MISTOR Y! 0'F 
not to be entirely attributed to the 
extravagance or inianity of Clootz; 
but was calculated to anfwer a moft 
ferious and important pnrpofe. But 
to underfiand this, it may be ne- 
ceffary to obferve, that from the 
bad, and too often fhameful effects, 
which the wine drank at dinner had 
frequently produced on the debates 
of the affembly, it had long become 
‘a ftanding rule, though without any 
particular order for it, that no bufi- 
nefs of moment fhould be brought 
forward at the evening fittings. On 
this account they were generalty 
very thinly attended, moft of the 
members gladly feizing the opportu- 
nity of indulging thofe purfuits of 
private bufinefs or pleafure, from 
which they had been withheld by 
the morning fitting. The exhibi- 
_ tion we have defcribed was prefent- 
ed at an evening fit- 
: ting; when the houfe 
Was not, indeed, fo thin as ufual, 
but, however it happened, fo it was, 
that the moft violent of the demo- 
cratic headers, and that party in ge- 
neral, were thofe who principally 
attended. 
' When the ambaffadors had acted 
their part, and were withdrawn, it 
feemed as if the affembly thoucht it 
neceffary likewife to act theirs. As 
if they had believed the mockery 
which they juft beheld to be a 
reality, and that the ambaffadors of 
all mankind were in fact prefent, 
and fupplicating .their protection, 
they were all at once, as if it had 
been an electric fhock, ftruck with 
the moft violent fit of enthufiafm 
for liberty, which it was poflible to 
deferibe or imagine. The firft ef- 
fufion of this paflion was laudable: 
it was a decree to deftroy or remove 
thofe figures of chained flaves, in- 
tended to reprefent proftrate and 
June roth. 
BUROPE: [149 
conquered nations, which  fur-” 
rounded the ftatue fo much cele-~ 
brated, and fo often condemned and“ 
ridiculed, of Louis XIV. and which, 
if it had not been for this decree, 
might kave long continued fhame- 
ful. memorials of the .infufferable 
vanity and. arrogance of that mo-~ 
narch. 
The fucceeding effect of this en- 
thufiafm was not fo blamelefs. The 
refolution for abolifhing: hereditary - 
nobility for ever, was, in this fame 
evening’s fitting, introduced, de- 
bated in a certain manner, and paf- 
fed into an irrevocable ‘law: before 
their rifing. It was to little purpofe - 
that the nobility, all the royalifts; 
and many others, who were not ab- 
folute republicans, cried out, in the: 
midft of their diitrefs or aftonifh- 
ment, againft the-unfairnefs and dif- 
honefty of this proceeding, which 
they faid openly was carried by 
ftratagem and furprize. The law 
was paffed, and there was no re- 
medy! there was no houfe of lords’ 
to check the exorbitance of a houfe 
of commons; there was no king, 
with freedom or power to curb the 
enornuities of either, or both; and, 
to crown the evil, the affembly it- 
felf was unfortunately not bound 
by any of the wholefome and ne- 
ceflary regulations which fo happily 
prevail in the Englifh parliament; 
by which previous notice is given 
of the introduction of a new law; 
by which every bill muft go through 
a certain number of readings, and a 
reafonable time is allotted for due 
confideration, before it can be paf- 
fed; and by which, in cafes of mo- 
ment, a general call of one or both 
houfes takes place, and all the 
members are obliged, under penalty,’ 
to give their attendance ona day* 
appointed. All thefe forms, fo: ne~ 
[K 3] ceflary 
