/ 
HiSToRY OF EUROPE, 
political body of the ftate, that they 
did not fubmit with entire patience 
gnd refignation to this violent and 
fatal blow. Indeed the democrati- 
eal writers affert, (and we are well 
difpofed to give them credit upon 
this occafion) that they endeavour- 
ed to move heayen and earth againft 
the aflembly, and _ confequently 
againft the new government. They 
publicly accufed the national ,af- 
fembly of a fixed defign totally to 
deftroy religion, Rabaut fays, they 
“put in practice all thofe meafures {o 
familiar to the church; and which, 
he fays, might perhaps have fuc- 
weeded, but for the fuppreffion of 
tithes. In fact, that previous mea- 
dure afforded the beft guarantee that 
_ gould be given for the fuccefs and 
decurity of the prefent; it operat- 
ing as a moft pawerful bribe in fe- 
¢uring the voice and difpofition of 
the multitude. The prelate of 
‘Treguier fet the example, which 
_ Was foon followed by .very many 
other bifhops, who, in the words of 
Rabaut, “ overfpread their refpec- 
“tive diocefes with incendiary man- 
ates, and negociated a: byll with 
Rome for the intimidation of the 
_ weak-minded, and for devoting the 
mational affembly to the maledic- 
fions of the church.” He like- 
_ «wile informs us, that all the canons 
f the kingdom entered into.a com- 
bination, and that almoft every 
_sehapter protefted againit the.de- 
gree. 
However ftrongly fortified and 
laflured the national :aflembly was 
by its prefent yait acquifition, 
‘avhich. placed a fund of. wealth in 
¥ amanda eyondall-example in the 
ti ory of modern:Europe, yet it 
Shewed as much prudence, manage- 
mt, and addrefs, in its tranfac- 
mons with: the courtiof Rome, as if 
[11s 
it had been ina fituation and cir- 
cumftances the direct reverfe of 
what it really was. The holy fa- 
ther was either cajolled, or pretend- 
ed to be fatisfied, by reiterated 
proteftations, of the ftrict union of 
the national aflembly with the pope, 
as head of the chriftian church, in 
all {piricual matters; as well as of 
their fidelity to the religion of their 
forefathers. The weaknefs of the 
court of Rame, the age of the pon- 
tiff, with a grievous fenfe of the hu- 
miliations which that fee had of late 
years experienced, all concurred in 
giving an appearance of currency 
to thefe affurances; for it is not to 
be fyppofed, that the refinement of 
Italian policy was fo totally ex- 
haufted, as that their purport was 
not thoroughly comprehended, and 
their real value duly eftimated. 
The democrates fay, that the 
prefs now took an entirely new di- 
rection, and that a prodigious ma- 
nufaéture was carried on of pam- 
phlets and periodical publications 
againit government. ‘That as it 
was well known,.that hooks had 
confiderably affifted the revolution, 
it was, therefore, imagined, that 
books might effeét a counter-revo- 
lution. ‘That, the ecclefiaftics ex- 
pected to dazzle the people of 
France, by diffleminating ten times 
as many volumes againft the na- 
tional affembly as there had been 
publifhed in its favour; that a mul- 
titude of printing-prefles, both 
within and without the kingdom, 
were devoted to this pious mer- 
chandize; that, all the different 
kinds of ftyle were fummoned to aid 
the holy caufe ;, poems, fongs, epi- 
grams, fatires, tragedies, were writ- 
ten againit the national .affembly, 
againft its committees, againi{t its 
mott_ celebrated members, againit 
Hz ! ~ the 
