learned and truly conftitutional newspaper fince its firft inftitution.

A very numerous affociation met at Edinburgh who ftyled themselves a Convention of Delegates for obtaining Univerfal Suffrage and Annual Parliaments: many perfons of great refpectability belonged to it: after feveral meetings in different places in that city Meffrs. Gerald, Margarot, Sinclair, Calander, Rofs Sen. and Jun. Skirvin and Brown, Members of this Convention from different focieties in England and Scotland for obtaining a reform of the reprefentation in Parliament, were taken into cuftody by order of the Sheriff, and carried before him to be examined. This was the first fociety that had declared its principle of the specific mode of reform which they aimed at: they rather difpleafed fome well-wishers to the general cause of reform by affecting an imitation of the French Convention in their title and in their mode of addreffing each other in their meetings by the appellation of citizen. Thefe circumftances, though trivial in themselves and not infringing any laws of the land, might perhaps with more prudence and policy have been omitted. They appear to have been adopted by men in the moment of irritation at being foiled in a variety of legal attempts to bring their griev ances under the confideration of Parliament; in order to attract attention by circumftances alto

gether new, though in themfelves innocent and legal. It befpeaks, particularly in the cool and wary character of the Scotch, a firm and unfhaken determination to perfevere against every poffible prejudice in their legal and conftitutional efforts to procure a reform in the reprefentation of the people in Parliament.

In the long dearth of joyful tidings the feelings of the good people of the metropolis were gratified by the unaccustomed found of the Park and Tower guns to announce to them, not the defeat of the French army nor the capture of their fleet, nor the fuccefs of Lord Moira's expedition, but the landing of fome hundred men on the now defolated Ifland of St. Domingo. The fort of St. Nicholai, which was poffeffed by the Royalist party who were too weak to keep it, had furrendered it up in the name of Louis XVII to a detachment of British troops from Jamaica. Jeremie, which was called the key of the Ifland, had followed the example.

The doctrine of Trufts was not equally underftood by the Germans as by us our late avowal that indemnification was an object for continuing the war (it could not have been our object in 'commencing it) throws indeed fome light upon the fubject; for the fure means of indemnification are to poffefs the property, out of which the reimbursement is to arife. The city of Strasburg offered

"

to fubmit in this manner to General Wurmfer; but he not understanding the fineffe of the system foolishly declined entering upon this condition, and gave the citizens fix days to propofe other conditions in this interval 45,000 republican troops arrived, the plot was difcovered, and avenged in the best blood of Alface.

Our negociating Minifter was indefatigable in his efforts to strengthen the confederacy against the enemy which had hitherto baffled every effort and exertion against them. Lord Robert Fitzgerald was directed to perfuade or intimidate the Swifs Cantons out of their neutrality; but hitherto the attempt has proved unfuccefsful. The prudence and firmnefs of the American States have hitherto kept them from entering into an alliance with France, as well as induced them to refift the attempts of our Cabinet to draw them out of their neutrality. To complete in fhort the system of a general confederacy of all the powers of Europe, we are gratified by the new and unprecedented fight of a Turkish Ambaffador in London. This preference of the Divan to our court we hope is grounded in fome treaty beneficial to the commercial interests of the country: but as every fresh confederate in this fatal combination against France is an additional winding to the labyrinth, no wellwisher to his country can hope to see the crufade embellished by the Ottoman Crefcent.

The

The first year of this difaftrous and calamitous warfare is now clofed. The enormous price of the dearly bought experience is the leaft of the evils we have to lament. The foul fickens at every view that prefents itfelf. Never did a fyftem of measures pronounce fo harsh, so lamentable a condemnation of the advisers.

Britain weep at the catastrophe.

Well indeed

may

The defenceless and abandoned Royalists every where vanquished and butchered: mowed down at Lyons from one hundred and forty to twenty-five thousand fouls: unable to gain the fea-fhore either to be fuccoured or transported: fresh accounts of unarmed multitudes of twenty thousand butchered in cold blood: Earl Moira's expedition dropt, from conviction of the improbability of its fucceeding against the activity and energy of the enemy. Toulon difgracefully abandoned, before witneffes from every nation in Europe, with the piteous boaft of having left the arsenals and ships in flames, and the unmanly regret of our impotence to extend the devaftation. The armies of the Rhine driven back with unheard of flaughter, traverfing with giant ftrides the ground which by inches they had gained and drenched with the blood of melancholy victory. An enraged enemy glutting their infatiable vengeance in the blood of their royal countrymen immolated to the menacing pride and cruelties of an inefficient foederacy of crowned heads

:

in the cause of Royalty. At home credit on the wane; bankruptcies innumerable; manufactures at a ftand; the poor out of work; the middle claffes ftaggering under the preffure of existing and threatened with an accumulation of fresh taxes; the rich foured at the enormity of their prefent payments to the State, and forced by the fympathy of human nature to the daily increasing contribu tions to their own poor as well as the numerous distressed emigrants from France, whose exile we have hitherto foftened, but whofe return we have rendered defperate. No profpect of fuccefs; no advantage feen in it if obtained. The profperity. of the nation vanished, its happiness deftroyed, its welfare endangered, Some frighted into dif content and difmay by the boundless prospect of exifting miferies; others foured and irritated at the calumny of fedition and treafon : many fearing the propagation and prevalence of French principles more dreading the energy of French arms, and the feducing examples of French fucceffes: all bewailing paft loffes and misfortunes: none catching a ray of future conqueft; all groaning under the throbbing pangs of national diftreffes and calamities; except thofe who by their feafon. · able convictions have fecured to themselves honours, preferments and wealth from the continu-. ance and extenfion of their country's wretchedness.

CHAP.