6) 
of a moft teazing and vexatious 
inquifition, which reached to every 
thing, ‘and which nothing could 
evade or refit. 
But the abfence or lofs of in- 
fluence of the electors was foon fol- 
lowad by the departure of every 
degree of decency and decorum 
from thefe meetings. It has been 
afferted by creditable obfervers, 
that it would be impoffible for a 
native of any other country to form 
even a remote conception of the 
noife and tumult which prevailed 
in thefe aflemblies; and that the 
foreigner who could for any length 
of time withftand the preflure of the 
former upon his fenfes, need never 
give any other demonftration of the 
foundnefs of his head, or the firm- 
nefs of his nerves. All the boldeft 
and moft impetuous of the fpeakers, 
to the amount fometimes of a hun- 
dred, were to be feen at the fame 
inftant, ftraining their lungs toge- 
“ther, each endeavouring to drown 
the voices of his competitors, and 
hoping that he alone would be 
heard. Yet this contention of noife, 
this confufion of voices, fo totally 
unintelligible to all ftrangers, was 
fo far underftood by the furround- 
ing crowd, whofe organs of hear- 
ing and perception feemed endued 
with powers calculated for the pur- 
pofe, that the general clamour was 
frequently increafed, or the jarring 
difcord of the haranguers entirely 
interrupted, by the loud fhouts of 
approbation, or the deep roar of 
execration and threat, which they 
occafionally drew forth. The in- 
enious device of one of the prefi- 
ie of thefe aflemblies, will per- 
haps afford a clearer idea of the 
diforder which prevailed in them 
than any defcription. This man 
had a drummer conftantly ftation- 
4 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 19790, 
ed at the back of his chair, and 
when the noife and tumult refe to 
fuch a pitch as to be infupport~ 
able, and that all his efforts to pro- 
duce order and filence were totally 
difregarded, he gave the fignal for 
beating the drum, which was done 
with fuch vigour and effeét, as foon 
to overpower all other noifes; and 
this was continued, until the people 
fhewed fome figns of recovering 
their temper and reafon. 
In this ftate of things, Paris was 
rather to be eonfidered as a confe-+ 
deracy between fixty diftin& demo, 
cratical republics, than as one com- 
monwealth, or as ating under one 
fimple form of government. Each 
individual diftrict was independent 
in its own adminiftration,* and al- 
lowed no {uperiority of diftinétion 
or authority to any other. Upon 
fending deputies from one of thefe 
departments to confer with or make 
any propofal to another, it was 
laughable, if not ridiculous, to be- 
held the mimick forms of ftate ce~ 
remonial which were obferved on 
both fides, the deputies being treat- 
ed with all the obfervance and ho- 
nours which could have been fhewn 
by one fovereign power to the am- 
bafladors from another. In pro- 
cefs of time, a few of the moft tur- 
bulent, noify, and generally profli- 
gate demagogues, became the lead- 
ers in every affembly, and leading 
the multitude as they pleafed, all 
power in every department came by 
degrees to be virtually lodged in 
their hands; while thé ferious and 
better part of the citizens abftained 
from going to thefe tumultuous 
meetings, where, befides being ftun- 
ned by the noife and clamour, they 
were expofed to the groffeft infults 
from the loweft of the rabble. 
Thus, by degrees, the govern- 
: ment 
