1 constitutional spirit with which they proceeded in this grand work, was a moft exemplary pattern for all perfons labouring under grievances from which they think themselves entitled to be freed. On the 26th of the month they thought proper to publish to the world at large the real views and motives for their undertaking to bring about this neceffary reform in the Burghs: they were justly indignant at being represented (as the fashion had become) as turbulent and feditious men, aiming at the fubverfion of Government and the deftruction of the Constitution. “The "Convention," they fay," of Burgeffes met for "the purpose of obtaining from the wisdom and justice of the British legislature a reform in the "internal government of the royal Burghs of "Scotland, think it their duty at this time to de"clare, that they entertain the most loyal attach"ment to our moft gracious Sovereign and his "illuftrious family, the deepeft fenfe of the fupe"rior excellence of the British Constitution, to "maintain for ever the principles on which it is "eftablished, and to defend it from every inno"vation by which it may in the flightest degree "be hurt or injured." In this and the preceding months addreffes upon the late proclamation were poured in from moft counties, boroughs and towns in the kingdom. For a great part of this month a flying camp camp of about five thousand men was kept up on and about Bagfhot-Heath. The Duke of Richmond, who had projected the fcheme, was the commander in chief, and fignalized himself in this army by his attention to the difcipline of the men and the severity of the fervice which he made them undergo during this short campaign. It had been originally intended to have formed this camp before the 14th of the month, which was the anniversary of the French federation; but whether it were apprehended, that fuch an appearance would argue an expectancy, and therefore enfure fome riot or disturbance on that day, or that the neceffary camp equipage and other preparations were ftill incomplete, the day paffed over without a fhadow of turbulence throughout the nation. The expences of this encampment to the nation exceeded one hundred thousand pounds." The Cabinet must have known how near we were to an actual war, and were confequently impreffed with a due fenfe of the advantages of manœuvring five thousand men for a fortnight to prepare them for actual fervice, and to inure them to the hardfhips of a continental campaign by anticipating fome of the more common wants of water and other neceffaries on the arid heath of Bagfhot. CHAP. Cafe of Poland-Effects of Brunswick's manifefto in European Powers towards France-Acceffion of the Landgrave of Heffe Caffel to the federacy. WHATEVER may have been the particular ftipulations of the different contracting parties in the convention of Pilnitz, it is certain that the bafis of their agreement must have been some general and fundamental principle in which they all concurred. The King of Pruffia is openly acknowledged to have been a principal party in that federacy: the Czarina was also known to have acceded to it, though fhe had as yet taken no public measure which unequivocally bespoke her engagement. It is a fair deduction then, that a principle of action in which both these powers have openly joined, fo far from militating against the spirit of that convention, actually made an effential part of that formidable and hitherto myfterious concert of Princes. For the credit of the cause and the honour of the reigning fovereigns of Europe let it be prefumed, that no principles. against the increase or ftability of civil freedom formed the bafis of that confederacy. Yet the lamentable cafe of the virtuous Polanders overpowers the mind with awful hefitation. The fubfcription which was fet on foot about this time in England for the fupport of the Polish Revolution, juftifies my introducing the fubject; though this country has as yet taken no public step either to prevent I 2 prevent or enfure their fubjugation to a foreign yoke. The liberality of Britons towards their distant brethen struggling in this glorious cause of civil freedom befpeaks a zeal for liberty, which ought to be cherished and encouraged as the very nucleus of the British Constitution. The views of the Conventioners at Pilnitz probably extended to all Europe, though they have hitherto been myfteriously kept behind the curtain. The actual deftruction of the Polish Constitution, and the powerful efforts to crush that of France, too ftrongly befpeak an intention or a wifh to weaken and. destroy every Constitution which might enjoy a larger portion of freedom, than these federated fovereigns were difpofed to measure out to the multitude. Even the counter-revolutionary Mr. Burke has done justice to the glorious event of the Polish Revolution. *"Here was a state of things, "which feemed to invite and might perhaps juf tify bold enterprises and defperate experiment. "But in what manner was this chaos brought "into order? The means were as ftriking to the 'imagination as fatisfactory to the reafon and foothing to the moral fentiments. In contemplating that change humanity has every thing "to rejoice and to glory in; nothing to be afham * Appeal, p. 102. |