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On the 3d of Auguft, the king fent the following letter to the national affembly. Auguft 3, fourth Year of Liberty. Mr. Prefident,

For feveral days a paper has been circulated, entitled, The Declaration of the reigning duke of Brunswick Lunenburgh, commander of the combined armies of their majefties the emperor and the king of Pruffia, addreffed to the inhabitants of France.' This paper exhibits nothing that can be confidered as a proof of its authenticity. It has not been tranfmitted by any of my minifters at the feveral courts of Germany near our frontiers. The publication of it nevertheless seems to me to require a new declaration of my fentiments and my principles.

France is menaced by a great combination of forces. Let us all recollect the neceffity of union. Calumny will not eafily believe the forrow I feel in confidering the diffenfions that exist among us, and the evils gathering round us; but those who know of what value in my eyes are the blood and the fortune of the people, will give credit to my uneasiness and my grief.

I brought with me pacific fentiments to the throne, because peace, the first bleffing of nations, is the firft duty of kings. My former minifters know what efforts I have made to avoid war. I felt how neceffary was peace it alone could enlighten the nation on the new form of her government; it alone, by fparing the sufferings of the people, could make me fupport the character I undertook in this revolution. But I yielded to the unanimous opinion of my council, to the wifh manifefted by a great part of the nation, and feveral times expreffed by the national affembly.

When war was declared, I neglected none of the means of affuring its fuccefs. My minifters received orders to concert measures with the committees of the national assembly and with the generals. If the event has not yet answered the hopes of the nation, aught we not to lay the blame on our inteftine divifions, the progrefs of the spirit of party, and, above all, on the state of our armies, which wanted to be more practifed in the ufe of arms before being led to combat? But the nation fhall fee my efforts increase with thofe of the hoftile powers; I fhall take, in concert with the national affembly, all means to turn the evils infeparable from war, to the advantage of her liberty and her glory.

I have accepted the conftitution; the inajority of the nation defired it; I faw that the nation confidered it as the founda

tion of her happiness, and her happiness is the fole object of my life.

From that moment, I impofed it as law upon myself, to be faithful to the con ftitution; and I gave orders to my minifters, to make it the rule of their conduct. I wished not to fubftitute my knowledge for experience, nor my opinion for my oath. It was my duty to labour for the good of the people; I have difcharged that duty; and to have done fo is enough to fatisfy the confcience of an honeft man. Never fhall I be feen compounding the glory or the interests of the nation; receiving the law from foreigners, or from a party: it is to the nation that I owe myfelf; I am one and the fame with her; no interest shall separate me from her; fhe alone fhall be liftened to; I will maintain the national independence with my laft breath. Perfonal dangers, compared with public dangers, are nothing. Ah! what are perfonal dangers to a king from whom it is attempted to alienate the love of the people? There lies the real wound of my heart. The people, perhaps, will one day know how dear to me is their happiness, how much it has always been my fole intereft, my firft with. How many griefs might be effaced by the slightest mark of its return!

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Several members required that the king's letter fhould be printed, and fent to the eighty-three departments. On this motion, the previous queftion was called for. M. Ifnard having, with difficulty, obtained a hearing, faid, that the king' letter was only a heap of falsehoods.

M. Thuriot faid, that the king had written this letter, merely because he knew that the municipality of Paris were going to demand his depofition. The propofal of printing the letter was rejected.

The envoys of the commonalty of Paris, with M. Petion at their head, appeared at the bar, and M. Petion demanded, in the name of the forty-eight fections, that the king fhould be excluded from the throne, and that the management of affairs, dur ing the interregnum, fhould be entrusted to refponsible ministers, until the election of a new king in a national convention.

M. Petion fupported his petition by exhibiting a view of the king's conduct fince the revolution. He has always,' said T 2

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he, shewn himself an enemy to the people, an enemy to the new laws, and an enemy to France.'

This excited a violent agitation in the affembly. Several members defired to be heard, but the tumult rendered it impoffible, and the prefident put an end to the fitting, without any vote being come to upon it. In the evening fitting, feveral members moved, that the addrefs prefented by M. Petion in the morning from the forty-eight fections of Paris, frould be printed, which was ordered, and the following Thursday was fixed by the affembly for determining the important queftion relpecting the depolition of the king.

On the 7th of Auguft the king iffued a long proclamation, intended to diffipate the ftorm, which, in every part of the city, how feemed ready to burst.

On Wednesday, the 8th, M. Jean Debry reported from the extraordinary commiffion on the charges against M. la Fayette, and concluded with propofing a decree of accufation. M. Paftoret faid, that of fifteen members prefent, when this report was voted by the extraordinary commiffion, eight were for it and feven against it. M. Vaublanc spoke with great effect in defence of la Fayette. On the question being put, a great majority appeared against the decree of accufation; the minority infifted on a divifion, and the names were called over, when the numbers were, for the accufation 224, against it 406, majority for la Fayette 182.

On Tuesday, Aug. 9, M. Condorcet, in the name of the extraordinary commiffion, stated the various confiderations connected with the grand question of

THE KING'S FORFEITURE. You have,' faid he, referred to the extraordinary commiffion a petition, presented in the name of the commonalty of Paris, refpecting the forfeiture of the king; and, in fo doing, you have entrusted to it the examination of one of those difficult and dangerous queftions, the determination of which may have a great influence over the fate of the prefent generation, as well as over that of pofterity. Your commiffion, therefore, would not have thought that they difcharged their duty, had they not turned their attention to every thing that ought to precede this measure.

The conftitution in no article fpeaks of the forfeiture of the king, though it mentions feveral cates where he may be thought to have abdicated; but the acce

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fation here is the violation of an oath, and the keeping up a correspondence with our enemies, of which you must have proofs, and then you will be enabled to pafs judgment. Various events may prevent minifters from continuing to discharge their functions, and it becomes neceffary, in cafe fuch circumstances fhould happen, to devife fome means of preferving the confidence of the people. If you think the public fafety in danger, ought you not to remind the people of their rights and interefts? Are you not of opinion that the nation ought to breathe forth its withes? Or ought you not rather to confine yourfelves to giving the people inftruction?

If a national judginent is called for, and if it is neceffary to wait for it, would you leave to the executive power the exercife of its functions? Does not the imperious law of public fafety impofe on you at prefent the neceffity of purtuing proper measures? Can thefe measures be fufficient? At any rate, your decifion, whatever fide of the queftion you adopt, will inflame the paffions of the multitude, and the public tranquillity will of course be endangered.

You ought, therefore, to neglect nothing that may tend to preferve peace and harmony. You are fully fenfible of the importance of the queftion. Befide other measures, it will be neceffary to organize an executive power, which may not be capable of doing any hurt, and which may at the fame time preferve the independence of the national affembly. Whatever plan you may adopt, you will be accufed of having violated the constitution. You are forced to fteer between the boundaries of your own powers and the violation of rights. You ought to confine yourselves within the limits of the law. Your committee will not prefent a complete plan of the measures to be pursued in fuch circumftances. We are fully fenfible how preffing the dangers of the country are; but too much precipitation might ruin it, and measures badly combined might not be fufficient. You ought to run every risk to fave your country, but remove from danger every thing you can. May this difcuffion tend to enlighten the people, whom evil-minded perfons endeavour to mislead. Your committee will take advantage of the lights which may refult from it; they will at prefent recommend to you only one meafure, which is, to publish an inftruction to the people on the mode of exercising the right of sovereignty, in order to put them on their

guard

guard against the errors into which they patrole, about fix o'clock, was stopped in may be precipitated."

M. Petion now appeared at the bar. He faid, he came to receive the decree which the affembly had paffed for preferving the public peace: hitherto it had been preferved; but a rumour having been fpread that a plot was formed for carrying off the king, the people, as if actuated by one spirit, had all bent their way toward the Thuilleries, to prevent his being carried away; and for that purpose, a certain number of citizens, from each battalion of the national guard, were ordered to do duty at the palace. Two bodies were stationed, one at the Carouzel, and the other at the Place de Louis XV. He believed, therefore, that the perfon of the king was in safety. M. Petion concluded, by recommending to the affembly to purfue lenient and perfuafive measures with the enraged populace, as the most likely means to prevent exceffes, the people being armed and ready to refift any coereive measures that might be adopted against them.

The affembly, confidering the prefent dangerous fituation of the capital, decreed, That, till order be reftored, there should be a permanent Sitting.

At one on Friday morning the 10th, the alarm was rung, and the generale beat to arms all over the capital. The majority of all the fections voted, that in a time of infurrection the council and municipality might impede the deliberations of the people: they declared that they were diffolved, M. Petion and M. Manuel excepted; the fixteen adminiftrators of the police were preferved; the etat major of the national guard broke, and M. Santerre named commandant-general in his place.

The mayor, who had been ordered to the palace, was detained on account of the fears entertained for the fafety of the royal family. The police officers, and fome of the new elected municipal officers, expreffed their fears for the fafety of the mayor. At two in the morning a decree of the national affembly ordered him to the bar, and gave him leave to purfue his functions for the fafety of the capital. In the meantime, M. Maudart, the commander of the national guard, was arrefted, and the municipality ordered him to be committed to prifon.

Going down the stair-cafe of the Hotel de la Ville, he was feized by the people, beheaded, his head fixed upon a pole, and thus carried through the streets. A falfe

the Champs Elyfees; they were committed to the Corps des Garde des Feuillans, where, notwithstanding the interference of the national affembly, they were feized by the people, who forced the guard at nine o'clock, and, after holding a fummary trial, they condemned fix of them to have their heads fevered from their bodies, which was done immediately.

By eleven o'clock, the people were collected in thousands about the Thuilleries. The cannon were pointed upon the palace, and the Swifs guards commenced a fire upon the people, who were entering by the doors. The action became general; the king and royal family had previously repaired for fhelter to the national affembly. In about an hour, not one Swifs was left. Ninety-five, who furvived their Colonel, and General M. D'Affry, demanded quarter, but they were condemned to the Place de Greve, and there put to death. About 300 of the Marfeillois have alfo fallen, as they were the first in the action, and near a thousand citizens, as well national guards as others, have perished, among which are feveral women and children, whom curiofity had led toward the scene of action.

All the Swifs, above 500, were put to death, and the people carried the remnants of their clothes on the ends of their pikes in triumph; the pavillions of the palace near the Place de Caroufel, were afterward fet on fire, as well as the Swifs barracks.

The Maids of Honour in the palace were conducted to the Section: the rest of the perfons on duty were put to death: the wine-cellars were alone plundered! The jewels, plate, &c. were brought to the affembly, and depofited in fafety.

Toward fix in the evening, feveral of the Swifs at the barracks of Courbevoye were on their march to the capital, to affift their companions, but were put to flight by the people, who attacked them, and numbers of them were killed. At night the town was illuminated, and the patroles being immenfe, no mifchief enfued.

The king and the royal family remained at the national affembly, and at the adjoining houfe of M. Camus, the keeper of the records, the whole night.

On Friday, the affeinbly decreed, that the executive power was withdrawn from the king, and that for the present the government should be intrufted to minifters of their nomination that the king should be lodged in fome place of safety, and the civil lift no longer continued: that the primary affemblies fhould be convened for

the

the 26th inft, in order to appoint a national convention to meet at Paris on the 20th of September, to decide ultimately upon the forfeiture of the crown.

The royal family were removed on Mon

day to an hotel, called The Temple, where they are strictly guarded. Of the fubfequent proceedings of this eventful crifis, we fhall give ample and authentic particulars in our next.

AFFAIRS OF POLAND.

THE new Polith conftitution is at laft overthrown. Notwithstanding the bravery, patriotism, and courage of the Poles, they have been obliged to yield to fuperior force.

The Warfaw Gazette of the 25th ult. informs us, that the combination of three powerful neighbouring ftates, while the Poles were left without the aid of a fingle ally, had reduced them to the mortifying neceffity of agreeing to an accommodation with Ruffia, to prevent a partition of their territories among their unfeeling neigh

bours.

The king, finding not only that his ally the king of Pruffia had deferted him, but that he had joined the empress in her ambitious views, called a meeting of the deputies of the different provinces on the 23d of July, to deliberate on the beft meafures to be purfued for the welfare of the country. Of two evils they were obliged to choose the leaft; either to have their country entirely deftroyed by the immenfe armies which were overrunning it, and perhaps to have their exiftence as a ftate annnihilated, or to agree to the haughty terms impofed upon them by their too powerful neighbours.

The king, therefore, was obliged not only to annul the conftitution of the 3d of May 1791, and agree to the reeftablishment of that which exifted before the revolution, but even to order the army under prince Poniatowski, to be delivered up to the Ruffian general Branicki. This was to take place, according to agreement, on the 29th July.

Many people, however, have diffented from the general refolution, and are leaving Warsaw, as Poland is in a truly un

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certain ftate. Malachowski, Potocki, Sapieha, Soltick, &c. have not figned the reconfederation. Near 4000 nobles and others affembled, and called out, The Conftitution without the King!' They found out Malachowski, and Prince Sapicha, Potocki, and Soltick, and drew them about publicly. It was midnight before all was quiet. In the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, where the Ruffians carried it the highest, the ferment is uncommonly great.

Upon the whole of this melancholy bufinefs it appears, that the rapid advance of the Ruffian troops, and the determined language of the emprefs, though artfully couched under an anxious regard for the welfare of Poland, and friendship for the king, left Stanislaus no alternative; and when he confiders himself unavoidably neceffitated to submit to the prescribed terms of the confederate invaders, there can bẹ little expectation or hope, that any efforts which thofe nobles and citizens can make, who are diffatisfied with the king's acceptation of the terms of accommodation, can be of the least avail.

A number of gentlemen of the city of London had met at the London Tavern on the 2d of Auguft, when a fubfcription for the relief of the diftreffed Poles was propofed, and agreed to unanimously. Many bankers houfes were opened, and fubfcriptions received accordingly; but, on receiving the above intelligence, all further proceedings refpecting this fubfcription, were poftponed to a future day; the money already fubfcribed to remain, in the mean time, in the respective bankers hands.

THEATRE.

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fect, Mr. Francis has varied the management of his incidents, and has taken the Tempeft and Midfummer Night's Dream of Shakspeare for his models. The cha-, racters were thus represented:

Julian, Mr. Palmer; Etheldred, Mr. R. Palmer; Owen, Mr. Bannifter, jun. Una, Mrs. Kemble; Bridget, Mrs. Webb; Orion, Mr. Benfley, Tranfit, Mrs. Bland; Cymbriel, Mafter Greigfon; Pytheon, Mr. Bannifter; Sylphina, Mifs De Camp; Etheria, Mrs. Taylor; Elfion, Sophy D'Egville.

The outline of the plot is as follows: Julian, deformed in shape, but amiable in fentiment, makes love to Una, and is rejected on account of his external appearance, while Etheldred, a trifling fop, but of elegant form, is preferred. Prefuming on the preference, he displays all the empty vanity of a weak mind, and infolently triumphs over Julian, who, attracted by the magic fpells of Orion, wanders into the enchanted wood, and is there detained by fairies, the agents of the magician. Etheldred is in like manner drawn toward the 'enchanted cave, and being both ordered by Orion, (who has put their feparate characters to the test, by asking alms of them in the affumed form of an aged and decrepit beggar,) to step into flaming cauldrons, defcend fuddenly, and when they rife again have changed fhapes, Julian's perfon being as uniformly regular as his virtue, and Etheldred having the hunch back, that before deformed Julian, annexed to his shoulders. Una, in confequence, rejects the fop, and confeffes that her understanding would always have inclined her to prefer Julian, had not his former defect of fhape difgufted her eyes. There is an epifode or two introduced, which confift of the lawless attempts of the fatyr Pythion on the fprite Sylphina; and of the adventures of Gabriel, his wife, and his afs, in the enchanted wood, which all contribute to heighten and add to the theatrical effect.

On Thursday Auguft 23, a new Comedy, called CROSS PARTNERS, was performed for the first time at the fame

theatre.

The characters were thus represented: Sir Charles Cullender, Mr. Wilton; General Touchwood, Mr. King; George Cleveland, Mr. Williamfon; Captain Herbert, Mr. Palmer; Corporal Smack, Mr. Wewitzer; Lillyface, Mr. Farley; Hoft, Mr. Johnson; Servant, Mr. Lyons; Lady Diana Dupely, Mrs. Webb; Maria

Sydney, Mrs. Goodall; Miss Fairfax, Mifs Heard; Mutter, Mifs Fontenelle.

Lady Diana Dupely and General Touchwood, in their younger days, entertained a mutual paffion for each other, and were then engaged, by contract, under a heavy penalty, to marry whenever their circumftances fhould fuit. To mend his fortune, the general repairs to India, and, after twenty years abfence, returns to England, in which time the ardour of their mutual paffion had abated; a circumftance chiefly occafioned by lady Di's having become enamoured of a young man of the name of Cleveland, and the General of Mifs Fairfax. The old lovers are equally diftreffed by the recollection of their contract, and embarraffed at the idea of their first interview, in which they endeavour to create mutual difguft, by aggravating their pretended infirmities. The meeting concludes with a request from the one, to be allowed to introduce a nephew, and from the other a niece, and that they may all refide under lady Di's roof. In the interim, captain Herbert, who has just returned from India, has difpatched his fervant to enquire after Sophy Hobson, his old fweetheart, the fuppofed daughter of à farmer near Plymouth, who, while the captain was abfent, was proved to be the daughter of major Sidney, an officer, who died in India and left her a confiderable fortune. In her real character, Mifs Sydney has been received by lady Di, and is there feen by captain Herbert, who admires and adores her, without recollecting her perfon. She is mortified at his inconitancy, and determines to put his fincerity to the teft, by re-affuming the drefe and appearance of Sophy Hoblon. While this under-plot is working, it appears that Cleveland and Mifs Fairfax are lovers, who had felt it their duty to abandon each other on the ground of refpective want of fortune. Their fory is difcovered by Mifs Sydney, and on communicating it to Sir Charles Cullender, who dearly loves to be entrusted with a fecret, the baronet determines to bring the young lovers together, and mortify the old folks. Mifs Sydney fucceeds in her plot on captain Herbert, and fir Charles effects his purpose by bringing about an union between Cleveland and Mifs Fairfax. The general and lady Di think they have outwitted each other by confenting to tear and deftroy the counterpart copies of their contract, and their folly in withing to unite age and youth is forcibly held up to ridicule.

This piece was very favourably received.

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