the autumn, on account of the critical situation of national affairs.It was then seen against whom the passions of the multitude were inflamed. The populace, assembling round the state coach as the king was going to the parliament-house, were not content to shew their rage by angry acclamations expressive of their abhorrence of the war, their aversion to the premier, and even their disaffection to kingly government; they threw stones at his majesty's carriage; and a bullet was discharged from an airgun, near palace-yard, which broke one of the windows of it." The speech from the throne-the purport of the addresses on it-the objections made to them-the answers in justification of the present measures, all breathed nearly the same spirit as those of the preceding session, and therefore need not be related.-Our attention will be more usefully directed to the expedients employed by the ministry to strengthen the hands of government, and to prevent the evils apprehended from the machinations of the seditious and the fury of the multitude.-The first of these was a proclamation offering a thousand pounds for the discovery of any person guilty of the outrages against his majesty's person. -This was followed by another enjoining all magistrates and well-affected subjects to exert themselves in suppressing all unlawful meetings and the dissemination of seditious writings. These were a prelude to the more important proceedings of the legislature. On the sixth day of november the earl of Grenville brought in a bill" for the safety and preservation of his majesty's person and govern"ment against treasonable and seditious practices and attempts.”—On the same day a bill was brought into the house of commons by Mr. Pitt for the preventing of seditious meetings.-The merits of both these bills were discussed with great vehemence.-In the debate on the latter, the premier indirectly acknowledged the unconstitutional nature of his bill by resting its justification on the absolute necessity of such an expedient, to restrain the proceedings of assemblies whose opinions and discourses were inimical to good order and obedience to government. The rights "of the people,” he said, "ought to be respected, but it was equally "indispensible to obviate their abuse. The question before the house. 66 was, 1795 + October 29. + October 31. Annual Register. 1796. p. 9. Idem. 16. ? Idem. 17. 21. 1795 66 66 was, whether the pressure of the moment did not require an instant, remedy?? "A precise and acknowledged power was wanted in the "magistrate to disperse such meetings as threatened disorders. This power, indeed, ought not to extend to meetings held for lawful purposes, but only to authorize him to watch over the proceedings of any large assembly, whatever might be the object of those who assembled. "To this intent, notice should be given to the magistrates previous to "the intended meeting: he should be empowered to be present, and, if " it appeared of a seditious tendency, to seize the guilty on the spot. To "obstruct him should be made felony: and, if the meeting did not disperse at his command, the penalties provided in the riot-act should be inflicted on the refractory. There was," he said, "another species of "meeting, consisting of persons who attended public lectures on political; subjects: the lecturers were persons notoriously disaffected to govern"ment, and the doctrines they delivered were calculated to instil the "rankest principles of resistance and rebellion to the established powers. "In order to obviate this effectually, the act against disorderly houses "should be applied to meetings of this kind, whenever they exceeded, by "a number to be stated in the act, the real family of the house." So. alarming a restriction occasioned an immediate cry of "Hear him," from; the opposite side; but Mr. Pitt persisted in his determination and moved for a bill of the above import. He was answered by Mr. Fox; who displayed in the strongest terms and with the most energetic eloquence, the formidable tendency of the bill.. "The people," said he, "had an inalienable right to deliberate on their grievances, and to demand redress from the legislature, but are for"bidden by this bill to exercise these rights without the attendance of a magistrate, and previous notice to him of their intention. He is empowered to arrest any one present, whose words he might think proper "to call seditious, and even to dissolve the meeting at his own pleasure. Say then at once," he exclaimed, "that a free constitution is no longer "suitable to us. Conduct yourselves at once as the senators of Denmark "did: lay down your freedom, and acknowledge and accept of despotism, but do not mock the understandings and feelings of mankind, by telling "the world that you are free. Can a meeting under such restrictions as 66 "the "the bill requires, be called a meeting of free people? is it possible to "make the people of this country believe that the plan is any thing but "a total annihilation of their liberty?"-After some strictures on the number of persons to whom the bill limited henceforth all meetings; "behold," continued he, "the state of a free Englishman: before he can "discuss any topic which involves his liberty, or his rights, he is to send "to a magistrate, who is to attend the discussion. That magistrate cannot 8 prevent the meeting, but he can prevent their speaking, because he can allege that what is said has a tendency to disturb the peace of the king"dom." —These are sentiments which, abstractedly considered, without reference to the present situation of the kingdom, every patriot must revere. But so critical, so perilous were the times, that it was thought advisable by a great majority in both houses to make a temporary sacrifice even of their dearest rights to the public safety; and the bill, after repeated discussions, received the legislative sanction. However expedient such measures may be, they must be considered as wounds given to the body politic, the scars of which will not be contemplated with satisfaction in any other light than as evidences of the merit of a constitution whose excellence enables it to bear such tampering without materially endangering its stamina. Amidst the gloom occasioned by internal distraction and the ill success of the allied arms on the continent, the spirits of the nation were prevented from sinking into despondency by that superiority which was still asserted by the British flag.-After the glorious achievement of lord Howe in the preceding year, the French had prudently avoided a general engagement, contenting themselves with protecting their own trade and depredating on that of Great Britain. The vast extent of the British commerce gave them a great advantage in this predatory warfare: and, it must be acknowledged that they were too successful in availing themselves of it. Fleets were fitted out from Toulon and Rochefort, which made some considerable prizes on the West India trade; and their ports were filled with vessels of different descriptions which had fallen into the hands of their privateers and cruisers employed by the state. But the only memorable exploit was performed by admiral Richery; who captured, off St. Vincent, great 1795 ་ Annual Register. 1796. 22. 1795 great part of our Mediterranean fleet of sixty sail, richly laden, under convoy of three ships of the line and four frigates.' In the mean-time, the British flag derived additional honour from every contest.-Among the memorable actions of this year we must not omit to mention that of the blanche of 30 guns with the la pique of 38; in which the French ship was forced to strike, after a desperate engagement, which, unfortunately, proved fatal to the brave captain Faulkner. The exploit performed by admiral Hotham, though not attended with such a display of valour, was of greater political importance.-That able commander, being stationed in the Mediterranean with fourteen ships of the line, fell in with a French fleet of fifteen ships, || laden with troops and stores destined for Corsica; and frustrated, for a time, the enemy's plan for the recovery of that island by taking two of their ships and forcing the remainder to take refuge in Toulon.' This was followed by the celebrated retreat of admiral Cornwallis.. Being stationed in the channel with only five ships and two frigates, he was surrounded by a French fleet of thirteen ships, besides frigates. But, with admirable bravery and address, he fought his way through the enemy's fleet, and extricated himself, after maintaining a running fight with that greatly superior force during a whole day.+-This brought on an engagement between the French admiral and lord Bridport.-That commander, with fourteen ships of the line and eight frigates, falling in with the enemy's fleet six days after the chace, forced the French admiral to fight in defiance of his attempt to escape to port l'Orient, and captured three of his ships. Nor was this the last or most memorable achievement of the present year. The Dutch states, which had before had much reason to regret their desertion of the English interests on account of the unfriendly conduct of their new allies, were now severely chastised by the loss of their most valuable settlement at the Cape of Good Hope; which was, at this time, reduced by an armament sent out for that purpose under the command of admiral Elphinstone and general Clarke.‡-Such were the events with which Great Britain was consoled in her distresses; events which, associated with others, were well calculated to teach her to withdraw her confidence from false subsidiaries, and to fix it on that means of protection and source of greatness which has never been known to fail her. 1795 FRANCE, HOLLAND, ITALY, AND GERMANY. THE narrative of the campaign in the low countries, which was abruptly broken off at the close of the late year, in order to relate the contemporary events of the war in other quarters, must now be resumed. Mortified at his repulse by a comparatively trifling force, Pichegru repeated his efforts to effect a passage of the Waal, a few days after, and accomplished his purpose with little resistance. Every day adding to the distress of the English forces and the perils that surrounded them, they were constrained to abandon the defence of that river; and, falling back to the Leck, another branch of the Rhine, they bravely defended themselves in several actions with the enemy, who harassed them on their retreat. While Pichegru was contesting the passage of the Waal with the forces under Dundas, Walmoden availed himself of the lines which had formerly been formed at the defile of the Greb, as the most advantageous post for his army. In that position he was attacked on all sides by Pichegru's forces; and, after a short conflict, he escaped from his enemy, and retreated with all possible speed towards Zutphen and Deventer.Unfortunately for his troops, the loss of their camp equipage greatly enhanced the hardships which they endured in a retreat through a dreary country; where, at the same time that they were hard-pressed by the French army, they were denied the offices of hospitality by the inhabitants; who, although their government was allied with Great Britain, were, in general, inimical to the interests of the coalition. Being ill supplied with provisions, exposed to the open air in a most severe season, or taking shelter at night in sheds and barns, and struggling with all the difficulties that trackless wastes and miry roads opposed to them, where their artillery were to be dragged through heaps of drifted snow, while the enemy hung on their rear, + January 4. VOL. III. 30 1795 |