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His TORY..OF “EUR 0!P EY 
or apprehenfion, it was eafily feen 
that other proper objeéts fhould be 
fought for on whom to father-new 
plots and confpiracies. For, though 
the general term of Ariftocrate could 
» and ‘did bear a great deal, yet, to 
‘prevent the effect from growing lan- 
guid, and the public mind from fink- 
ing into a ftate of quiet and inatti- 
Wity, it became occafionally necef- 
fary to quicken and enliven > the 
fcene’ by new matter, and by fome 
appearance of {pecific charge, againtt 
fuch objects as feemed beit calculated, 
for anfwering the purpote. 
There was no difficulty in finding 
thefe objects; for the king’s mini- 
fters, who were ftill fuffered to retain 
their offices, and who full tranfacted 
‘all bafinefs in his name, whether 
_ qualified or not for difcharging the 
functions of the high places to which: 
they were appointed, were, from 
‘their fituation, eminently calculated 
for this purpofe. A violent outcry 
was accordingly raifed, and a num- 
ber of charges laid again them ; 
though no attempt was made to 
bring them to the point of trial or 
impeachment. If fome of thefe 
__charges were fo loofe and indefinite, 
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that they would as exactly fuit any 
other pody of men as thofe againft 
‘whom they were particularly di- 
rected, it is to be obferved, that this 
was the current political language, 
both in writing and fpeaking, and 
the eftablifhed fafhion of the time; 
if others of them feemed incempre- 
henfible or impofiible, let it be re- 
coliected, that the people on whom 
ae were intended to operate, were 
uch more likely to be fafcinated 
by thofe things which weve unintel- 
> oy or incomprehenfible, than by 
ofe fimple facts, narrated in plain 
language, which came home to every 
man’s underftanding. 
[117 
The minifters were charged, with 
ferving the caule of the difaftected 
by their ina¢tion ; and that, by res 
tarding the tran{miffion.and the ex.‘ 
ecution of the new laws, they there- ' 
by defignedly prolonged the \exiit-* 
ence of anarchy; indulging them- 
felves in the fond hope, that the 
people, difguited with continual 
feenes of endiefs confufion, would 
call loudly for the old governmenty 
under which they had enjoyed a) 
ftupid ‘tranquillity. ‘That, at thes 
fame time; thefe foes to liberty, had 
inidioufly created. a fearcity? of: 
grain; that they likewife had infi2 
dioufly created a {carcity of fpecie;' 
and, that they had: infidionfly:re- 
fuied to give employment to the ar-- 
tifans, in the hone, that every clafs, 
of men becoming diflatisfied, the 
people would, at length,. ‘grow: 
weary of their own courage. Thefe: 
were among the principal charges: 
laid againft the minifters: our read» 
ers are to bear in mind, though it 
feems to have been totally fergottea 
by the fiamersof thefe accufations, 
that long’ fince; and at the» very: 
commencement of the revolution, 
all prefent and ‘future adminiftra-! 
tions were rendered dire@tly anfwer— 
able, and perfonally: refponfible to 
the national affembly, for every part: 
of their conduct; fo that neither, the 
king’s name would afford fanction, 
nor his direé&t orders a juftification, 
for their adopting any meafure con~ 
trary to the fentiments of that body; 
even fuppoiing the king: to be now, 
a free agent, and capable -of trant{- 
acting any bufinefs. ) ak 
The charges againft the arifto- 
crates in general, or more particu- 
larly againit the moft confiderable 
and active members of the two ruin- 
ed orders, were more abundant than 
thofe againft the minifters. ‘Theis 
[H 3] male» 
