ito] ANNUAL 
three parts, whieh were difinguih- 
éd by the appellation of Depart- 
ments, and thefe were fubdivided 
into other portions, under the namé 
of Diftriéts and Cantons. Thus, by 
cutting off a few heads under the 
name of Provinces, a new multt- 
plied generation fpring up, like 
thofé of the hydra, which became in 
due time fuficiently trouble.cme in 
their management; and thus the 
geography of France being totally 
changed, and rendeied as “ ebfolete 
in an infant, as that of Gaul un- 
der julius Cafar; néw maps be- 
came neceflary, to trace out or ditin- 
guifh places with which we were the 
mott “inthnately acquainted. It 
mult, however, be ackhowledged, 
that whatever faults or inconveni- 
encies other parts of this fyltem 
were chargeable with, the reduc- 
tion of the exclufive privileges of 
peculiar provinces, and the laying 
them on one common level of Jaw 
and governinent with the reft of the 
kingdom, was certainly a meafure 
of no {mall public utility. Upon 
this divifion,y above two thoufand 
deputies of the provinces, cities, and 
boroughs which were affected, hur- 
ried trai; ghtway to Paris from every 
quarter of the kingdom, in order to 
maintain and eftablith their refpec- 
tive pretenfions ; and fo many difi- 
evldies Rill remained to bé far- 
‘mounted, that it coft three months 
of the moft laborious and painful 
application, before the final arrange- 
ment and divifion were ae Wee 
“Then,” fays Rabaut,“the kinedon 
was confolidated, and the ap svenei. 
fion of a confederacy of republics 
was done away.”? 
The aflembly during this time 
went through another “talk, which 
they confidered of great import : 
this was the or ganization of the mu- 
\ 
REGISTER, 
1799. 
nicipalitics; or interior governmentsy — 
throughout the kingdom. Atel 
thefe, in their compofition and con- | 
{truction; bore a clofe refemblancé — 
to our parifh veftries in England; 
yet, from the extraordinary powers 
with which they were endued, or at 
leaft which they aflumed, and which 
produced the fame effe& as if they — 
legally pofleffed thefn, together with 
the infinity of their number, the ig- | 
norance, and unfitnefs of character 
in other refpeéts, which too gene- 
rally prevailed among their mem= 
bers, they becarhe the itmediate © 
inftruments of a moft deplorable — 
tyranny, which, being every where 7 
ipread, nothing could caps or 
evade, and which the aggrieved © 
could find fio power any ‘where to 
refilt. It feemed as if the new go* | 
vernment, being founded upon un- ~ 
tried principles in foie inftancess 
and io others run up hafily with- 7 
out any, as oceafien and circum- 7 
ftance concurred in favouring thé] 
erection; fo, among the numerous 7 
eis neceflary to fupply fuch 
glaring and dangerous deficienciesg” 
this was,not the leaf confpicuousg ~ 
that one half of the people thould 
and confequently inafters of, the 
other halt. 
The affembly abolithed icttendl 
de cachet, a meafure, which if not | 
entirely needlefs, was certainly ant 
act of patriotifm on their fide, as 
there was no power in the naticai 
except their own, by which the 4 
could be iffued. They hkewife 1 
fued a number of nap alatiehrs wi 
refpect to the taxes, moft of whichy 
as they were never paid, feemed ng 
longer to exits As if it had beam 
vation fo aed ‘vepéated: that theif 4 
genius and difpofition led more 1@ 
deltrey 
