till the morning of the 17th of July, when the magiftrates were alarmed by the report that a large body of feditious perfons were about to affemble in the Champ de Mars. Two of the magiftrates were fent to the fuburb of St. Antoine, where they had the fatisfaction to find that every thing was quiet. At eleven o'clock however intelligence was brought, that in the quarter of Gros-caillou two perfons had been murdered: three municipal officers were therefore dispatched, at the head of a battalion of national guards, to feize the murderers and difperfe the infurgents. At the fame moment information was received of an alarm ing tumult in the Champ de Conféderation. The mob attacked the national guard, and one man had the audacity to fire on M. la Fayette kimfelf. The man was feized; but M. la Fayette, with a false generofity, permitted him to efcape. The red flag was now difplayed, and martial law proclaimed. The national guard was at length obliged to fire upon the people, who did not difperfe till about twelve were killed, and fifty or fixty wounded. It was afferted, with what truth it is difficult to fay, that foreign emiffaries were discovered among the populace diftributing money, and exciting them to rebellion.

The period now approached, when the conftituent affembly were to terminate their labours. A committee had been for fome time employed in compiling and digefting into a code the conftitutional decrees, and on the 4th of Auguft it was read to the affembly by M. Thou. ret, and debated article by article on the following days. On the 3d of September it was prefented to the king. He fignified his acceptance fit in writing on the 13th; and the

following day he appeared at the af fembly, introduced by a deputation of fixty members, and folemnly confecrated the affent which he had already given, and concluded with an oath "to be faithful to the nation and to the law, and to employ the powers vefted in him for the maintenance of the conftitution, and the due execution of the law."

While the conftitutional act was in agitation an additional decree was paffed, importing that no branch of the royal family could exercise any employment in the gift of the people; and on the 30th of September the conftituent national af fembly terminated an uninterrupted feffion of two years and four months, and fpontaneously diffolved itself.

In treating of the different acts of the national affembly, we have freely criticised such parts of the new conftitution as appeared liable to objection. One general error, and which may ultimately effect its deftruction, muft appear on the perus fal of it to moft readers; and that is, the extreme weaknefs of the executive power. Unless the agents of government be protected and fupported in the execution of their feveral duties, their operations must neceffarily be timid, feeble, and ineffective. Perhaps the impeachment of minifters, which is a moft folemn, a moft important, and alfo a moft dangerous branch of legislative authority, unlefs exercifed with great difcretion, ought to be fubjected to fuch formalities as might render it difficult upon frivolous pretences. Perhaps the concurrence of a certain portion of the legislative body ought to be required before an impeachment could be brought for ward or moved for; fince it appears that, if a popular harangue from a fingle demagogue is fufficient to H 3

difplace

difplace a minister, and even to fubject him to a criminal profecution, thefe offices will never be executed by men of fpirit and character.

Another obfervation will perhaps not be confidered as impertinent, as relative to the prefent ftate of France. When the conftitution was fettled, it fhould have been the great object of every friend to his country to labour for the restoration of tranquillity, order, and induftry. Thofe political affociations, under the denomination of Amis de Conftitution, &c. &c. which might be ufeful at firft in keeping up the spirit

of the people, are certainly no longer wanted. It is not a supply of politicians, but of mechanics, manufacturers, and hufbandmen, that must now give vigour and profperity to France; and it is better to reft fatisfied with even an imperfect form of government, than by a continued purfuit of ideal perfection to retain the country and the government in an unfettled and a divided state. A free government may fometimes experience injury from too much confidence; but it is certain to be deftroyed by a series of discord, disorder, and faction.

W

HILE the empire of France was convulfed with the amazing change which had been effected in its government, the neighbouring countries of Europe were fcarcely lefs agitated with foreign wars or with inteftine commotion. No fovereign could fucceed to a throne at a more difficult crifis than that in which Leopold 11. was inveled with the imperial purple. By the temerity of his predeceffor, he found himfelf involved in a distant and unprofitable war; while the most flourishing part of his hereditary dominions appeared for ever alienated from the houfe of Auftria.

Jofeph II. was the mimic of Frederic, who has been mifnamed the Great; but if his views were lefs felfish, his conduct was lefs art

ful than that of the Pruffian tyrant. Like his great model, he was a votary of the pretended philofophy of Voltaire, and confidered every thing as reformation which was oppofite to eftablished opinions. No people are more attached to their religion, than the Flemings; and the alterations which Jofeph attempted in the church and conftitution of the Belgic provinces, had kept them in a ftate of agitation for a confiderable period. What was effected by violence was enforced by feverity. The unrelenting perfecution to which all the opponents of Jofeph were expofed, had depopulated the country by continued emigrations. The exiles in the mean while preferved a frict correfpondence with each other; they had their agents in every part of Brabant and Flanders,

and

and it is generally fuppofed were not deftitute of foreign fupport. On different parts of the Auftrian frontier they attempted repeatedly to collect their scattered forces; but they were as conftantly dispersed by applications from the court of Víenna to the flates where they prefumed to fhew themselves. It was not till the latter end of the year 1789 that they were able to take any effectual measures. Then, as if by magic, an army of 40,000 men appeared in an inftant of time, and over ran the whole of Auftrian Flanders. As count Trautmandorf, the head of the Auftrian adminiftration, had arrested several of their friends at Bruffels, the infurgents feized in the first inftance the perfon of M.Crumpipen, the chancellor of Brabant, whom they detained as a hoftage. They foon obtained poffeffion of the town and citadel of Anvers, of Tournay, and of Ghent. The leaders of the party formed themselves into a legiflative body at Breda, where they declared themselves the lawful ftates of the provinces. Their proceed ings at firft were marked by an uncommon fpirit of unanimity, and their fuccefs was correfpondent. It was not long before the whole of the Auftrian Netherlands, the citadel of Antwerp and a few other strong places excepted, was in the hands of the patriots. It was in vain that the emperor Jofeph threatened, in vain he held forth the most flattering and conciliatory language, in vain offered to restore their ancient conftitution, and even to endow them with additional privileges. On the 22d of December the fates of Brabant affembled, and in concert with the deputies of the other provinces proceeded to the appointment of a miniftry. M. Henry Van der Noot, a popular advocate, who had distinguished himself by his oppofition to

the emperor, was named prime minifter; M. Van Euren, grand penitentiary of the cathedral of Anvers, was appointed fecretary of state; and the baron d'Hore, commiffary-general for the war department.

About the fame period the other ftates, viz. Flanders, Hainault, Tournay, Namur, and Guelderland, were convened, and formally dif claimed their allegiance to the em peror. The magiftrates whom Jofeph had banished were at the fame time recalled, and the courts of juftice were opened under the new administration. General Van der Merfch, who had diftinguished himfelf in feveral actions, was appointed to the chief command of the forces; envoys were dispatched to feveral fo reign powers, and the ftates affumed all the prerogatives and functions of fovereign authority.

In the month of January 1790, the outlines of a federal conftitution, confifting of twelve articles, were formed by the Belgic ftates, for that was the title which the new confederation affumed. In these articles it was ftipulated, that each province should retain its own peculiar conftitution, as well as the right of internal legislation; but that a congrefs fhould be appointed, confifting of deputies from each of the provinces, for the conduct of all affairs relative to the federative union, the general defence of the republic, the coining of money, the ratifying of treaties; &c. The Roman catholic religion was established throughout all the ftates. The civil and military employments were never to be united in the fame perfon; nor were the members of the republic to accept of any military order or distinction from foreign powers,

Though the Belgic ftates expe-. rienced no direct fupport from the powers which were friendly to their H 4 interefts,

interefts, and which were fuppofed to have encouraged their revolt, yet their armies were refpectably increased by a number of foreigners, particularly from England and France, who entered as volunteers into their fervice, and performed the most gallant actions. That which was termed the Belgic legion in particular was compofed chiefly of British, and no body of military ever diftinguished themfelves by more active courage or more perfect difcipline.

It would be foreign to our purpofe minutely to detail the viciffitudes of the war. The fpirit of the people, encouraged by their clergy, and the good conduct of their officers, not only enabled them to fupport an unequal conteft, but even inclined the balance of victory in their favour, and foon wrefted the whole of the Belgic provinces from the dominion of Austria.

The unanimity which prevailed at the commencement of the revolution was unfortunately not of lung duration. The federal government of the Belgic ftates appeared to be eftablished on a bafis not ill calculated to fupport the fabric of a confederated empire; but, in the government of the different states, there exifted enough of evil to produce difcontent, faction, and distrust. The conftitutions of these provinces were, like most of the old governments of Europe, founded entirely upon feudal and aristocratical principles. The nobles and the clergy were invefted with particular privileges, which like all others were fo many infringements on the general rights of the citizens. When Jofeph fubverted the constitution of these provinces, the privileges of the fuperior orders were involved in one common ruin with the liberties of the people. All parties, therefore, were at first

united in reclaiming the ancient conftitution, as more tolerable than the defpotifm of Auftria; but when they had fuccessfully contended, and purchased their liberties at the price of their blood, the enlightened part of the community conceived that, in establishing the new government, fuch alterations ought to be adopted as were agreeable to the prefent improved notions of civil policy, and fuch parts of the old conftitution facrificed as were actually oppreffive. But what was their furprife, when they found that, instead of an improved fyftem, the old aristocratical government was every where adopted by the ruling powers, and even with additional burthens on the people, and additional indulgences to the privileged orders!

So far from indicating any defire for improvement, any genuine affection for the cause of liberty, one of the firft fteps of the Belgic congrefs was a public declaration of intolerance; the liberty of the prefs was totally prohibited, and state licenfers appointed; arbitrary imprifonment was allowed, and feveral other unpopular measures were adopted. A general air of mystery covered the proceedings of the congrefs, which was foon found to be filled with the creatures and imme diate connexions of Van der Noot and Van Euren. Among the perfons who profeffed themselves diffatisfied with the exifting arrangements, and who wished that fomething more might be done for the caufe of the people, were fome of the highest rank and the moft popular character. Of thefe it is only neceflary to mention the prince d'Aremberg, the duc d'Urfel, the viscount Walkiers, and general Van der Merfch. A patriotic committee was formed at Bruffels for the purpofe of effecting fome reform in the government,

government. The conftitution of England was the avowed object of the majority of these reformers, which they wished to fee adopted as far as might be confiftent with republican government. Butthefe were the views of a comparatively small part of the public: the great mafs of the people, the inferior orders, were directed entirely by an implicit devotion to the will of their priefts, and in every refpect fubject to monaftic influence. The patriotic committee was scarcely formed, than the most alarming riots were excited in Bruffels and other parts; in which the rabble, always governed by the moft contemptible prejudices, exclaimed in favour of the exifting oligarchy, and feemed anxiously induftrious in forging fetters for them

felves.

Such was the inaufpicious crifis for Belgic liberty, in which Leopold afcended the throne of his ancestors. That crafty prince, lefs dazzled with falfe glory, lefs heated with the rage of innovation, than his unfortunate predeceffor, was able clearly to difcern that his real intereft no longer confifted in reaping barren laurels in the unprofitable conteft with the Ottomans, but in conciliating or reducing his revolted fubjects, and in attending to the actual profperity and peace of his extenfive hereditary dominions. It was even faid that the unfortunate Jofeph, when humbled and fubdued by the approach of death, expreffed the deepest contrition for his imprudent conduct, and recommended to his fucceffor, in the ftrongeft terms, the adoption of pacific meafures in treating with his Flemish fubjects. One of the first steps therefore of Leopold was to iffue a conciliatory proclamation, inviting the revolted provinces to return to their allegiance, pledging bimfelf for the reftoration of their

civil and ecclefiaftical conftitutions, and promifing a complete redrefs of every grievance. While fuch were his proceedings in public, he did not neglect to treat in private with the leaders of the two parties. Whether fuccefsful or not in gaining them to his interefts, one effect was certain to follow this mode of negociation; it was certain to increase that diftruft and difunion which already exifted: each party in fact mutually confidered and reprefented the other as fold and devoted to the views of Auftria; but there is reafon to be-* lieve that the monarch was moft fuccefsful with the pretended patriotic committee,

The king of Hungary however did not entirely trust to the effects of his negociation, nor to the difunion which prevailed in the provinces themselves. He no fooner afcended the throne than he fecretly determined upon a peace with the Turks; and he began gradually to withdraw his troops from the Ottoman territories, to employ them upon an object of fuperior profit and importance. General Bender, an excellent officer, was fupplied with an immenfe reinforcement of choice troops, and prepared to renew the war with fresh activity and vigour.

In fuch an extremity, a union of parties could fcarcely be purchafed at too large a price. The Belgic provinces were too weak, without foreign aid, to refift the immenfe power of the house of Austria, had the most perfect unanimity prevailed. But what must be our aftonifhment, to find that the diftreffes which threatened them feemed to increase instead of reconciling their diffenfions! Adverfity and perfecution had made Van der Noot appear more than a man-power and profperity had converted him into a child. There was nothing odious

and