journey. These objections were easily answered by Mr. Thornton, who denied that a monopoly was intended, or could possibly result from the measure, that it was merely designed as a protection for those who embarked a portion of their fortunes in a commerce for the natural productions of Africa, and that it would not occasion any injury to other traders. CHAP. LXIX. 1791. On the third reading, objections were renewed by May 30, Mr. Cawthorne, who doubted the right of his Majesty to make any grant of land in Sierra Leone. He raised some merriment by reading the conveyance brought home by Captain Thompson, graced with the mark of King Tom, assigning lands to the Captain and some other persons, and to their heirs for ever. Mr. Sharp had drawn up a code of laws; but the settlers, after plundering the stores and robbing one another, had dispersed. King Tom was dead; and his successor King Jamie, far from acknowledging the validity of the grant, seized some of the new comers, sold them as slaves to British merchants, drove the settlers from the district, and compelled them to seek refuge far up the country. He did not desire to prevent the new Company from exploring and deriving benefit from the interior, but could not assent to their possessing exclusive or peculiar rights, or gaining dominion over a great and important river. These opinions were supported by Lord Sheffield, Mr. Matthew Montagu, and Mr. Hippisley, and answered shortly by Mr. Henry Thornton, Sir William Young, Mr. Buxton, and Mr. Devaynes, who preferred the mark of King Tom or King Jamie, as a title to the more usual one of driving the natives from their lands, and then using such possession as a title. The establishment, it was expected, would lead to the civilization of Africa and the abolition of the slave-trade. On a division, the opposers of the bill were defeated by a great majority*; and the measure does not seem to have encountered any opposition in the upper House. * 87 to 9. Passed. CHAPTER THE SEVENTIETH. 1790-1791. Occurrences in France.-General change of ministry—exculpation of the Duke of Orléans and Mirabeau.-Conduct of the Assembly toward foreign nations the clergy—oath imposed on them.-The King's assent forced-some of the clergy conform, the majority refuse.-The King's aunts go to Rome.--Altered conduct of Mirabeau.-Riot in Paris.Decree against emigrants.-Attack on the castle of Vincennes-conduct of Lafayette-the King's friends maltreated perseverance of Mirabeau.-The King ill-regency provided for-residence of the King decreed.-Illness-and death of Mirabeau-honours paid him.-Proceedings with respect to religion-resistance of the King— his journey to St. Cloud prevented-his ineffectual complaint to the Assembly-he yields up his objections to constitutional priests—his letter.-Influence of these events on the English Parliament.--Canada. - King's message.—Mr. Pitt's motion. Mr. Fox.-Petitions-progress of the bill.State of the opposition party. Mr. Hussey's motion.-Speech of Mr. Fox-Mr. Pitt.-Further observations of Mr. Foxsituation of him and Mr. Burke.-Motion by Mr. Sheridan to adjourn the debate on the Canada bill.—Mr. M. A. Taylor. -Mr. Fox.-Mr. Powys.-Mr. Burke.-Debate on the recommitment of the bill.-Mr. Burke.-Mr. Fox.-Mr. M. A. Taylor.-Mr. St. John-continued efforts to bear down Mr. Burke. Lord Sheffield moves a question of order. Mr. Fox.- Mr. Burke-he disclaims all future friendship with Mr. Fox.-Agitation and speech of Mr. Fox-Mr. Burke-Mr. Pitt.-Motion of order withdrawn. -Further proceedings on the bill.-Mr. Fox - Mr. Pitt -Mr. Burke-Mr. Fox-Mr. Burke.-Bill passes.-Result of the late altercations.-State of the Roman Catholics. -Mr. Mitford's motion to bring in a bill for their relief seconded by Mr. Windham-objections of Mr. Fox-Mr. Pitt. The bill in a Committee.-Mr. Fox.-Debates.--The bill passes the lower House - debated in the upper House. -Lord Rawdon.-Speech of Dr. Moore, Archbishop of Canterbury-of Dr. Horsley, Bishop of St. David's-oath amended-bill passed-its effect.-Libel bill.-Corn bill.— Session ended. THAT some debates and proceedings in Parliament may be rightly understood, it is necessary to recapitulate events which occurred in France. CHAP. LXX. 1791. in France. ministry. Necker's removal was followed by a general change, Occurrences and the character and behaviour of ministers was also General essentially altered. Mutiny in the fleet, and disturb- change of ances in various parts of the kingdom, served, as a foundation for a report from four committees of the Assembly, in which the conduct of administration was severely criticised. M. du Portail succeeded Latour du Pin as minister at war. He promised the Assembly to reduce into practice the sublime theory of their laws. Du Porte du Tertre, an obscure lawyer, was made keeper of the state seal, as the King's seal was now denominated. He required of the commune permission to retain his scarf as a municipal officer, and assumed the proud distinction of plebeian minister. Both these persons owed their appointment to Lafayette; and, after some slight pauses, the other posts were filled with men of similar description. Orléans and Soon after the return of the Duke of Orléans from Exculpation of his enforced visit to London, the Assembly, in consi- the Duke of dering the report of the court at the Chatelet, had Mirabeau. pronounced him and Mirabeau blameless in the trans actions of the preceding October. This acquittal Sep. 30. enabled the Duke to remain undisturbed in the French capital, and to renew and continue his pernicious intrigues; but, although his malignity was rather increased than abated, his political character was greatly CHAP. 1790. Conduct of As to foreign nations. changed, as his pusillanimity and want of the higher qualities requisite to a great conspirator became generally known. His disgraced name and exhausted purse were still of some use to those men, who, while he was aiming at the throne, were planning the utter destruction of kingly authority. Acting under such disclosed and such latent imthe Assembly pulses, the National Assembly, by their decrees and conduct, prepared the way for the hostility of foreign nations and the total destruction of every thing established in their own. Thus they treated with lofty contempt all applications, on behalf of the German Princes, for a recognition of the rights reserved to them by treaties in Lorraine and Alsace-rights which had been destroyed by the decrees of August 1789* ; they formally annexed Corsica to the realm of France, and proceeded in wresting from the Pope his indisputable rights in Avignon and some other provinces, shewing how deceitful was their formal renunciation of views of conquest and aggrandizement. The nobility might be considered as effectually destroyed; but the clergy and the throne remained, and, degraded as they were, still afforded means of gratifying malignity by reiterated insults. The clergy. After depriving the clergy of their established revenues, laws were made declaring all benefices elective, admitting persons of every sect, even those who were not Christians, to vote in these elections, and totally altering the extent and limits of dioceses. The clergy respectfully submitted that the Assembly could not assume dominion over the discipline and spiritual government of the church, which could only be arranged by a national council: but this proposition excited the indignation of the legislature; pretended conspiracies and insurrections were denounced and declaimed on with fury. A report from the four committees was produced, inveighing against the supposed crimes of Oath imposed the priesthood, and proposing a decree by which they should be compelled to swear adherence and submission Nov. 26. on them. * Mémoires d'un Homme d'Etat, tom. i. p. 78. to the civil constitution of the clergy, and denouncing civil prosecutions against those who, after refusing the oaths, should retain benefices, or exercise ecclesiastical functions. This decree was ably combated by the energetic and lofty eloquence of Maury, the solid reasonings of the Abbé de Montesquieu, and the pathetic simplicity of the Bishop de Clermont; but as their arguments were answered only by profane ribaldry or wanton insult, the clergy announced their resolution to take no further share in the discussion; and the decree, with another, still more rigorous, proposed by Mirabeau, passed the Assembly. CHAP LXX. 1790. assent forced. The King had already received from the Pope a The King's brief, expressing his disapprobation of the civil constitution of the clergy; and Louis consequently withheld his assent. The Assembly pressed him to sanction their decree, and, on his refusal, the violent party December 23. threatened to renew the outrages of October. The bishops were execrated for appealing to the Pope; the weakness of Frenchmen, who could submit to the veto of a transalpine pontiff, was derided; and, at last, the King reluctantly wrote to the Assembly, announcing December 26. his acquiescence. The demagogues now triumphed, and, on the ensuing day, were highly gratified, when Some of the sixty priests and monks, headed by the Abbé Grégoire, form. conformed to the decree. clergy con A day was fixed on which every ecclesiastical mem- 1791. ber of the Assembly must peremptorily take the oath, January 4. or resign his benefices. On that day the hall was surrounded and the tribunes filled by a ferocious mob. The clergy, appearing in their places, were separately called by name. The Bishop of Agen, being the first, in modest and moderate terms declined taking the oath. The yells and cries à la lanterne, which accompanied and followed his speech, did not deter other members of the church from giving similar answers; for fear of the effect to be produced by these manly protests, the Assembly directed the president to desist from calling the names, and required a general consent to take the oaths, or renunciation of their benefices. One curé alone com The rest refuse. |