subtie without the aisembly, to cut short.com manauvres.

all forms of proceis, by a tudden Many members of the conven- and bloody catatirophe. tion regretted that decree which Legendre proposed, that all who produced such a precipitate aboli- had consigned their opinions on the te tion of royaliy, and noft fincerely lubjeet of the king's conduct to wished, that the king and coniti- writing thould lay them on the tution might be re-ettablithed. A table of the alleinbly, and that af ftill more considerable number were ter the intervention of one day, of opinion, that, when the repub- they thould pronounce sentence on and lican form of government was once the culprit, without faffering him adopted, that the king and royal to utter a word in his defence. Rofamily fhould be escorted, with bespierre thought the whole bufievery exit rior mark of regard, to neís might be completed in twenthe frontiers of France, that an ty-four hours, and that the affema ample feitk ment should be made on bly thould not separate till it was them, which might appear, in the concluded, St. Andrè declared, eyes of Europe, ils suited to their that Louis had been judged and

CONS

condemned by the people on the from the king,andit was merely from soth of August, and nothing was the zealous curiosity of Clery, his left for them to do, but to proceed faithful valet de chambre, that he to execution. Those who desired barely knew the intentions of the the death of the king were alarm- convention to call him to their bar, a ed at the effects which might be very few days before it happened, produced in the minds of the peo- To keep him ignorant, to the last ple by his appearance at the bar of moment, of any design of this na

the convention; but when they ture, and then hurry him, unpreoch found that their power did not reach pared, before them, was a contriv

so far as to exclude him from the ance worthy of the hellish spirits

privilege of being heard in his de- that conceived it. This circumdefence, they employed the most stance, with the cruel and sudden

abominable and profligate means separation from his son, might jedis to prevent any circumstance fa- have disconcerted him in such a

yourable to the king from being mauner, as to have given bis eneLes produced by such an awful and af- mies the opportunityof imputing the terit efecting spectacle, as would be pre- disorder and confusion of his anche fented on such an occasion. Inflam- swers to conscious guilt. But el to te matory papers were accordingly dif- these arts to enfnare the unhappy E, in perfed among the people, inciting monarch fajled of their 'aim: for under them to infift on his immediate exe- though the questions proposed to are the cution,or to execute him themselves; him, were prepared by a commitBut 2 to impress an opinion that the tee appointed for that purpose, and king'st death of the royal fufferer was ne- afterwards reconsidered by the to the targ cellary to the existence of the convention; and though he was wer, French nation; that the Gironde suddenly led away amidst infult sauti ir party was bribed by the powers at and indignity, and without the lealt d, and war with France, to tave Louis, preparation to answer them on the och vid and that their final object was to instant; yet luch was his conduct K, to cal re-establish him and despotism to- on this trying occafion, such the -, bp a la gether on the throne.

calm and majestic character of his But while they endeavoured to deportment, such the readiness and ., that des difpofe the public mind to co-ope- fagacity of his replies, and such the minius x rate with them, they artfully con- predominating proofs of bis inno

ausztrived that the object of their dia- cence, that several of his moft vithen a bolic enmity and injustice thould rulent enemies were filled with 1, and to be placed in a situation the most alarm, left such a combination of of a disadvantageous to himself, as it affecting circumftances thould have ce lente might forcibly tend to unfettle and at once recalled the spirit of aninfans trouble his mind, at a moment cient loyalty into the bosumns of his defect when he required all its powers foriner subjects whọ licard and be

vices to support him; and when his un- held him. Plod in three deritanding, to do him fervice, A commifiion of twenty-four as the best be clear and unclouded. To deputies, seleđed from various site de a dea this bafe and infamous pur- committees, having been for some dre deres pole, the whole of the intended pro- weeks employed in ransacking cedings were carefully concealed every suspected place for criminat

‘ing