75S ' FRA 
to the adminiftration of the finances. This counfel, which 
had it been urged and adopted fooner, might have been 
productive of the mod falutary efteCts, was now only 
agreed to as the laft refource; even in the very moment 
of giving it, the minifter hefitated : he had flattered him¬ 
felf with the idea of (till retaining the nominal direction 
of affairs; but his rival differed him not long to deceive 
himfelf with that vain hope ; and the firff ffipulation of 
M. Necker was the immediate difmiffal of de Brienne, 
who, defpoiled of power, was left to confole himfelf with 
the dignity of cardinal, and an immenfe revenue, the fruits 
of his minifterial influence. M. de Lamoignon, vvhofe ele¬ 
vation had a fhort time preceded that of the archbifhop, 
was included in his difgrace, and difmifled from court. 
Serious disturbances followed the difmiffal of the arch¬ 
bifhop of Sens, and the recal of M. Necker. The popu¬ 
lace, in the excefs of their tranfports, aflembled at the 
Place Dauphine ; and carried about in triumph a figure 
clothed in epiicopal robes, of which three-fifths were 
lattin, and two of paper ; a fatirical allulion to a late de¬ 
cree, which authorized the different banks to make two- 
fifths of their payments in paper. The figure underwent 
a formal trial with ludicrous folenmity, and was condemn, 
ed to the flames. An ecclefiaftic, who happened to pafs 
by at that moment, was arrefted by the crowd ; they be¬ 
llowed on him the name of the abbe Vermont, who was 
fuppofed to enjoy the confidence and direCt the counfels 
of the late minifter; under this fictitious title, they com¬ 
pelled him to confefs the image ; which was immediately 
after burnt with much ceremony. At length Dubois, 
who commanded the marechauffee at Paris, zealous in the 
difcharge of his duty, endeavoured to difperfe this tumul¬ 
tuous meeting. His (lender troop confided only of twenty 
marechauffee mounted on horfeback, and fifty on foot. 
His appearance was by no means productive of the terror 
that he flattered himfelf he fhould infpire; the people, 
deaf to his threats, kept their ground ; and Dubois, tired 
with remonftrances, at length commanded his men to 
charge. The crowd were trampled down by the horfes 
of the cavalry, feveral were wounded by fwords and 
bayonets, and not a few loft their lives in the affray. But 
no fooner were the firft moments of furprife over, than 
fhamc and indignation triumphed over their tranfient 
fears': the fpirits of the citizens were reftored by the 
fmall number of their adversaries ; in a moment they 
were aflailed on every fide by thofe arms which the imme¬ 
diate fury of the people Supplied ; the Soldiers betook 
themfelves to a precipitate flight, and Dubois was the 
ioremoft of the fugitives. The people, elated by this 
elTay, proceeded to force the guard near the ftarue of 
Henry IV. all refiftance was Swept away by the torrent of 
the- affailants ; the var.quifhed were defpoiled by their 
conquerors ; their arms were Seized ; their uniforms were 
burnt ; but fome praife is due to the moderation of the 
multitude, who in the midft of the popular infurreCtion 
ref peeled the lives of thefe unfortunate men, and difmifled 
them, after a Severe humiliation, to join their compa¬ 
nions. Hundreds of the lower clafs of the people dif- 
perfed themfelves through the city ; feveral guard-houfes, 
which flood feparate from other buildings, were fet on fire 
by this disorderly troop ; but on attempting to pofl'efs 
themfelves of the Grcvc, the place of execution in Paris, 
they were repulfed by a body of regular troops; and 
many atoned with their lives for the tumult they had 
engaged in. 
This infurreCtion was foon followed by another, which 
manifefted its indignation againft the conduCt of the late 
minifter Lamoignon ; on that occafion the fame feenes 
were re-commenced ; and the figure of that minifter was 
burnt in effigy without any interruption from the police. 
But from burning in effigy, the people rufhed with 
torches in their hands, to communicate the flames to the 
houfes of the late mijiiffers, and to that of the chevalier 
Du bois. It was at that inftant that de Brienne, the brother 
of the archbifhop, and Secretary of war, arrived from 
N C E. 
Verfailles. His own hotel was threatened by the infur- 
gents ; and his concern for the public Safety was Stimulated 
by perfonal intereft : immediate orders were given for the 
French guards to march ; two different detachments en¬ 
tered at each end of the ftreet of St. Dominique, where 
the greateft number of the populace had aflembled ; thefe 
were inftantly charged by the regulars ; a number periftied 
on the Spot, and the reft fled in confufion, and concealed 
themfelves in the adjacent houfes ; at the fame time the 
ftreet Melee, where Dubois refided, prefented a feene 
equally fatal and Sanguinary. 
The parliament, fo lately reftored, beheld not in filence 
the commotions which (liook the capital: the chevalier 
Dubois was commanded to appear before them. The 
orders which he produced removed every idea of judicial 
proceedings againft him, but could not extinguish the 
refentment of his fellow-citizens ; the public tranquillity' 
feemed to require his abfence; and government reluctantly 
confented to the facrifice, and removed him to a diftance 
from Paris. The due de Biron, who had been appointed 
to the command, was alfo fummoned before the parlia¬ 
ment. He pleaded his age and infirmities, which no 
longer allowed him to exert the aCtive duties of life ; and 
this excufe was deemed Sufficient; but the popular indig¬ 
nation was direfted againft him, and in lefs than a month 
he breathed his laft. 
Thefe unhappy difturbances were Succeeded by the joy 
of the Parifians on the recal of M. Necker to the admini¬ 
ftration. Few characters have been more feverely Scru¬ 
tinized than that of this great financier : while his friends 
and partizans have attributed to him every quality that 
can adorn a great minifter, his opponents have endeavour¬ 
ed to ftrip him of every pretenfion to merit. In a com¬ 
mercial line, the facility and depth of his calculations had 
challenged the approbation of his contemporaries; as 
comptroller-general, his fplendid projeCt of fupporting 
a war by loans without taxes, had attracted the admira¬ 
tion of the court; while the fevere reform which he had 
introduced into the royal houfehold, flattered and grati¬ 
fied the applauding multitude. But the commerce of a 
great people is not to be arranged like that of a Ample 
individual: frugality, induftry,and probity, are the bafis 
on which the latter is founded ; while the former requires 
in addition, liberality of fentiment, expanded ideas, and 
penetration feldom to be eluded. The project of Necker 
in maintaining a war eftablifhment without increafing the 
burdens of the people, was indeed captivating and magni¬ 
ficent ; but it was attended by two fatal conlequences ; it 
opened to bis fucceffors the facility of borrowing, a mea- 
fure which muft ever ultimately prove fatal to a nation ; 
while no Security being immediately appropriated to the 
payment of thefe new loans, the monied men availed 
themfelves of this defeCt to advance the Supplies at an 
exorbitant advantage. That government poffefled indeed 
the refources of an immenfe territory ; a country fertile in 
every neceflary production; ports and harbours which 
invited to commerce ; and a people equally fkilful to 
guide the plough or the loom. With thefe advantages 
its internal wealth and happinefs ought to have kept 
pace with its power and relources ; but before the har- 
vefts of the ftate could arrive at maturity, before the 
revenues could be collected into the public treafury, they 
for near a century part: bad been anticipated by needy and 
prodigal minillers ; and France groaned beneath a national 
debt of five milliards, or upwards of two hundred and 
eight millions fterling. 
The acclamations which welcomed M. Necker to the 
capital, could not banith from his mind the difficulties 
he had to Struggle with ; he was fenfible that Calonne 
and the archbifhop of Sens had both funk under the 
public diftrefs, and the impracticability of raifing the ne- 
ceffiary fupplies : that diftrefs was not diminished ; and 
unlefs fome expedient could be adopted to re-eftablifh 
public credit, be forefaw his own late in thofe of bis 
predeceffors. The foie expedient that appeared likely to 
x produce 
