ountry. The affembly returned a 
dry anfwet, but ordered his releafe ; 
and he at length arrived fafely in 
his own country, 
-Such’.was the fate of a minifter, 
‘who had paffed through fuch courfes 
of popularity, as, perhaps, have 
fearcely been equalled by any -fo- 
reigner in any country. Yet, fo 
uncertain is the ftate of public fa- 
your, and fo rapid the decline of 
‘popularity, that he now retired to 
his native. country without the 
\ fmalléft mark of honour, efteem,, or 
_ regret from that nation, which had 
an the preceding year, commenced 
a rebellion againit its foyereign on 
hi§ account.” Whatever Mr, Neck- 
at’s politi¢al’ faults or_errors might 
have been as.a minifter, he poffefied 
Hich. excellent qualities as a man, as 
-muft ever entitle him, to refpect- 
Ais integrity was in both charac- 
ters beyond doubt or fufpicion; and 
his ftri&t attention to the difcharge 
_ and practice of all the moral duties 
_ and virtues was never called in quef- 
tion by his enemies. Happy he 
May now confider that concurrence 
of circumftances and caufes which 
‘obliged him to quit France at fo 
‘garly and timely a period; and his 
family may confole themfelves in 
his prefent exiftence for that, now, 
hopelefs property which he left be- 
hind. ‘ 
-_ New contefts with the clergy af- 
forded the principal objects of bufi- 
‘nefs in which the national affembly 
were engaged for the remainder of 
the year. Thefe arofe from the va- 
tious meafures adopted, and decrees 
‘pafled, for, what was called, the or- 
ae of the church. One of 
“thefe was, the rendering every be- 
Wefice in the kingdom, from a cu- 
| 
| 
ge 
se 
acy toa bifhopric, elective. Ano- 
. ther was, the admitting people of 
MISTORY OF EUROPE. [155 
all religions, not excepting Jews, to 
vote at thefe elections. And ano- 
ther was, the totally altering the an- 
ciently eftablifhed extent and liniits 
of diocefes. 
The clergy became. troublefeme 
upon thefe accounts. They faid 
that whatever right the nation might 
“have to feize their revenues,. it nei- 
ther could have any right or ~pre- 
tence. to interfere or to muke any 
alteration in the difcipline or fpiri- 
tual government of the church; 
they therefore demanded'the convea- 
cation ofa national council to fettle 
thefe matters, as they could not pof- 
fibly without that determination 
fubmit to the prefent decrees. As 
nothing could be more oppofite. to 
the ideas or liking of the national 
affeémbly than to admit. by 
means of the calling together fuch 
an, aflembly, they were. highly, in- 
cenfed at, thefe objections made by 
the clergy, to. their decrees,and-in 
that .{pirit determined at once to 
punifh their re‘raétorinefs, and to 
cut off the means of all future difz 
putes, by impofing a new oath on 
them, by which they were bound to 
obferve and fubmit to the conftitu- 
. tion as decreed by the affembly, in 
all cafes whatever. 
Vaft numbers of the clergy re- 
fufed to take this oath, and among 
them many who had in the begin- 
ning been firmly attached to the 
commons, and furthered the revo- 
lution by every means in their pow- 
er, But fuch aids were not now 
wanted. , Many offered to take the 
oath if they were allowed, as a fal- 
vo, that it did not extend to admit 
of any {piritual authority in the af- 
fembly ; but though that bedy had 
generally difclaimed all interference 
in the fpiritual part of religion, yet 
they would not allow of any referve 
2 ia 
