CHAPTER THE FIFTH. General Obfervations on the Proceedings of the National Affembly--Remarks on Mr. Burke's Writings-Address to my Countrymen on the prefent State of our National Affairs-Conclufion. AVING thus confidered the foundation HA principles of government in France— The plan of representation-The various reforms in the church-And the state of toleration -And having endeavoured to prove how materially we, in this country, are interested in each of these important articles-I fhall conclude this work with fome general obfervations. There are, indeed, a variety of other articles in the French government, which it would afford pleasure to a benevolent mind to enlarge and dwell upon. The annihilation of the feudal fyftem-The reform, or rather the new formation of the law department, by which justice is gratuitoufly adminiftered, and law-fuits are confiderably diminished *-The abolition of the * Our British merchants, who knew what law was under the old government, have reafon to be thankful for the new fyftem. The con the game laws, which like fimilar laws in this country, were only calculated for the meridian of defpotifm-But thefe, with various other articles, I must leave to be difcuffed by others, hoping they will engage the serious attention of my countrymen. I cannot however help remarking with pleafure, that the French have not only fet us an example, but that they are following the example we had fo long fet them, in what is most laudable. They are copying fome of our best civil inftitutions. I will only mention one, which we formerly thought ineftimable: TRIAL BY JURY. I must express my warmest wishes, that no pretence of improving the revenue, no confideration whatever, may induce the French legislators to attempt, or the French people to fuffer, thofe encroachments which have been made on this inftitution in our own country, at various periods, and especially during the prefent administration. There is one remaining article, which I could wish to proclaim not only to this empire, but if it were poffible to all the empires of the world: I mean that which relates to the connection of the French with other nations. "The French conciliatory tribunals, or courts of arbitration have been attended with the most desirable effects. Those for Paris lately reported, that out of eight thousand and fix caufes, fubmitted to their jurifdiction, they had accommodated four thousand two hundred and fifty-nine, "nation "nation renounces the undertaking of any war "with a view to make conquefts, and will never 66 employ its forces against the liberty of any people *." The memorial of the prefent Affembly, lately fent to foreign courts, may be confidered as a comment on this article. Let those who have leifure and opportunity, turn over the numerous volumes of ftate papers, which have been published to the world; and if they can find ONE in which the principles of liberty, philofophy, and Christianity are so happily united, let them for the honour of ftatefinen produce it. The French memorial should be written in capitals of gold-Or rather it fhould be engraven in indelible characters on the heart of every rational creature. When I reflect on the nature and effects of war -When I confider the spirit of conquest which animated the old French governmentWhen I farther reflect on the wars which have almost continually engaged this country; that during the prefent reign, we have spent one hundred and forty millions of principal, exclusive of many millions of intereft; that we have facrificed hundreds of thousands of lives, and Conftitution, p. 8o. "War is a game, which were their fubjects wife, COWPER. thed fhed oceans of blood; for which we have gained-NOTHING-Must not my heart be infenfible did it not beat high with gratitude to those legiflators, the firft in the whole world who have had the refolution, the virtue, the greatness, and the goodness, to declare that they will never draw the fword, but when duty compels them in defence of their own invaluable privileges. Light now begins to dawn on those ancient predictions, which point to that happy period, when men shall be otherwise employed than in promoting each others deftruction; when fwords fhall be beat into plough-shares, and fpears into pruning-hooks; when nation shall not lift up fword against nation, neither fhall the people learn war any more. Such have been the PRINCIPLES, and fuch the PROCEEDINGS of the legiflators of France. That these Saviours of their country should have been violently oppofed by thofe who were the known and declared enemies of the rights of men-That defpots should stand aghast; or that they should unite in endeavouring to preferve their unlawful dominion, cannot excite furprise. But that a nation, whofe conftitution is founded on the principles of freedom; whose Sovereign reigns in virtue of the law," the expreffion of "the general will"-That in this country there fhould fhould be found men who behold their for mer enemies, but their present friends, with envy or indignation-That a member of the British fenate should employ all his talents in vilifying the regenerators of the human race— This furely can never be too often lamented*. Mr. Burke has not, however, contented himfelf with expreffing his own opinions on the af It is not only the liberties of France, but those of other countries to which Mr. Burke appears a determined enemy. In a late account of the revolution in Liege, published by the Pruffian minifter, we are informed; That the people, till the laft century, were under a free government, and had the privilege of choofing their own representatives, but that they were at lengh deprived of it. That the clergy were in poffeffion of TWO THIRDS of the landed property; and that the country was in a fad state of flavery. To this we may add the late Mr. Howard's account of fome of the ftate prifons. "In defcending deep below ground (fays the philanthropist) I heard the moans of the miferable wretches " in the dark dungeons. The fides and roof were all ftone. In wet "feasons, water from foffes gets into them, and greatly damages the "floors. The dungeons in the new prifons are abodes of misery still more fhocking, and confinement in them fo overpowers human na"ture, as fometimes irrecoverably to take away the fenfes. I heard "the cries of the distracted as I went down to them." After fuch accounts, we need not wonder at the attempt of the Liegois to recover their free government. They acted, however, with caution and calmness. Without touching the property of the clergy, they only required the reftoration of their civil privileges. The Prince Bishop (the churchman and the statesman united)- after affenting to what was propofed, quitted the caftle, and breaking his engagements, returned with an armed force, provided by the chamber of Wetzlar and the emperor, to which the Liegois were obliged unconditionally to fubmit. The people have fince been ruled with a more tyrannic fway than before. Muft not humanity drop a tear over their unsuccessful attempt to recover their liberties? But what fays Mr. Burke ? "The chamber of Wetzlar has restored the "bishop of Liege, UNJUSTLY DISPOSSESSED BY THE REBELLION OF "HIS SUBJECTS." (Second Letter, p. 20.) And this example he holds up to the different courts of Europe, urging them to follow it with refpect to France. Such are the fentiments, and fuch is the advice of a BRITISH SENATOR ! |