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him, and you would give judgment against him; against him who has never given a sanguinary-order; against him who at Varennes preferred returning a captive to exposing the life of a single man; against him "who on the twentieth of june refused every kind of aid, and preferred remaining alone in the midst of his people.-Hear history speak. Lewis "mounted the throne at the age of twenty; he exhibited on it an "example of morals, of justice, of economy; he abolished servitude in his domains; the people desired liberty-he gave it—(murmurs.) —We "cannot deny to Lewis the glory of having always anticipated the wishes "of his people.-I do not conclude; I appeal to history; recollect that history will judge your judgment.” i

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This pathetic address appears to have had but little effect on the audience, who were intimidated by the Parisian banditti, or whom vengeance sharpened by self-interest had rendered insensible to his reasonings, as well as to the feelings of humanity.-As soon as the king was retired, the assembly was convulsed by disputes respecting the sentence to be pronounced on him. Some thirsted for his blood, and would have proceeded to inflict the punishment of death, without even giving the members time to form their judgment of the offence on more mature deliberation. Of this number were the mountain faction, headed by Roberspierre, Danton, Marat, and Collot d'Herbois, and patronised by the infamous duke of Orleans, now known by the appellation of Egalité. Many were of opinion that justice and policy forbade the pains of death; of which persuasion were the Rolandists, the Brissotines, and Girondists. They were willing to exercise mercy as far as it was reconcileable with the accomplishment of their views in the establishment of a republic. Others, though advocates for capital punishment, reprobated the idea of compelling men to decide without discussing. Petion and Manuel were of this opinion, and incurred disgrace with their jacobin confederates by avowing it. The debate became so violent that some of the disputants, forgetting their senatorial dignity, came to blows. When the president had restored order, the convention decreed, "that the discussion should be opened immediately, and be continued till judgment should be given." "These discussions were not ended before the close of this eventful year.

SPAIN.

i Gifford. 683.

k Segur. 3. 13. 1 Moore's Journal. 2. 572.

Gifford. 5. 685.

SPAIN.

How deeplý soever the Spanish king might feel himself interested in the cause of royalty, which was about to be contested in Europe, he appears to have deemed it politic on his own account, or prudent on that of the monarch in whose interests the European princes were about to engage in hostilities with the French government, not hastily to take an active part in them. His wise minister thought it advisable to proceed with deliberation in so important a matter; intending, probably, to regulate his conduct by events.

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1792

PORTUGAL.

THE queen of Portugal follows the example of her greater neighbour, 1792 and prudently stands aloof during the war now commenced in Europe.

ITALIAN STATES.

WHILST several of the Italian states adhered to a neutrality, the principal powers of Italy hastily involved themselves in a contest which will be eventually seen to be attended with the most ruinous consequences.-The king of Sardinia, who could not divest himself of his feelings as an ally and relative of the house of Bourbon, afforded the French government a specious pretext for invading his territories by the protection he afforded to the emigrants, an account of which has been given in the French history. -The pontiff, incensed at the loss of Avignon, and the violent proceedings of the national assembly in matters relative to the church, and perceiving that the thunders of the vatican were treated with contempt, began now to discover the feelings of a temporal prince. But we may observe in his conduct

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conduct more of zeal than of judgment or good policy. He reviewed his forces, consisting of about 1600 infantry and 400 cavalry; men who had never seen the face of an enemy, and consequently were unimpaired by service, whose swords were as unsullied as their honour.-A sovereign, while he is reviewing such a body of troops, ought to beware that he does not suffer too great a confidence in them to precipitate him into warlike councils.

1792

SWITZERLAND.

THAT We may form a just idea respecting the merits of the subsequent conduct of France towards the Swiss cantons and the republic of Geneva, it is proper to attend to their demeanour at this period.-The Swiss nation might well have been pardoned, had they resented the injuries done to their brave countrymen, who fell in defence of the king whom they served, and in the maintenance of their allegiance, on the memorable tenth of august, or who were imprisoned and afterwards butchered by assassins on the second of september. But, whatever feelings of pity and indignation might be raised in the breasts of individuals by these outrages, the Swiss governments received the intelligence with the silence which prudence imposed: moreover, when the German powers were preparing to invade France, the Helvetic diet, assembled at Arau, declared "that they would stedfastly adhere to a neutrality between the contending parties."

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In the mean-time, the agents of the French republican chiefs were assiduously employed in disseminating their principles in Switzerland, and in cherishing the spirit of revolt, which had already made its appearance in the canton of Berne. Among these the most active were Cæsar and Amadæus la Harpe, associates of Clavieres, a Genevese; who, being promoted to a distinguished post in the Roland administration, gave these chiefs and their malecontent partisans assurances of the support of France in the plans concerted by them for undermining the established governments of Switzerland. -Their designs, which had been before prosecuted by secret machination,

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were openly discovered on the second anniversary of the French revolution; 1792 which Amad. la Harpe caused to be celebrated in the Pais de Vaud.-The intentions of the revolutionists became now so notorious that the supreme council of Berne thought it expedient to send a special commission to Rolle, in the Pais de Vaud, to take cognizance of the delinquents; which sentenced a few of the most notorious offenders to imprisonment, whilst others, among whom was Amad. la Harpe, escaped punishment by flight. " It was evidently the intention of the French republicans to provide themselves with an useful auxiliary by effecting a revolution in Switzerland: and a plausible pretext for dissatisfaction with the conduct of the Swiss governments offered itself soon after the commencement of hostilities with the German powers. On the invasion of Savoy by general Montesquiou, the Genevese, thinking themselves insecure, applied to the cantons of Berne and Zuric for a reinforcement to their garrison; and were immediately aided with 1600 men by them.-This drew the vengeance of the French government on the Genevese. Montesquiou marched his forces against the city. But that general, who was suspected of disaffection to the ruling faction, now incurred their severe displeasure by signing a convention with the city, when he had it in his power, they thought, to have gained possession of it; only stipulating that the Swiss troops should be withdrawn, and agreeing to retire with his army to a certain distance from the Genevese territories.

This convention, however, only occasioned a change in the means by which Geneva was to be subjected to France.-Treachery was now to be employed, instead of force.-The French general who had superseded Montesquiou, availing himself of the pretence afforded by a tumult raised at the instigation of the French resident, Servan, returned with his forces to the walls of the city. Deprived of the Swiss auxiliaries, the constitutionists then submitted to the democratic party, and the government became subservient to France."

1792

GENEVA.

DISCORD, which had ever been the evil genius of the Genevese republic, was now destined to complete its ruin.-We have seen that the popular partisans, three years since, had succeeded in effecting a change in the constitution, which made it more agreeable with the principles of democracy; those principles which had been recommended by Rousseau, whom the prevailing Girondist party in the French republic professed to revere. But these republicans now evinced by their conduct that it was not for the principles which were the terror of all Europe that they contended, but for dominion; that, under the mask of zeal for liberty, they sought the power of tyrannizing.

When general Montesquiou was employed in the conquest of Savoy, the Genevese, agreeably with the tenour of their alliance with the cantons of Berne and Zuric, applied for and obtained a body of troops, for the protection of their state. This act of prudence and precaution, which was construed to be expressive of diffidence towards the French republic, was deemed a sufficient offence to warrant the complete subversion of Genevese independency. They had been among the earliest to acknowledge the French republic; and they had since testified their good-will by repeated acts of amity. But the possession of this central city was thought essential to the establishment of their dominion in Savoy and Switzerland.* A pretext for a rupture was, therefore, to be found: and a government which professed not to interfere in the affairs of other states, which was to plant the olivebranch with the tree of liberty throughout the world, was not content with

*

D'Ivernois cited a letter addressed by the war minister to general Montesquiou, in which strict orders are transmitted to him, importing that this city was necessary to ensure the possession of Savoy that he should enter either by consent or by force, and take 20,000 good stand of arms, of which France had occasion.—This letter, according to this writer, ended with these words: "if "the citizens represent that these arms are necessary for the defence of their city, you may remove "their fears by leaving them four or five thousand men for their protection. By this means you "will make Geneva the bulwarkof France."-D'Ivernois. Revol. de France et de Geneve.-The same writer says that it was known to be the design of the Gironde party to surround France with republics, which should be governed upon their own principles.

a D'Ivernois. 7