2SD ANNUAL REGISTER, 1794. 



attended by personages of the first 

 rank. The abihties of Mr. Ers- 

 kiiie and Mr. Gibbs were again 

 eminently displayed in his defence ; 

 and, notwitiistanding the endea- 

 vours to criminate him, he was 

 cleai-ed of every charge and impu- 

 tation brought against him on this 

 occasion ; and his acquittal was 

 accompanied with the same appro- 

 bation and applause that had mark- 

 ed the preceding. 



Mr. Thelwall was tried on the 

 22d. The grounds of accusation 

 were mucii the same as those al- 

 leged against the other prisoners, 

 ■vvith the addition only of rash and 

 violent language on particular ocr 

 casions : but the evidence in proof 

 of this allegation, which was that 

 of two informers, being fully inva- 

 lidated, he was also acquitted, to 

 th? great satisfaction of the public. 

 The zeal and capacity of Mr. Ers- 

 kine and Mr. Gibbs were exerted 

 in his cause, as they had been in 

 the two former. They were no less 

 ready to undertake the defence of 

 the remaining prisoners ; but this 

 task was rendered unnecessary by 



the cessation of all further prosecu- 

 tions on the part of the crown ; in 

 consequence of which all the per- 

 sons indicted were set at liberty. 



Sudi was the issue of a business 

 which had by numbers been ex- 

 pected to have terminated in quite 

 another manner. Those partizans 

 of ministry who, previously to those 

 trials, had manifested sanguine 

 hopes that the arrested members 

 of the societies would have been 

 condemned to severe punishment, 

 did notappear so dissatisfied at their 

 acquittal as it had been presumed. 

 They could not help perceiving the 

 dangerous consequences to which 

 they themselves must in common 

 with all men have been exposed, had 

 that condemnation ensued of which 

 they were so im.prudcntly desirous. 

 Those also who had been alarmed 

 by rumours of the vast strength of 

 tl'.at party, from whicli disturban- 

 ces were dreaded, could not fail 

 of being gratified at the discovery, 

 that its power and means to effect 

 th? purposes imputed to it, were 

 too inconsiderable to excite any 

 reasonable apprehensions. 



CHAP. XV. 



M'iir^n for an A'count nf the Money advanced to the King of Prussia and 

 theTrcops employed by him in th^ Serrid' of the Coalition. Proroguiion 

 of Parliament. Naval, Cvlonial, an4 Commercial Affairs. 



THE session of parliamer.t was 

 now drawing to a close ; but 

 the intelligence from the continent 

 did not promise ministry an op- 

 portunity of dismissing the mem- 

 bers with any well-founded hopes 

 of success to the arms of the con- 

 federacy. On ihe eve of the pro- 

 rogation, opposition entered into an 

 animated discussion on the situation 



of affairs, and the gloominess of 

 the prospect abroad. 



Mr, Sheridan moved for an ac- 

 count of the money advanced to 

 ;he King of Prussia, and of tlie 

 number of tioops employed by 

 him in the service of the coalition. 

 What was the Kingof Prussia doing:' 

 Was he massacreing the Poles, o 

 was he fulfilling the stipulations at 



the 



