175 ANNUAL R E G I S T E R, 1794. 



store union between the parties 

 that still continued to divide the 

 nation. In pursuance of this spirit 

 of reconcilement and moderation, 

 the petitions that were presented 

 by those members that had been 

 outlawed or imprisoned by the party 

 that became predominant in the 

 preceding year, were favourably^ 

 received; and though for a while 

 opposed by some who suspected 

 the political principles of the peti- 

 tioners, these were at length resto- 

 red to their liberty, and shortly after 

 to their seats in the Convention. 

 Their number amounted to seven- 

 ty. This equitable termination 

 of a business that had occasioned 

 many disquisitions, took place in the 

 beginning of December. This 

 month concluded with a decree 

 that aliorded general satisfaction to 



thepeople of France. Robespierre's ' 

 murderous edict, prohibiting quar- 

 ter to be given to the English, had 

 always been held in detestation by * 

 the public ; but the dread of hi» 

 despotic sway kept every tongue " 

 silent on this as on other subjects. 

 As it did not however produce the 

 bloody effects he intended, and was 

 totally disregarded by the militar)\ 

 it passed without notice* till some 

 members of the Gonvcntion, indig- 

 nant that such a decree should re- 

 main on their registers, procured its 

 formal repeal. As it had been con- 

 sidered by all men of humanity as a 

 monument of national disgrace, the 

 decree repealing it was looked upon 

 as a reparation of the public ho- 

 nour, and received in that hght 

 with the greatest approbation and 

 applause. 



CHAP. X. 



Difficult and alarming Situation of the Conjedirates at the Close of l/Qo 

 iSentiments entertained of the French Principles of Polity in the differ eui 

 States and Kingdom of Europe; and more particularly in Great Britain. 

 Aristocratical and Democraticat Parties in this Country. State of the 

 Public Mind at the Meeting oj the British Parliament, January \7Q4. 

 Speech from the Throne. Delates thereon in loth Houses oJ Parliament. 



THE close of the year I793 had 

 proved so propitious to the 

 French on that theatre of the war 

 where the most decisive events had 

 taken place, that the coalesced 

 povTers were seriously alarmed at the 

 prospect of those difficulties which 

 they must surmount, in order to 

 recover the ground they had lost, 

 before they could resume their ef- 

 forts to make that impression upon 

 Frarce which was the main object 

 of the coalition. 

 In the commencement of the pre- 



ceding campaign, they had entered 

 the fieldibig with the most sanguioe 

 expectations of crushing, in a very 

 short time, the republican fabric 

 that had been erected in France on 

 the ruins of the monarchy, and of 

 restoring the latter to its owners. 

 Instead of succeeding in this great 

 design, they had, after suftering 

 some mortifying defeats, been com- 

 pelled to have recourse to retro* 

 grade motions, and at last to act 

 chiefly on the defensive. This was 

 a strange and very unexpected re- 

 verse 



