nearly 300 of them have been taken into cuftody. The National Affembly are purfuing the proper measures to put a ftop to these enormities. Five thousand men who had been employed in levelling the platforms of Montmartre, to form the feite of a battery to bombard the city, having been difperfed by the citizens, formed themfelves into different parties, and committed several depredations. A confiderable number of the miscreants having on Friday laft affembled in the plain of Monceaux, a village of the Duke of Orleans, entered the houses of the inhabitants, whom they laid under contribution, and were guilty of many outrages; but' intelligence of thefe diforders having been received at the Hotel de Ville, 200 citizens, horfe and foot, immediately fet off, and found them dispersed in bands over the country. They attacked the, citizens with ftones, &c. but were at length fubdued. Six of them were killed and eight woun ded in the engagement; 200 were taken prifoners and lodged in different places of fecurity. Thefe fellows were employed and paid nobody knows by whom; perhaps a discovery may now be made. After long debates, the following short addrefs to the King was agreed to in the National Affembly: "SIRE, Come, Sir; come without delay, and resume your claims to my confidence, which you have acquired for ever. My heart is known to you.-I expect you, with all my nation: and I very fincerely fhare in its impatience. On which, I pray God, Sir, until you return, to take you into his holy and worthy keeping. LOUIS. Mr Neckar's Answer. SIRE, Geneva, July 23. I have this inftant received the letter with which it has pleafed your majesty to honour me.—I want expreffion, to testify to you the tender emotions I have experienced on the return of your favour: it penetrates me more and more with the obligation I have long impofed upon myfelf, of always diftinguishing in your majefty the juft prince-the honeft man-who can operate only the happinefs of the nation when he acts for himself, and who is frequently exposed to do what is repugnant to his heart. I only take the time, Sire, to wipe away the tears which your letter has made me fhed, and I fly to obey your orders. I reckon with impatience, and am ftriving to accelerate, the moments which are neceffary for me to proceed to offer you the laft drop of my blood, my feeble talents, my entire devotion to your facred perfon, and the profound refpect with which I am, Sire, Your Majefty's most humble, the National Affembly. "GENTLEMEN, "You came yesterday among us, and teftified your confidence in our counfels, requiring us to give them in the prefent dreadful flate of affairs. We were yefterday in the capital, where we saw and heard every thing; your whole people Mr Neckar's Letter to the Prefident of are afflicted at the fate of M. Neckar, and demand him of your Majesty. Every body holds your prefent Minifters in horror-the public indignation is at its height; we, therefore, Sire, for the happinefs of your kingdom, for your own happiness, advife you to recal M. Neckar, and to difmifs your prefent Minifters." The King in confideration of this, wrote to M. Neckar, requesting his return, and tranfmitted the letter, unfealed, to the National Affembly, who feconded the request by another from themselves, full of the moft honourable fentiments. Expreffes were fent after him to Bruffels, where he was fuppofed to be. The King of France to Mr Neckar. I have been deceived refpecting you. Violence has been committed on my character. Behold me at length enlightened, "Feeling fenfibly the effects of longcontinued agitations, and already contemplating the near approach of that period of life in which we defire a retreat from the world and its affairs I had prepared my mind to follow only, with ardent prayers the deftiny of France, and the happiness of a nation to which it is attached by so many ties, when I received this letter with which you have honoured me. It is too far beyond my power, and the feeble abilities I poffefs, to answer in a worthy manner this moft valued mark of your esteem. But, Gentlemen, I ought at least to testify my refpectful acknowledgments in perfon. It is true, the devoting of myself thus to the public is not neceffary to you, but it is effential to my own happiness, to prove to the king and the French nation, that no eyent event can abate a zeal which has long fince conftituted the intereft of my life. "I am, with refpect, &c. (Signed) NECKAR. Bafil, July 23, 1789. Monfieur Neckar arrived at Paris, agreeable to the above intimation. The exultations of the people on this occafion are hardly to be defcribed: The moft tumultuous acclamations rended the air; and, in the wildness of their joy, this favourite minifter was confidered as little lefs than a Deity! The king received M. Neckar with great cordiality and affection:-His arrival appeared to eafe the afflicted Monarch of a weight which had well nigh overborne him.. In every town on the road, the Magiftracy, chief Burghers, Ecclefiafticks, and Military, affeinbled to falute and addrefs Mr Neckar as he paffed; at night they illuminated; even Verfailles as well as all Paris had illuminations, feus de joye, &c. Mr Neckar was attended to the Hotel de Ville by Mr de St Priest, Secretary of State, and escorted by a numerous guard of the horse and foot militia. On his entering the balcony of the Prefident, they prefented him with a national cockade in the following words: "Sir, here are colours which you will cherish without doubt; they are those of liberty." Mr Neckar then put it into his hat. After he had done ipeaking to the Affemoly, whofe eyes, as well as thofe of the fpectators, were hedding tears, a general voice agreed to his laft fentence, by calling out, Grace, Grace aux Coupables, Amnifie generale. 66 The people who were on the Place de Greve being impatient allo to fee him, he was obliged to go into an adjacent room to show himself from a window; during his abfence for a few moments the Affembly came to a refolution of granting a general pardon and oblivion in confequence of the feftival which exifted by the return of Mr Neckar, and that the fame should be read in all the churches through France." On his return to the Hall, the refolution was read to him, and he shed tears, and proftrating himfelf, uttered fome phrafes with great emotion, and befpeaking a heart oppreffed with divers fentirents. On a report of the above being made the next morning to the National Affembly, their opinions were very different, and a great debate enfued on the point, "That the electors of Paris had no right to grant a general amnefty, as fuch power belonged only to the Affembly." At four in the afternoon they came to the following refolution; "that if a generous and humane people thought proper to interdict for ever all profcriptions, the reprefentatives of the nation are ftrictly obliged to judge, and punish thofe who are accufed and convicted of having attacked the fafety, liberty, and peace of the public; and in confequence the National Affembly perfift in its former refolutions, relative to the refponfibility of the minifters and agents of the executive power; and to the establishment of a tribunal who are to judge, and a committee to receive fuch charges, inftructions, and informations, as may be fent to them." The Baron de Bezenval having been ftopt at Nogens, Mr Neckar, on his arrival at Paris, fpoke ftrongly in the National Affembly, in favour of his releafe; but all his intereft could not prevail, and the Baron is brought to Paris for trial. He is Lieutenant-General of the Swifs guards, and an intimate friend of Comte D'Artois, and his chief adviser. When it was rumoured that Mr Neckar fought his releale, two hundred of his own regiment drew their fabres before the gates of the Hotel de Ville, and protefted they would cut him to pieces, if they offered to difmifs him; nay, even threatened the States. At this time, fo general was the fufpicion of the English become in France, that a gentleman's fervant had nearly been mur lered in coming through Nor mandy. A dragoon 1.velled his piftol at his head, and had not an inftantaneous top been put to his hand by the interference of a gentleman, he would have certainly blown out his brains. The pretext was, that the Engih were enemies to the French nation, and had even denied them a morfel of bread when they were starving. The Duke of Dorfet had written a letter to the Count D'Artois, which was found among the papers of the Baron de Caftelnau. This letter was reprefented to the people as favouring the Nobleffe and the Queen's party, but in fact it was merely complimentary; news had arrived of a fleet failing from Plymouth, alledged to be against Breft; and Lord Camelford published a pamphlet againit the Tiers Etat. All thefe circumftances rendered the English very unpopular, but the Duke of Dorset, by boldly stepping forward forward with the following declaration, has removed the unfounded afperfions against the English. Letter of Monfieur Montmorin to the Duc de Liancourt, Prefident of the National Affembly. Verfailles, July 27. "Mr Prefident, "The Ambaffador of England has intreated me to have the honour, without lofs of time, to communicate the following letter to you, I have thought it so much lefs in my power to refift his aplication, as it is certain that he apprized me, in effect, verbally in the beginning of June laft, of a plot against the port of Breft. Thofe who meditated this fcheme defired certain fuccours for the expedition, and to have an afylum in England. The ambaffador did not give me any indication relative to the authors of this project, and he affured me that they were abfolutely unknown to him. The inquiries that I have been able to make after machinations, fo uncertain, have been as fruitless as they ought to be; and I have been obliged to confine myself to engage the Count de Luzerne to give the commandant of Breft precautions to double his vigilance and activity. I have the honour to be, &c. DE MONTMORIN." Letter from the Duke of Dorfet to the Count de Montmorin, read in the National Affembly. "SIR, Paris, July 26, 1789. "I have heard, from many quarters, of infinuations having been circulated that my Court has fomented the trou bles which have fo long afflicted the ca pital; that it takes advantage of the prefent moment to arm againft France; and that even a fleet is now on the coafts to co-operate with the mal-contents:-altogether unfounded as are these reports, they appear to me to have gained credit with the National Affembly; and the Courier National, which gives an account of the feffions of the 23d and 24th of this month, leaves fuch fufpicions as pain me fo much the more, as you are very fenfible how far my Court is from meriting them. "Your Excellency will no doubt call to mind many conversations which I have had the honour of holding with you, in the beginning of June, concerning the odious plot which had been propofed relative to the port of Breft; the earnestaefs I manifefted to put the King and his minifters on their guard; the answer of my Court, which correfponded so exactly with my own fentiments; and which rejected with horror the propofal that had been made to it; and, in fine, the affurances of attachment which it expreffed towards the King, and towards the nation; and you then intimated to me his Majefty's fenfibility on that occafion. "As my Court has the prefervation of that good understanding at prefent fubfifting between the two nations extremely at heart, and earnestly defires to remove all suspicion to the contrary, I intreat you, Sir, to communicate this letter without delay to the Prefident of the National Assembly. You are very fenfible how effential to me, must be the doing juftice to my conduct, and to that of my Court; and the deftroying the effect of thefe infidious infinuations. "It is of infinite importance that the National Assembly should know my fentiments; that it should do juftice to thofe of my nation, and to that open and frank. conduct it has always obferved towards France from the time I have had the honour of being its inftrument. "I take the liberty of preffing you not to lose a moment's time in taking this measure, as I owe it to my own character, to my country, and to the Englifhmen refiding here, in order to secure them from all fubfequent reflections on this fubject. "I have the honour to be, &c. Letter from the Duke de Liancourt, Prefident of the National Affembly, to the Comte de Montmorin. Verfailles, July 27. "I have received the letter your Excellency has done me the honour of writing me, as likewife that of the Ambaffador of England, which was annexed to it, and immediately communicated both the one and the other to the Na. tional Affembly. "The Affembly order me to have the honour of informing you, that they heard them read with the greatest fatisfaction-to thank you for having transe mitted them-and to requeft you to be fo good as to exprefs to his Excellency the Duke of Dorfet their thanks for the anxiety he expreffes in quality of ambaffador, to have his fentiments, and thofe of his nation, declared to the National Affembly. "The Affembly have refolved, that this letter fhall be fent inftantly to Paris, and and made public throughout the king- The Duke's letter was received with an affection and enthusiasm difficult to deferibe, and was followed by many fpeeches of the moft flattering nature to the brave people of England. One of the members congratulated human nature, and the English nation, on this victory of philofophy and reafon over fanatic prejudices, and rejoiced at finding that refpectable people incapable of fo immoral a thought or conduct, as to profit by the unhappy circumftances of this country." Another member closed a very elo quent fpeech in terms which no Englishman can read without a particular glow of pleasure : Britain, the eyes of all Europe were fixed on the colonies, and the French, with that infidious policy which has hitherto marked the character of the nation, interpofed and affifted the Americans in obtaining independence. When the Emperor was difpofed to quarrel with the Dutch a few years ago, the late King of Pruffia interpofed. When the Dutch rofe against the Prince of Orange, the prefent King of Pruffia and the English interpofed. When Ruffia and Germany united against the Turks, Sweden took an opportunity to quarrel with the former. But, how different the cafe in France -a great revolution has been effected by a tumultuous and fpirited people, without any power on earth, by word, or deed, in the leaft degree interfering. The Duke of Dorfet having again addreffed himself to the Count de Montmorin, on the fubject of his Britannick Majefty's difpofition, and his minifters, towards the French nation, the following letter, enclofing a copy of his Grace's, was laid before the National Affembly, a few days fince, by M. Le Chapeliere, their prefident: And who (faid he) can take upon them to oppofe fo fine an energy? You it cannot be, you free and brave people, who have fhed feas of blood for liberty. Oh, gallant Englishmen! forgive the error for a moment, that made us prefume it poffible. But all our doubts are at an end; and the knowledge of poffeffing your efte.m and approbation will double our ardour. Your worthy representative" convinced us yesterday, that the braveft" nation in the world is the most generous!" The following is the circumftance to which the Duke of Dorfet alludes in the fecond paragraph of his letter to the Count de Montmorin:-The nobility of Britany have never fent deputies to the National Aflembly; but perceiving the troubles which were brewing, and forefeeing the confequences which have refulted, they refolved to feize an opportunity of shaking off their allegiance to France, and rendering that province more independent than it had hitherto been. SIR, Verfailles, Aug. 4. "The English ambassador intreats me again to make known to the National Affembly a letter which he has written ❝to me. As this letter is the fequel of "that which I had the honour to com"municate to the Affembly laft week "by the organ of their prefident, I took " the orders of his Majefty, who autho "rifed me to follow the fame course with "this. "I have the honour to be with refpect, "Mr Prefident, "Your very humble "and obedient fervant, "Le COMTE de MONTMORIN." Letter from the Duke of Dorfet, Ambaffador from England, to M. le Comte For that purpofe, rumour fays, they de Montmorin, Secretary of State for made a propofal to the English ambaffa- the Department of Foreign Affairs. dor of putting themselves under the pro-, "SIR, Paris, Aug. 3. 1789., fection of Great Britain, as a tributary "My Court, to which I gave an acState, to be governed by the eldfeudal fyf-count of the letter that I had the hofem; and offered to place the port of Breft"nour to write to your Excellency on in the hands of the English, as a recompence for their fervices, and a furety of allegiance. In order to accomplish their defign, they wished the Duke of Dorfet to procure from his court a fleet in readinefs to protect the province, and an army to affift them in their endeavours to carry the attempt into execution. When America revolted from Great "the 26th of July, and which you had the goodnefs to communicate to the "National Affembly, has, by a difpatch of the 3rft ult. which I have received "this inftant, not only approved of my "conduct, but fpecially authorised me "to exprefs again to you, in the most po "fitive terms, the ardent defire of his Britannick Majefty and his minifters, 66 to cultivate and encourage the friend"ship and harmony which fubfift so hap"pily between the two nations. It is fo much the more pleasant to ❝me to announce to you thefe renewed "affurances of harmony and good un"derftanding, as it cannot fail but that "the greatest good must refult from a "permanent friendship between the two "nations. And that is to be defired ftill "the more, as nothing can contribute "fo much to the tranquillity of Europe, "as the co-operation of these two pow Paris, Aug. 6. On Tuesday laft the king notified to the National Aff-mbly the following appointments, viz. the Arch bishop of Vienne, Secretary of ftate for Ecclefiaftical Benefices; the Archbishop of Bourdeaux, Gardes de Sceaux; M. de la Tour du Pin, Minifter of the War Department; and the Prince de Beauveau, a Member of the Council.. The Evening Affembly met at eight o'clock that day, and continued fitting fill near two in the morning, having paffed, by a very great majority, twentytwo articles, forming, in part, the bafis of the conflitution, which were confirmed by the National Affembly this day. Thefe articles include an equal taxation; a renunciation of all privileges, whether perfonal, provincial, or munici pal; redemption of feudatory rights; various fuppreffions and abolitions of particular juridictions, duties, and fervices; abolition of the fale of offices; juftice free of expence for the people; admiffion of all citizens to civil and military offices; a medal to be flruck in commemoration of this event; Te Deum to be performed in the King's chapel, and throughout the kingdom, and his Majefty to be proclaimed the Reflorer of French Liberty. Aug. 10. "Saturday laft, upon the reprefentation of the Minifter, the National Affembly voted a loan of 30 millions, in order to provide for the preffing exigencies of the moment, until the Conftitutions and the general state of Finan ces and Ways and Means can come regularly before the Affembly. "The French Guards were voted each a medal of 50 livres ; but with sentiments that do them infinite honour they fent three of their body to the Hotel de Ville to beg leave to decline this medal, as being too expenfive, and likewife any other pecuniary emolument from their fellowcitizens, wishing however, as a mark of approbation, a medal of fix livres each to wear at their button. They are to be incorporated with the City Militia, and to have 20 fols per day. No fentiments or conduct can be more noble or difinterested than those of these poor fellows throughout the whole. The French Comedy offered them the produce of two night's reprefentations, which they pofi tively refufed to accept." In the fittings which have fince been held for examining and maturely difcufsing the articles on their former deliberation, the Affembly, in moving for the exclufive right of the chace, allows to every citizen the right of killing game on his own poffeffions, as well as the right of fishermen to fish in any fiream that runs through their own grounds. The prefident was likewife defired to wait on the King, and requeft that all prifoners confined on board galleys and otherwife, for any offences committed on the rights the chace, may be immediately fet at liberty. The Town Militia of Verfailles (for every town in France now has its mili tia,) formed by the confent of his Majefty, but commanded by the Prince de Poix, having requested to have the honour of ferving as a guard to the Na tional Affembly, the propofition was at first declined; it being obferved, that the reprefentatives of the people could have no furer or more powerful guard than the public opinion, but the point was at length yielded, on the principle of giving by this means a ftriking fanction to the general eftablishment of fuch a Militia. Hints were given to several of the Deputies of the National Assembly, on Monday laft, of a mine being formed from under the ftables of the Compte D'Artois to the Hall of the Affembly. A. ftrict fearch was in confequence ordered |