provinces did not pay the capitation; but they had redeemed themselves at the expence of about 24 millions, or a little more than a million sterling. They were exempted from the twentieths; but then they made free gifts; they contracted debts for the state; and they were subject to some other charges, the whole computed at about a thirteenth part of their clear income. They ought to have paid annually about forty thousand pounds more, to put them on a par with the contribution of the nobility. When the terrours of this tremendous proscription hung over the clergy, they made an offer of a contribution, through the archbishop of Aix, which, for its extravagance, ought not to have been accepted. But it was evidently and obviously more advantageous to the publick creditor, than any thing which could rationally be promifed by the confiscation. Why was it not accepted? The reafon is plain-There was no defire that the church should be brought to ferve the state. The service of the state was made a pretext to destroy the church. In their way to the destruction of the church they would not fcruple to destroy their country: and they have destroyed it. One great end in the project would have been defeated, if the plan of extortion had been adopted in lieu of the scheme of confiscation. The new landed interest connected with the new republick, and connected with it for its very being, could not have been created. This was among the reasons why that extravagant ransom was not accepted. The madness of the project of confiscation, on the plan that was first pretended, foon became apparent. To bring this unwieldy mass of landed property, enlarged by the confiscation of all the vast landed domain of the crown, at once into market, was obviously to defeat the profits proposed by the confiscation, by depreciating the value of those lands, and indeed of all the landed eftates throughout France. Such a fudden diversion of all its circulating money from trade to land, must be an additional mischief. What step was taken? Did the affembly, on becoming sensible of the inevitable ill effects of their projected sale, revert to the offers of the clergy? No distress could oblige them to travel in a course which was difgraced by any appearance of justice. Giving over all hopes from a general immediate fale, another project seems to have fucceeded. They propofed to take stock in exchange for the church lands. In that project great difficulties arose in equalizing the objects to be exchanged. Other obstacles alfo presented themselves, which threw them back again upon fome project of sale. The municipalities had taken an alarm. They would not hear of transferring the whole plunder of the kingdom to the stock-holders in Paris. Many of those municipalities municipalities had been (upon system) reduced to the most deplorable indigence. Money was no where to be seen. They were therefore led to the point that was so ardently defired. They panted for a currency of any kind which might revive their perishing industry. The municipalities were then to be admitted to a share in the spoil, which evidently rendered the first scheme (if ever it had been feriously entertained) altogether impracticable. Publick exigencies pressed upon all fides. The minifter of finance reiterated his call for fupply with a most urgent, anxious, and boding voice. Thus pressed on all fides, instead of the first plan of converting their bankers into bishops and abbots, inftead of paying the old debt, they contracted a new debt, at 3 per cent. creating a new paper currency, founded on an eventual fale of the church lands. They issued this paper currency to fatisfy in the first instance chiefly the demands made upon them by the bank of discount, the great machine, or paper-mill, of their fictitious wealth. The fpoil of the church was now become the only refource of all their operations in finance; the vital principle of all their politicks; the sole security for the existence of their power. It was neceffary by all, even the most violent means, to put every individual on the fame bottom, and to bind the nation in one guilty interest to uphold this act, and the authority of those by whom it was VOL. V. Ω done. done. In order to force the most reluctant into a participation of their pillage, they rendered their paper circulation compulsory in all payments. Those who confider the general tendency of their schemes to this one object as a centre, and a centre from which afterwards all their measures radiate, will not think that I dwell too long upon this part of the proceedings of the national affembly. To cut off all appearance of connection between the crown and publick justice, and to bring the whole under implicit obedience to the dictators in Paris, the old independent judicature of the parliaments, with all its merits, and all its faults, was wholly abolished. Whilst the parliaments existed, it was evident that the people might fome time or other come to refort to them, and rally under the standard of their ancient laws. It became however a matter of confideration that the magiftrates and officers, in the courts now abolished; had purchafed their places at a very high rate, for which, as well as for the duty they performed, they received but a very low return of interest. Simple confifcation is a boon only for the clergy; -to the lawyers fome appearances of equity are to be observed; and they are to receive compenfation to an immenfe amount. Their compenfation becomes part of the national debt, for the liquidation of which there is the one exhaustless fund. The lawyers are to obtain their compenfation in the the new church paper, which is to march with the new principles of judicature and legiflature. The dismissed magiftrates are to take their share of martyrdom with the ecclefiafticks, or to receive their own property from fuch a fund, and in such a manner, as all those, who have been seasoned with the ancient principles of jurisprudence, and had been the sworn guardians of property, must look upon with horrour. Even the clergy are to receive their miferable allowance out of the depreciated paper which is stamped with the indelible character of facrilege, and with the symbols of their own ruin, or they must starve. So violent an outrage upon credit, property, and liberty, as this compulsory paper currency, has feldom been exhibited by the alliance of bankruptcy and tyranny, at any time, or in any nation. In the course of all these operations, at length comes out the grand arcanum ;-that in reality, and in a fair sense, the lands of the church (so far as any thing certain can be gathered from their proceedings) are not to be fold at all. By the late resolutions of the national affembly, they are indeed to be delivered to the highest bidder. But it is to be observed, that a certain portion only of the purchase money is to be laid down. A period of twelve years is to be given for the payment of the reft. The philofophick purchasers are therefore, on payment of a fort of fine, to be put instantly |