Enough, by Defolation's tide, With anguish and indignant pride, Has Rome bewail'd her fate; And mourn'd that Time, in Havoc's hour, Defac'd each monument of power, To speak her truly great : O'er maim'd Polybius, just and sage, How deep was her regret! Now pays a mighty debt: Lo! facred to the Roman name, The fplendid work is crown'd to-day, England, exult! and view not now In every path of liberal art, Science for thee a Newton rais'd; That proudest joy may claim ! FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. REMONSTRANCE of the PARLIAMENT of PARIS of the 11th of APRIL, relative to what paffed the 19th of November laft, at a Meeting between the French KING and bis PARLIAMENT. THE King, after calling a meeting of his Parliament, and proposing a tax to them, finding the majority of the members against him, immediately broke up the meeting, and ordered the act to pass into a law. On this unconstitutional proceeding of his Majefty; his anfwer of the 21ft of November to the resolutions which passed in confequence of that act, and his refufal of any proteft being entered on their regigifters, the following remonstrance was prefented to the King. It traces the foundation of the King's privileges, and in what manner his predeceffors have been restrained on any endeavour to infringe thofe privileges of the fubject. From its length we are confined to fome few extracts, which are the most material, but which difcover the spirit of the rest. "THE leading objects which again oblige your Parliament to prefent them felves at the foot of your throne, are, that public liberty is attacked in its very principle, that defpotifm is fubftituted for the law of the nation, that, in short, the privileges of magitracy are rendered fubfervient, and to be the mere inftrument of arbitrary power. "The folemn affembly h ld by your M jesty in Parliament on the 19th of Novem ber last, which by fhewing to the world the justice of your reign, fhould have prepared the means of laying a permanent foundation for the liberty of your fubjects, has on the VOL. XIII. contrary only produced a mistrust from their. flavery. But your Parliament can never allow that one act of arbitrary power should deftroy the effential rights by which your fubjects have been governed for 1300 years past. "Your Parliament can never remain filent on witneffing fo direct an infringement on monarchical government. Our privileges are not our own, they belong to the people at large, and it is our duty not to fee them violated. "The will of the King alone does not make the law compleat, nor does the fimple expreffion of this will conftitute the formal act of the nation. It is neceffary that this will, in order to be binding, should be published under legal authority; that in order to make the publishing of it legal, it must have been freely difcuffed. Such is the prin❤ ciple of the French conftitution. "Under the first race of our Kings, the King had, as at prefent, his Court, and the people either demanded, or confented to, a new law; the King either granted, or prefented it; and that law, thus obtained, or confented to, by the people, the King's Court ufed to confirm. The people's and the Court's fuffrages were equally, and inviolably free. The fame liberty fubfifted under the fecond race. Laws were enacted with the people's confent and the King's constitution. The Court under the second race was compofed of Noblemen, Bishops, and Senators. They were ftyled the Adjutants, Co-operators, and Administrators, of the public weal. Under the third race, the form of Government did not change, although the Court went Ccc unde . under a different name. It was then called the King's Court, the Court of France, the Royal Court, the Common Council, the Parliament. "Your Majefty cannot therefore fuppofe yourself able, in defiance of these testimonies, to deftroy the conftitution at a single blow, by concentrating Parliament in your own perfon. "Since then there exift reciprocal duties between Kings and Subjects, what would become of this principle in practice, if Kings, by a fingle word, had the right of restraining • fome, and extending others, ac ording to the nature of circumstances? "It remains therefore for us to fupplicate your Majefty, to pay an attentive regard to the state of your kingdom. We are ignorant how long the enemies of Magiftracy, and the public tranquility, will have the ignominious glory of triumphing over the laws; but we will venture to answer to your Majefty for the courage and fidelity of those who have the execution of them." His Majefty after having perufed very attentively thefe remonftrances, fent the following anfwer on the 19th April: "I have read your remonstrances, and it is my wish to answer them with fuch preciSon, that you may no longer doubt of my intentions, nor again attempt to thwart them. It was quite unneceffry to speak to me of the prefcription of registering, or the liberty of fuffrages. When I come to my Parliament, it is with a view to be prefent at the debates naturally refulting from examining the law I purpose to enact ; and to determine upon having it registered after a proper difcuffion, which may throw new lights upon the matter in question. This is what did the 19th of November laft: I heard every member's opinion; but when I am not prefent at your deliberations, then the majority alone can acquaint me with the refult of them: when I am prefent I am the only proper judge; for if the majority of voices in my Courts were to force my will, Monarchy would then become an Ariftocracy, quite contrary to the rights and interefts of the nation, and to thofe of fovereignty. It would be a strange conftitution, indeed, to reduce the King's will and authority to an equality with the opinion of one of his officers! Such a form of Government would introduce as many different ways of thinking, as there fhould be different deliberations in the divers Courts of Juftice in a kingdom. I must certainly, gentlemen, prevent fuch a misfortune befalling the nation. The 19th of November every thing was tranfacted in a legal way. The deliberation was compleat, fince all your opinions were heard. The votes were not told, because I was prefent, and the majority of voices must never be made apparent, when it has not a right to preponderate. Whenever I come to hold a fitting in my Parliament, on a fubject of adminiftratien or legulation, there must be an Arret, and it is Majefty that orders it to be pronounced. The Arretes or Refolutions of my Parliament were therefore highly reprehenfible, and I order you again never to publish any thing of the kind for the future. It is not my intention to alter your register books or your refolutions, but to rectify them, and expunge an error, which I am willing to impute to an unguarded moment of furprife, or to a peremptory illusion. How many laws may you find extremely useful and falutary to the nation, and which are daily approved of by your judgements, that are entirely derived from the Monarch's authority, who had them registered, not only without any regard to the majority of voices, but even against that majority, and in spite of the reluctance and refiftance of all the Parliaments ? Thefe are the principles that ought to regu late your conduct, and I fhall never fuffer them to be, in the imallest degree, infringed.” IN the night of the 4th and 5th of the prefent month (May) the King flued his orders to ftop M. Duval d'Efpremenil and M. Gaulard de Montfanbert*, Counsellors of the Principal Affembly of Parlament. Before the orders could be put into execution, they had both escaped; but returned on the fame evening to the palace. A meeting of the Parliament was immediately convened-the peers prefent were twelve, who wrote a proteft, and a deputation was fixed on to prefent it to the King. On the deputation announcing themselves to his Majefty, he refused to receive them ; and immediately ordered a regiment of guards to furround the palace, and to fuffer ne perfon to depart. *M. d'Efpremenil is fufpected of having received intelligence from fome of the printers, who worked night and day at Versailles on the new code, of the nature of the work they were employed on, by which means the projects of the Court, much to their diffatis faction, were prematurely difclofed; and, confequently, the Parliament enable to prepare themselves for the occafion.-M. de Montfanbert is a young Advocate, and fo reminent in his profeffion, that it was the firft with of every person engaged in a law-fuit to yetain him as his counfel. The ifle of St. Margaret, where the former is confing', is be yond Marseilles; and Pierre Enfize, the prifon of the latter, is at Lyons. M. Degout, commander of a regiment, fhortly after entered the chamber where the Parliament was fitting, and in the King's name, demanded the two magiftrates whom he had given orders to be arrested, but who A had escaped, to be delivered up to him. filence enfued for fome time, and no one would point them out, when the Prefident of the Parliament faid, with the acclamations of the whole Court, that every perfon prefent was a d'Efpremenil and a Montfanbert, and that the Court coincided with their opi nion. On this M. Degout returned to his Majefty to receive fresh instructions, and the Parliament remained locked up, and furrounded by the guards for twenty bours, before any answer was returned. On M. Degout's return, he fummoned the Affembly, and defired them to point out M. d'Efpremenil and Montfanbert, on pain of being guilty of high treafon.-These members then requested the permillion of the Court to deliver themfelves up. Before they retired, M. d'Efpremenil made a very affecting fpeech to the Court, which was received with the most profound attention and refpect. He was then conducted to the state prison of the island of St. Marguerite, and M. de Montfanbert to that of Fierre Encife. On the 8th inft. the following addrefs from Parliament was prefented to his Majesty at the affembly of the Bed of Justice, after entering their formal protefts to the confinement of the two magiftrates : SIRE," Your Parliament is confirmed by every proceeding of the intire innovation which is aimed at in the fyftem of monarchy. At the moment even when your Parliament was offering their fufpicions and remonftrances at the foot of the throne, an act of abfolute authority is exercifed in your name against two Magiftrates, whofe conduct is irreproachable, and who should rather deferve your Majefty's protection for their fupport of the rights of monarchy. "At the time that the deputies of Parliament were foliciting an audience at the foot of the throne, which public circumstances feemed to require, the feat of fovereign juftice was invested by a body of armed people, who committed acts of violence in the middle of the night, and at the time your Parliament was fitting. "Your Majetty has been advifed not to receive the deputation of your Parliament, because you had not been made acquainted of their coming by a special meffage. The efforts that have been made to conceal truth from your knowledge, but too plainly indicate the changes in the conftitution whil the enemies of magiftracy have endeavoured to effect fince 1771; and which they flatter themfelves to attain by a fpecious plaufibility. "Your Majefty, in fummoning your Par◄ liament to the throne, was about to conciliate the love of your people by a meature conformable to ancient practice. But, Sire, the French nation will never adopt the defpotic measures which you are advised to, and whofe effects alarm the most faithful of your Magiftrates. We fhall not repeat all the unfortunate circumftances which afflict us; we fhall only repretent to you with refpectful firmness, that the fundamental laws of the kingdom must not be trampled on, and that your authority can only be esteemed fo long as it is tempered with juftice. "It is the interefts of the nation which has determined each and every member not to take any part, either as a body or as individuals, in any functions which may be the confequences of new regulations, nor will they affitt in any measures which are not the unanimous refolutions of Parliament, endued with all its privileges. Such is the nature of the French Monarchy; and we beseech your Majefty not to fuffer apparent or momentary advantages to divert your attention, as they may only produce unhappy confequences. "This objection is of fuch importance to the public tranquility, that the confideration of it abforbs every other fentiment, and scarcely leaves us power to befeech your justice in favour of the two Magiftrates who have been recently torn from us, attended by circum ftances which we dare not defcribe. "Your Majefty will fooner or later difcover the juftice of our reprefentations, and in whatever fituation your Parliament may find itfelf, it will feel the pleafing and confcious fatisfaction of having ufed its beft endeavours for the Service of the King and the "I owe to my people, to myself, and to my fucceffors, to put a stop to these extravagant proceedings. I might have restrained them, but have preferred rather to prevent the effects of them.I have been forced to punish some magistrates; but acts of rigour are contrary to my nature, even when they are indifpenfable. "My intention is not to destroy my Parliaments; I mean only to bring them back to their duty and their original inftitutions; to convert the moment of a crifis into a falutary epocha for my fubjects; to begin a reform in the judicial order, by that of the tribunals, which are the base of it; to procure to the fuitors in our courts a juftice more speedy and less expensive; to truft the nation again with the exercise of their lawful rights, which must always be united with mine. I mean, above all, to fet in every part of the monarchy that unity of views, and that tout enfemble, without which a great kingdom is but weakened by the number and extent of its provinces. "The order I intend to establish is not new: there was but one Parliament when Philip le Bel fixed his refidence at Paris. In a great state there must be one King, one law, one registry; courts of a jurifdiction not too extenfive, entrafted with the power of judging the great number of law-fuits, and Parliaments to which the most important fuits must be referred; one only court in which the laws common to the whole kingdom fhall be enregistered and preserved; in fhort, an affembly of the general states, not once only, but whenever the exigencies of the state may require it. "Such is the re-establishment which my love for my people has prepared, and which it now announces for their happiness; the only object of my wifhes is to render them happy. My Keeper of the Seals will now enter into a particular detail of my intentions." The rest of the business was conducted by the Keeper of the Seals, who produced the different ordinances which his Majesty commanded to be registered. The first ordinance relates to the adminiAration of justice. The object of this is to establish two Courts of Justice in each of the different diftricts therein specified: the one to decide all affairs not exceeding 4000 livres; the other fuch as thall not exceed 20,000 livres, referving to the Parliaments, when they refume their functions, the right of judging matters of greater importance; each in its own province. The fecond ordinance is for the fuppreffion of fome particular courts, which had a kind of jurifdiction independent of the other courts. The third ordinance relates to the manner of condemning criminals. This ordinance does great honour to his good fenfe and humanity. The number of innocent persons who have fuffered death within these 20 years, has occafioned a review of the criminal laws; the first fruit of which is this new regula'tion. A criminal was always executed within a few hours of his condemnation. will now have a month from the time his fentence is announced to him, either to clear his innocence, or to folicit his pardon. He The fourth is an edict for reducing the number of the members who have a right to fit in Parliament: among 120, only 67 will remain. The next is for the re-eftablishment of the Cour Pleniere, or Supreme Affembly. This Court will be composed of the Chancellor or Keeper of the Seals, the Great Chamberlain of the Parliament of Paris, the Peers and great Officers of State, with feveral others from different parts of the magistracy, who will hold their places for life. great object of this Court, is the registry of the laws and imposts. The His Majefty's laft declaration relates to the vacation of the Parliament. By this, the Parliament remains suspended in all its functions till further orders. In the mean time, the proper measures are taking for carrying the above ordinances and declarations into execution, and a prohibition is laid on the Parliament and all its members to affemble or deliberate on any affair public or pri vate. His Majefty then pronounced the following short speech, and closed the assembly for the day: "You have just heard my will; the more moderate it is, the more firmly it shall be executed. It tends in every thing to the happiness of my fubjects. I depend on the zeal of those who are immediately called to compofe my Cour Pleniere; the others will, 1 doubt not, merit by their conduct, to be fucceffively called to it.—I am now going to name the fift, and order them to remain at Verfailles, and the other to withdraw." In confequence of the foregoing edicts of the King, le Grand Assemblee du Parliament (the principal Affembly of Parliament) met on Friday laft. Their proteft is dated May 9th, seven o'clock in the morning. It contains a representation to his Majesty, that their filence in his prefence on the day preceding, must not be conftrued as an acquiefcence of their confent to his Majefty's edicts; that on the contrary, they wholly difclaim from taking any part in what paffed at that fitting, or from giving their affistance to it. That they further decline accepting any feat in the new Court Court his Majefty wishes to erect, called La Cour Pleniere; and they cannot accept of it, as being contrary to their oath, their duty, and fidelity to his Majesty. was the most convenient for a general affault, a detachment of the Free-Corps of Servia, and the riflemen of the regiment of Peterwaradin, were ordered to advance, co Befides the above proteft, which the Par-vered by the regiment of Efterhazy. liament addreffed to his Majefty, feveral Peers of the realm have written the following letter on Friday laft to his Majesty : "SIRE, I am penetrated with the deepest forrow at the attempt which has been made to fubvert the fundamental principles of your kingdom, I shall confider it at all times my duty to give an example of submission and refpect to all your fubjects; but my confcience, and the fidelity due to your Majesty, will not fuffer me to take any part in the functions which these new edicts impofe on the Peerage. I therefore take the liberty of presenting at the foot of your throne this declaration; which is dictated by the pureft fentiments of honour and zeal for the true interests of your Majesty, which are infeparable from thofe of the nation." On Friday the 9th, the King convened the Parliament a fecond time, and made the following speech: "Gentlemen, I made you yesterday acquainted with my will, and I now call you together again to confirm it. I fhall continue to perfift in the execution of a plan which has for its object the general tranquillity of the kingdom, and the welfare of my people. I rely on your zeal and fidelity for the good of my fervice, when I fhall have fixed on proper persons to compose my Supreme Affembly. I fhall call you together before the ordinary time of your fitting, if the good of the service and the neceffity of the Rate require it," Vienna, April 30. On the 18th instant, the Emperor arrived at Klerisk, a frontier fortress oppofite to Schabatz, before which the Auftrians were drawn up, preparatory to the fiege of it. On the night of the 23d, the approaches being made, the batteries were raised, and his Imperial Majesty arrived at the camp the next morning at day-break, soon after which the batteries were opened; but the Emperor perceiving that the fide next the river This attack proved fuccefsful, the enemy being foon obliged to retire to the Citadel, when the Emperor, defirous to fpare the effusion of human blood, and touched with compaffion for the women and children, ordered the garrison to be fummoned to furrender, which they did iminediately at difcretion, and were declared prisoners of war; but, in confideration of the brave defence they had made, his Imperial Majesty permitted their wives and children to retire, with their effects, to Zwornick. The garrifon confifted of the Aga of the Janiffaries, Mahomed, commander in chief, and feveral other Agas, with fifteen other officers, and about 800 men, horse and foot. • There were found in the fort feventeen pieces of cannon of different fizes, and twenty pair of colours. The Baron de Rouvroy, general of the Artillery, and Lieutenant-colonel Prince Poniatowsky, were flightly wounded. The Prince de Ligne, who diftinguished himself in the affault, has been rewarded with the Military Cross, and appointed colonel of engineers. Vienna, May 3. According to accounts received from Prince Lichtenstein, of the 26th of April, an attempt was made by the Austrians, on the 25th, to storm Dubicza, but they were repulfed as they were entering the breach which they had made. In return, the Turks having received a reinforcement, which augmented the garrifon to the number of 12,000 men, they fallied out, and attacked the Auftrians in their trenches. A general action then commenced, which lafted three hours, and though the Auftrians were victorious, Prince Lichtenstein thought proper (all his works being deftroyed) to raife the fiege, and in the night of the 25th he croffed the Unna, and encamped on the heights between Dubicza and Racin, to cover the Austrian territories from the incurfions of the enemy. L. Gazette. MONTHLY CHRONICLE. APRIL 30. THOMAS Davi-, and Joan his wife, were brought up to receive judgment. They were convicted on an indictment for an affault with an intent to murder James Mattocks, a child committed to their care. There was one diftinétion, which it is neceffary should be made public, 'that is, the wife had been found guilty of the affault with intent MAY 1. tal |