( 444 ) 
STATE or PUBLIC AFFAIRS, 
Nevember, 15C4. 
: aah once i. ‘dn 
[ Dece 3% 
FRANCE. 
HE principal events of this month 
JL are either, the immediate aéts of the 
French government, er are fuch as fail 
mof naturally within the recital of its 
conduc. Of- thefe events, the molt ex-° 
traordinary in its political charaGter, and 
probably the mof important in its refults, 
is the violence offered by the French go- 
vernment, to the perfon of Sir George 
Rumbold, the Enreglith Anibaffador tothe 
Circle of Lower Saxony. On the 25th of 
Oober, about two e’clock in the morn- 
ing, a bedy of Frerch huflars, about 250 
in number, fecretly crofled the Elbe, and 
furrounded the houfe of the Englith Mi- 
nifter, which was fituated in a country 
Place called the Grindel, in the vicinity 
eof Hamburg, and onits territory. The 
perfon of Six Gceorge Rumbeld, and all 
his papers, were feized by this military 
party, put m‘o a carriage, and conveved 
to Paris. Much as the city of Ham- 
barg has been accufomed to the infults 
and depredations of France, her Senate 
and citizens felt the moit lively fhock of 
furprife and forrow at this event. <The 
Senate acdreffed a note to the fereign mi- 
nifters, refiding at Hamborg, making 
the feeble attempt to quiet their juft ap- 
prehenfions. 
firance to the King of Prufia, claiming 
his proteclion, as director of the Circle of 
Lower Saxony, the meutrality of which 
was violated in this unexampled manner. 
The intelligence of this outrage was 
received in this country with great emo- 
tion. Molt men whe had iefle@ed upon 
the chara&ter of the perfon who goverrs 
the French nation, were prepared for ats 
even more defperate than this, as the 
ps‘ions and interefts of that individual 
m:ght call them ferth.. They had been 
accufemed to fee fuccefs almof uniformly 
Ging upon his mafter picce of pclicy 
—ihat of over-awirg other nations bya 
fiucied difplay, not only of his power, 
but alfo of bis caprice. The prefent ex- 
periment, however, hed novelty in 
The infule was a dire&t one to Prufia— 
to that court which had not only heaped 
favours cn Fraace, but to whom the pre- 
fent ruler of France is inigbted for his 
feat ona throne. There wes, indeed, no 
Gu-fion ot oratityde im this pohtion of 
Fiance and Prefiia, t-r fpecul-tion to 
faitenon.. The quciticn was, refpe&ing 
the real chara€ter of taat policy in the 
They difpatched a remon-: 
ioe 
court of Prufia which has been coupled 
with the hardeit names. Here -was-fome 
cpportunity of difcovering, whether Praffia. 
was the focl of France ; or if the ruler of 
France was not rather the fool cf Proffia, 
inva degree he did not fufpect.. The 
King of Pruffia is not. dependent on 
France ; and a&tually has the fate of her 
newly made Emperor in his hands. He 
had now to fhew, whether he underftood 
this, or was in truth the dupe of Bona- 
pante’s gafconades, 
Our miniters, with more than their 
ufual fuccels,” availed themfelves of this 
kate of things. By their order, + Mr. 
Jackton, the Englifn refident at the court 
Beilin, prefented a note to the Prufiftan. 
government, written wich great force and 
propriety, fetting forth the peculiar in- 
-teretis of the Pruffian monarch in the 
queiiion, and claiming of his Majefty an 
entire declaration of his fentiments.on this- 
extraordinary event. ee 
The King of Prufiia no doubt deceived 
the herd of politicians. In what terms 
he exprefied himfelf tothe French govern- 
ment, we knew not; buta great council 
was held at Potfdam the day after the 
Englifh refident had prefented the note of 
his zovernmert ; and as foon after asa 
courier could reach Paris, Sir George 
Rumbcld was releafed, and fent by the. 
French gevérnment ty. England. 
_It a;-pears that the King of Pruffia had. 
not oniy inflted on the releafe of Sir 
George Rumbold, but had infifted alfo 
that this aft fhould be expold “to the 
fae 
_World as the refult of his interference. 
Tbe Moiteur announced the liberation 
of the Englith miniter in the fuilowing 
mannif— j 
‘* Mr. Rumbold, Erglifh agent at 
Hamburg,  arreited within cannon fhot 
ot the advanced poft of tre French army 
of Hanover, and carried to Paris, nas 
been liberated, through the protelion of ihe 
KrnG of Prussra, and fent to Eng- 
land. Jf the proceedings agatnft this 
worthy affeciate of Drake, Spencer Smith, 
and Taylor, had been completed, they 
would have furnifhed infiances as remark- 
able as thefe of his accomplices.” 
It is nct ealy to imagioe, that the 
Mexiteur would have gratuitoufly acknew- 
ledged the interference of his Pruffian_ 
Majeiiy, which, more than ang other pro- 
babie humphation, mut mortify its mafs 
tui’s pride; and there is jomething fingu- 
laly 
ay 
