LVI.

signally exerted, one quality, without which the highest CHAP. intellectual and moral excellencies avail little, in the conductors of momentous and dangerous wars, or any other arduous situations in active life :-this was ENERGY," constant in object, rapid in exertion, and decisive in effect.

u This quality no observer of their conduct more explicitly and fully allows, than one author, who will never be accused of partiality in favour of the French revolutionists. See Burke on Regicide Peace; and his other writings concerning the French revolution, subsequent to the commencement of the war.

1795.

CHAP. LVII.

Britain.-Many who had approved of the war, tire of its continuance-are disappointed in its results—they conceive the advantages gained do not balance the loss incurred. Scarcity and dearness of provisions.-Discontents.-Active endeavours of the innovating societies. -Multiplication of lecturers-who represent wars as ministerial jobs for plundering the people.-Frequency of seditious meetings.Meetings of the corresponding society at Chalk farm and Copenhagen house.—Abuse of government.-Behaviour of the mob to the king in his way to and from parliament a bullet is shot into the king's coach.-Indignation of the public.-Proclamation.-Proceedings of parliament.-Lord Grenville introduces a bill for the safety of his majesty's personprinciple and details-arguments against it-for it.Mr. Pitt's bill for preventing seditious meetings-objects and provisions of arguments against it.-Mr. Fox reprobates the bills-exhibits the rights of the people to state their grievances-declares the bills intended to prevent the exercise of that right-and to shield ministers-he alleges, they subvert constitutional freedom.-Active efforts of him and his coadjutors both in and out of parliament.-Petitions.-Arguments for Mr. Pitt's bill-required by the circumstances of the timessomewhat modified, both pass into laws.-Impartial view of the new acts.-Restrictions on the freedom of the press.-Mr. Pitt apprehended to undervalue literary effort.-Majority of the literary class inimical to his administration.-Writers represent the series of his measures as more conducive to the power of the crown than the rights of the people.-State of ministerial popularity.-Ministers intimate his majesty's disposition to open a negotiation for peace-remarks of Mr. Fox on this declaration.—The conduct of the war is severely censured.-Supplies-immense loan.-The taxes

financially judicious, laid on the luxuries or conveniencies, and not the necessaries of life.-Able speech of earl Moira on revenue. -Proposed remonstrance of opposition.-Dissolution of parliament.

LVII.

1795.

ved of the

war, tire of

ance:

Its ex- are disap

its results:

ceive the

not balance

incurred.

THE war had been begun with the approbation, CHAP. and even applause, of a very great majority of the British nation; and, during the first campaign, these sentiments continued to prevail: but the distresses of our army in Britain.--Many who Holland, and the apparent hopelessness of the contest at had approthe expiration of the second, began to damp their eager. ness. When a third campaign was concluded, many of its continu the former promoter of war conceived, that the exertions of three years had not brought Britain any nearer the purpose of hostilities, than they were at its commencement, and now became tired of its continuance. penses retrenching the comforts of life, came home to pointed in their feelings: like the bulk of mankind, judging from they conthe event, they began to think that the war must have advantages been wrong in the outset, which in its progress had so gained do totally disappointed their expectation; at any rate, that it the loss must be unwise in the continuance, when, in their apprehensions, it produced no benefit to balance the very heavy loss. In addition to the pressure of the war, a scarcity Scarcity prevailed throughout the kingdom, and was woefully and dearfelt by the poorer sort, several of whom perished for provisions. want. The means of procuring sustenance were narrowed Disconfrom various causes; but the discontented attributed this tents. evil to the war; and the sufferers, through defect of employment, were ready enough to believe those who represented all the calamities that affected the nation, as proceeding chiefly, if not solely, from the hostilities. Multitudes, not only of the lower, but even the middling classes, very ardently desired peace, and began to cherish. displeasure against ministers for not endeavouring to procure that blessing to the country. The members of the innovating societies were now extremely bold and active: deavours the acquittals, at the trials for high treason, had swelled novating their exultation, and inspired their courage. They regard- societies. ed the ministers as a junto, who had desired and plotted against them unjust death, without the power of perpe

ness of

Active en

of the in

LVII.

CHAP. trating their designs. The most zealous democrats eagerly stimulated disaffection to government. Declamatory lecturers multiplied in the metropolis; the demagogues Multipli did not confine themselves to the topics which had been lecturers, so often agitated in democratic societies, addressed to

1795.

eation of

sent wars

as ministe

their own peculiar cast; but watched the tone of dissatisfaction beginning to be heard among persons who were well affected to the constitution of their country; and pointed their invectives and sarcasms, not merely against what they called the aristocratic principles and objects of the war, but what came much more home to the hearts of the people, its effects on their purses and means of liveliwho repre- hood. Lecturers," both stationary and itinerant, represented wars, and beyond them all, this war, as contrived rial jobs by courts and ministers, to afford them pretexts for plunfor plundering the dering the people, that they and their adherents might people. wallow in luxury; while the multitude, by whose hard earnings their profusion was supported, were stinted in the necessaries of life. These inflammatory arts operating on minds already sore with the pressure of the war and scarcity, brought many loyal and constitutional, though not considerate and discriminating men, into the vortex of discontent. A multiplicity of publications, periodical and occasional, strongly forwarded the same. Frequency purposes; but the most pointed and effectually conducive meetings. to aversion against the present government, were the lec

of seditious

of the cor

tural and political conventicles which abounded in 1795, beyond all former periods; the private cabals of innovating associators, and the numerous public meetings to Meetings which these gave rise. The corresponding society again responding meet at Chalk farm and other places, repeatedly in the course of the summer and autumn. A meeting, held at Copenhagen house near Islington, of these conventions, was the most remarkable. The numbers that attended, either through zeal in the cause, or through curiosity, were computed at about fifty thousand. Some very daring addresses were made to the multitude; the con

society at Chalk

farm and

Copenha gen house.

Abuse of

government.

u The author had the curiosity to go to hear some of the once noted John Thelwal's effusions, and also to read a certain production of his, styled, The Tribune; he recollects, that the declamation mentioned in the text, constituted the substance of both.

LVII.

1795.

duct of ministers was arraigned in the most unqualified CHAP. language; and a remonstrance to the king, on the necessity of peace, and a reform in parliament, was universally adopted. The chief abettors of the proceedings against government, were apprehended to be emissaries from France, who, though natives of Great Britain or Ireland, had thrown off all attachment to their country, and were become its most violent and rancorous enemies. The difficulty of detecting individuals connected with our foes, enabled them to assume the appearance of patriotism, and to delude with facility the majority of their hearers into a persuasion, that they spoke and acted from principle, and had no other intention than to expose abuses, and to induce the people to assert their rights. The increasing frequency of those meetings, and the growing audaciousness of their directors, called for preventive measures.

Behaviour

of the mob

to the king,

in his way to and from

THE internal state of the kingdom, as well as its foreign relations, determined his majesty to call his parliament together at an earlier period than usual. It accordingly assembled on the 29th of October; a memo- parliament. rable day, on account of the events which it witnessed, and

the consequences which ensued. A report had been spread, that an immense multitude of discontented people had agreed to take this opportunity of manifesting their sentiments to the king in person. This of course excited the curiosity of the public, and the park was crowded in a manner unprecedented since his majesty's accession to the throne. In his way to the house of lords through the park, his coach was surrounded on every side, by persons of all descriptions, demanding peace, and the dismission of Mr. Pitt. Some voices were even heard, exclaiming, "No king;" and stones were thrown at the state coach as it drew near to the horse guards. In passing through palace yard, one of the windows was broken A bullet is it was said, by a bullet discharged from an air gun. These shot into the king's outrages were repeated on the king's return from parlia- coach.

x Annual Register, 1796, chap. i. y Annual Register, 1796, chap. i. z First in a melancholy, but soon after a menacing tone. As his majesty's equipage turned towards the horse guards, the populace were become very insolent. His majesty displayed his usual magnanimity, and conversed with the lords without appearing to notice the disposition to riot. So far I was an eye witness; but apprehending a tumult, I then left the park.