THE 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
For the YEAR 1796. 
THE 
Ls ED he gad BS og can 
OF 
| hao i 
O P-E 
CHAP. I. 
¢ 
Situation of the French Nation and Government, and Views ofthe Directory. 
— Difficulties to be encountered by France at the Close of 1795.—State of 
Parties in England.—Temper of the British Nation.—Assemblies for the 
Pury ie of a Parliamentary Reform, and Peace with France.—A great 
and dangerous Scarcity of Provisions.—Meeting of Parliament.—Insults 
and Outrages of animmense Mob against the King, on his Way tothe 
House of Lords.—The regret of all Peuple of Sense at this Treatment of 
the King.—Speech from the Throne.—Debates thereon.—In the House of 
Commons.— And in that of the Lords. - 
FTER the death of Robes- 
pierre, the convention were 
more at liberty than they had been 
to declare the voice of the people; 
and the sentiments of nature, with 
an inclination to peace, began to 
appear in the public councils, as 
wellas among the generality of the 
French nation: but it too often, 
nay, most commonly happens, in all 
governments, that the real interests 
of the many are sacrificed to those 
of the few: the dictates of humanity 
Vou. XXXYIII. 
to the views of personal aggrandize~ 
ment and ambition. 
Uniformity and steadiness of go- 
vernment may proceed from differ- 
ent and even opposite causes; the 
predominant habits and passions of 
absolute monarchs on the one hand ; 
and the virtues of nascent and juve- 
nile republics on the other: when 
the external relations of the state 
are neither many nor complicated ; 
when its interests are easily dis« 
cerned and consiantly pursued, the 
[B] integrity 
