T HE great importance to all nations and people of the moft extraordinary Revolution which ever yet marked the various hiftory of mankind, a Revolu→ tion which has already produced effects that are fenfibly and unfortunately felt in every quarter of the globe, and which is ftill capable, in its poffible confequences, of mocking all calculations framed by wisdom, or founded on experience, with respect to their extent and duration, has, in our prefent Work, called forth our utmost powers of diligence, enquiry, and attention, to trace and delineate the circumstances attending fo great and fo fingular an event. Nor was this by any means an eafy task. For, though the fources of information were beyond all example and measure redundant and voluminous, yet they poffeffed properties little favourable to the formation of hiftory; being generally framed and calculated merely for the purposes of misrepresentation and deception; their variety, contradictions, and number, all tended to increase the difficuity of difcovering the truth. From fuch heaps of inert or doubtful matter, where the the clearing away of whole bushels of chaff, was frequently not rewarded by a fingle feed of wholefome grain, we have endeavoured to comprefs within the narTow compass of our prescribed limits, fuch an abstract of the Hiftory of the French Revolution, as we truft will not prove unacceptable or unfatisfactory to the Public: requesting our Readers to bear in mind, that it would require an ample folio vo. lume to do full juftice to all the parts of which we have here traced the outline. The The time and room taken up by this momentous fubject, has of neceffity precluded our entering into the detail of other foreign tranfactions, which, in the ufual ftate of things, would have been deemed objeas of principal importance. conclufion of that ferocious and bloody war between the great powers of the North and Eaft (of the opening, and progress of which, through the two firft campaigns, we gave fo particular an account in our preceding volumes) fhall, with the death of the Emperor Jofeph, and fome other matters, form a retrospective article in our enfuing volume. THE ANNUAL REGISTER, For the YEAR 1790. THE HISTORY OF EUROPE. CHA P. I. Retrospective view of the affairs of France towards the close of the year 1789. State of Paris. Sudden and frequent revolutions in the government and conftitution of that metropolis. Body of electors appointed for the prefent, to fupply the place of the former regal and municipal authorities. Laudable conduct of the electors, and great benefits derived from it, in preferving fome degree of order and peace in that city. Incidents which led to their being expofed to imminent danger, through the caprice and the fufpicious difpofition of the people. Seemingly apprehenfive of this change of temper, they had the fortune previously to fecure a retreat, by inducing the people to elect 120 deputies, who were to be their temporary fucceffors. The divifion of Paris into fixty diftricts, for the better conducting of the late elections for deputies to the ftates, productive of many confequences favourable to the revolution, as well as to the establishment of form and order. In each of thefe diftricts general affemblies were held, whofe refolutions carried the effect of laws, and the meft fovereign acts of authority for the government of the district, were difpenfed by its own adminiftration. Thus, Paris was rather to be confidered as a confederacy, compofed of fixty independent democratical republics, than as one commonwealth. A few demagogues affume the lead in all thefe diftricts, and being fupported by the lower orders, foon oblige people of character to abfent themselves from thefe affemblies. Inftances of the noise, diforder, and tumult, which prevailed at thefe meetings. New republican clubs, who have their appendant focieties in every town of France, foon become rulers of the mobs and demagogues of Paris, and at the fame time dictators to the national affembly. Instances from a VOL. XXXII. [A] writer writer of credit, that falsehoods and forgeries were the great and conftant refources of the cabals in Paris. Parifians noted for credulity, and at the fame time for the extreme fufpiciousness of their nature. Similar inftances of credulity in the provinces. The exceffive liberty and unbounded licentioufness of the press, a powerful inftrument of the revolution. The literati of Paris eftimated at 20,000, and thefe dictated to the rest of the nation. Unaccountable and indefenfible fupineness of the minifters, with respect to the prefs. Strange and fatal blindness of the two first orders of the ftate. Famine, as a cafe of general difcontent, another powerful inftrument of the revolution. Real or imputed conduct of the duke of Orleans. National affembly feriously alarmed at the conflagrations and massacres which were Spreading defolation and ruin through many parts of the kingdom, the nobi"lity being hunted down like wild beafts in feveral of the provinces. This impression of terror, produces the extraordinary events of the 4th of August. The viscount Noailles, and the duke-d'Aiguillon, make fpeeches in the ass fembly, in which they propofe fubftantial redress and relief to the peasantry, by relinquijing and abolishing those parts of the feudal rights and duties, which lay the heaviest on, or were the most complained of by, that order of men. A fudden fit of enthufiafm Spreads at once through the two first orders, and the only conteft after feemed to be, who should facrifice the most, and who should be the first to offer; while the commons feemed loft in aftonishment and applaufe. It was in an inftant decreed, that all impofts fhould be equally and equitably laid on; that all the feudal fervices fhould be redeemable at an equitable price; and that perfonal fervitude should be abolished for ever, without any purchase. These are followed by a facrifice of the exclufive rights of the chace, of fishing, of warren, and of dove-cotes. The parish priests make an offering of all their parochial perquifites, and the beneficiaries bind themselves never to hold a plurality. Various other refolutions paffed on the fame night, each of which was from that moment confidered as an irrevocable decree, and afterwards made the foundation of a formal law. Affembly decree a medal to be ftruck, to commemorate the acts of this glorious night. They likewife confer on the king the title of Reftorer of the Liberties of France. Solemn Te Deum celebrated, at which the king and the national affembly afift. Aftonishment. and dismay of the clergy, after the great facrifices which they had voluntarily made, upon a motion for the fequeftration of their tithes. Debates renewed with great violence on the following day. Caufe of the clergy eloquently and ably defended by the Abbe Sieyes. In general they stand firmly in Support of their rights. Debate, after much tumult, adjourned late at night. Means used during the remainder of the night, and the morning, to bring over the heads of the clergy to a confent. Archbishop of Paris, in the name of his brethren, furrenders all the tithes of the church into the hands of the nation.. His fhort Speech on that occafion. The old provincial names, diftinctions, peculiar rights, and privileges, determined to be abolished, and the whole nation confolidated into one compact body, and under one equal form of government. Deputies of privileged towns and diftricts make a furrender of their charters and municipal documents. Provinces which poffeffed a right of taxing themselves, renounced that right and their ftates |