ing] 
its attainment, In the firft place, 
however neceflary the phrenzy of 
liberty which intoxicated the peo- 
ple was to the accomplifhment of 
the revolution, it was feen to be 
totally incompatible with thofe fo- 
ber, ferious, and fteady maxims of 
policy, which mauft of neceility be 
adopted, for the government and 
fecurity of fo great and extenfive 
a kingdom ; larce armies and fleets 
mutt be provided for, and whoever 
the adminiftrators might be, the 
civil expences muft run very high; 
to fay nothing of the intereft of the 
national debt, and the fupport of 
fuch a number of fortreffes, as was 
“without example in any other coun- 
try. How then were thefe' prodi- 
gious expences to be provided for, 
by a people fo drunk with their new 
Tiberty, that the bare name of a tax 
‘was in the higheft degree odious to 
them; and who, fo far from being 
pices or fatisfied by the lighten- 
ing of their burthens, which the 
abolition of thé mot ‘heavy and 
obnoxious of the old ones produced, 
4eemed on the contrary to grow more 
“yiolent in their abhorrence of thofe 
‘which remained? Force, which 
has been fo often ufed with effeét 
in fuch, cafes, would here have been 
inevitably deftructive ; the blowin g 
ap of the new fyftem, and of every 
‘thing appertaining to it, would be 
at once the confequence ; ; and ano- 
ther revolution, the accidental birth 
of a moment, without form, order, 
object or defign, would take place, 
‘the final confequences of which no 
‘man living Sat forefee, Whereas, 
by the attainment of the defired ob- 
jee, all thefe evils would be averted ; 
‘the golden age would feem: to ‘be 
Tenewed 5, taxes, for a ‘time, \ would 
no more be heard of; government 
‘would feem to fupport itlelf; aid * 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
"tS 
nothing but peace and felicity coultt 
be expeted during the reign of the 
prefent rulers. Nor was it perhaps , 
forgotten, among fo greata number ~ 
of more important obj ets, that the ~ 
attainment of this meafaré would 
free the affembly from the neceflity 
of entering deeply into that moit 
‘difficult tafk of ‘financiering. 
The bufinefs was brought for- 
ward about the laft of Ottober, 
17853 and Rabaut feems to‘ men- 
tion, with fome furprize, that a moit 
violent oppofition arofe to it in the 
very heart of the aflembly. This 
‘oppofition, however, produced fo 
‘little effe&, that a decree was pafled 
on the 2d of November, by which, 
the ecclefiaftical eftates were all de. 
‘clared to be at the difpofal of the 
nation; fubjeéted; however, to the 
followi ing charges: to’ ihe provid- 
ing ina “proper manner for the ex- 
pence of” celebrating - public wor- 
Ship, for the maintenance of the mi- — 
nifters, and for the relief of the 
poor. ‘To provide for the fecond 
‘of thefe pwrpofes, it was decreed, 
that no parifh minifter fhould have 
a lefs falary than twelve hundred 
livres a year, exclufive of the houfe 
‘and gardens hitherto annexed to the 
‘Par fonage. “This decree, ‘which was 
paffed on the fecond, was. publifhed 
‘on the third of November, and’ re- 
ceived the’ fanétion ‘of the captive 
‘king on the fourth; ‘a circumftance 
which clearly demonittated the” fa- 
“cility with» which bufinefs ‘of the 
“greateft importance was ‘condutted 
“and concluded’ under ae prefent 
“Order of things. 
“Whatever degree ‘of ty, “chrif- 
‘tian forbearance ‘and® temy per, ‘might 
“be attribured to indiv i duals aniong 
‘the clergy, we cannot ‘be‘furprifed, 
“while we confider them as men, a 
as Compofing a great aid | numerous 
political 
