1791 which they were raised, the duties of which were rendered more arduous by the approach of war. The same could not be observed of a subsequent change; when, on the expiration of the mayoralty of the patriotic Bailli, Petion was appointed his successor in an office of great importance at this crisis, whose violent temper and democratic principles made him a fit instrument to co-operate in the schemes of the jacobins. " 1791 SPAIN. THE Spanish king, though averse to war, could not but feel an interest in the welfare of the French monarch. Therefore, when the enterprising Gustavus king of Sweden projected a descent on the French coast in his favour, don Ferdinand engaged to contribute 15,000,000 livres towards the expences of the expedition. The execution of this design was, however, prevented by the murder of Gustavus in the ensuing year. * 1791 ECCLESIASTICAL STATE. THE pope having still a great number of partisans in the comtat, that district was doomed to become a scene of violent discussion and civil hostility during a considerable period. Whilst the national assembly were engaged in discussions on the subject of the reunion, the pope was expressing his resentment, and defending the church, by denunciations against those who should accede to the constitutions of the assembly respecting ecclesiastical affairs. In defiance of these, when the archbishop and his clergy refused to take the civic oath, the commune of Paris, which had, at this time, usurped the chief power in the state, declared the archbishop to have forfeited his dignity and deprived the canons of their revenues: the Avignonese abrogated the pope's temporal authority over them, and seized B Moleville's last Year. 1. 215. 19. Dumouriez. 2. 161. Bouille's Memoirs. 394. his his revenues:† and a few months after, the incorporation of the comtat was voted by the convention. a 1791 GERMANY AND PRUSSIA. ALL matters in dispute between the emperor and his subjects in the low countries being adjusted, the restoration of peace and harmony was celebrated with great rejoicings at Brussels. || An address expressive of loyalty and affection was then presented to him by the deputies of the Belgic provinces. After which the duke of Saxe Teschen was reinstated in the government of them; and in that capacity he represented his imperial majesty at his inauguration as duke of Brabant. 4 This event and the treaty of Reichenbach, which restored amity between the two great German powers, led to other amicable arrangements in the empire. A revolt of the Liegois had taken place in the late year, on occasion of a refusal of their sovereign bishop to comply with their demand of a charter to confirm them in their ancient immunities. The violent means employed by the patriots to redress themselves, proceeding even to expulsion of the bishop and the assumption of his sovereignty, was very advantageous to him.-The bishop had recourse to the imperial chamber of Wetslaer for redress, and obtained a decision in his favour.-Frederic William, who was, at that time, using every means to distress the emperor, protected the revolters, and negotiated for them with their sovereign. But when he had no further occasion for them as a thorn in the emperor's side, he grew indifferent to their interests. And the result was that, on a requisitional letter from the chamber for military aid to enforce their decree, to which the revolted Liegois had paid no regard, a body of Austrian troops were sent into the bishopric early in this year, and restored the bishop to his sovereignty." During these internal transactions, the king of Prussia was employed in conjunction with his Britannic majesty in measures to prevent the Turkish 1791 1791 empire from falling a sacrifice to the Russian empress's ambition; and by their mediation, they, at last, happily accomplished a treaty of peace between them. Peace being thus restored in the East, the chief powers of Europe now directed their attention to the affairs of France; which began at this time to be considered as involving in them the welfare and even the existence of all kingly governments.-Early in this year, a congress was held at Mantua, to concert means for restoring the king of France to liberty, and opposing the progress of democracy. After that, a congress was held at Pilnitz by the emperor, the king of Prussia, and the elector of Saxony, attended by the French princes of the blood and others, to deliberate on the same subjects. || C The result of these conferences, and the plan projected by the king of Sweden for the relief of the French monarch, having been already related, we need only remark in this place, that the emperor's sentiments on these matters were different from those of his Prussian majesty: and they are more deserving of notice because they are expressive of their characters. Frederic William's savoured of revenge towards the enemies of royalty and a desire of signalizing himself in its cause, as well as of redressing an injured monarch. Leopold appears to have been interested in the cause of both; but his sentiments were dictated by good sense and moderation. He was apprehensive that, by the measures which their zeal might induce them to adopt, they might aggravate the misery of his unfortunate brother-in-law. Actuated by these feelings, whilst he was using means to effect a league among the powers of Europe for the purpose of mediating between the French people and their sovereign, he was desirous to try the full effect of negotiation, before he took up arms. In the mean-time, to prepare the way for adopting warlike measures should they be found necessary, specious grounds were provided in the rights of the German princes who had possessions in Alsace, which had been infringed by the new French government. d Such appear to have been the disposition and sentiments of the German powers before the flight of Lewis the Sixteenth brought affairs in France nearer to that crisis which the violent partisans of democracy had long been looking forward to. At that period, when fear conspired with revenge to inflame the minds of men, the opinion which had originated in the passions and self-interest of the emigrants, that war was the only remedy for the evils with which France and all Europe were threatened by the democrats, became prevalent. Among the fatal consequences that arose from these councils, one of the most signal, and one that will ever be regretted by every friend of freedom, and every one who has a regard for the interests of human nature and the independency of Europe, was the influence they had on the affairs of Poland.-Bent on the preservation of monarchy in France, and on stopping the progress of democratic principles, Frederic William, who had encouraged the patriotic Poles to oppose the empress of Russia, with shameful duplicity, abandoned them to her tyranny at a time when they had already formed a constitution which promised to give them greater abilities to resist her encroachments: and the European powers looked coolly on, whilst Catharine was pursuing measures prejudicial to the general welfare. 1791 DENMARK. THE court of Denmark, which happily for the state and nation, had partaken but little in the war which had exhausted the treasures and the resources of the northern powers, was now called on to bear the honourable part of mediator in bringing it to a conclusion.-The cabinets of London, Berlin, and the Hague, we have seen, had interested themselves deeply in all the transactions relative to it; and the empress of Russia was apprized that they were determined to take up arms in support of the sultan, should hostilities be continued. Thus circumstanced, Catharine requested the interposition of her faithful Danish ally: and count Bernstorf, who presided in the councils of Denmark, a minister in all respects qualified for such a commission, was employed to negotiate the preliminaries of peace with the Anglo-Prussian allies. • Segur. 192. a Tooke. 3. 318. SWEDEN. 1791 1791 SWEDEN. THE enterprising spirit of Gustavus would not suffer him to remain an inactive spectator of the transactions in France, so interesting to all crowned heads. Desirous to participate in the glory of rescuing Lewis the Sixteenth out of the hands of a faction, which, with the title of king, wished to reduce him to a mere pageant of state whilst they held the reins of government, he concerted with the marquis de Bouillé a project for that purpose, which was to have been carried into execution in the ensuing year, with the aid of the courts of Petersburg and Madrid. ▪ 1791 RUSSIA AND TURKEY. CONFERENCES to negotiate a treaty of peace had been opened by the Turkish and Russian ministers at Sistovia, after the late campaign, under the mediation of the courts of London, Berlin, and the Hague.—The interposition of the mediating powers had ever been the grand obstruction to the empress's ambitious views: yet, such had been the uninterrupted train of her successes, and such was the advantage she possessed in point of relative situation, as naturally to excite presumption, and to determine her to insist on retaining a considerable part of the conquests made by her arms.—This determination was a stimulus to Great Britain and Prussia to adopt more resolute councils. The same motives of policy, the same apprehensions of danger from the aggrandizement of Russia, which had induced those powers to encourage the Porte to make war with Russia, now induced them to dissuade the sultan from acceding to Catharine's demands, and to prepare for warlike measures, as the only means of enabling him to maintain the contest with a foe so much his superior in effective force." Animated by their declarations in his favour, the sultan recovered his confidence, a Mem. of de Bouille 393. Segur. 2. 184. aa Segur. 2. 174. Tooke. 3. 316 |