In the year 1787, the disputes in the United Provinces, between the republican party and the Prince of Orange, again opened an opportunity for the cabinet of Versailles to strengthen its interest in Holland ; and had not the King of Prussia takea a decided part in support of the Prince of Orange, it is probable that the republicans, aided by the French, would have borne down all opposition. The cabi net of Versailles, however, did not deem it prudent to as sist them in an open manner, though they permitted their officers to go into Holland, and even sent tried and expe rienced soldiers for the purpose of disciplining the burghers and volunteers. Great Britain also, forgetting the conduct of the United Provinces during the American war, or ra timer, perhaps, ascribing that conduct to the influence of that party which was now endeavouring to destroy the au thority of the Stadtholder, fitted out a squadron of men of war, for the purpose of countenancing and supporting the measures of the King of Prussia. Upon this, the French ministry also began to equip sixteen sail of the line at Brest, and recalled a small fleet of men of war which were cruizing off Portugal. It was very evident, that a mutual jealousy between the courts of Versailles and St James's had no small influence in giving rise to these hostile indica tions ; but as soon as the power of the Stadtholder was re established, and, of course, all pretexts for armaments ta ken away both from Britain and France, each cabinet was anxious to replace things on their former footing. Britain had begun to feel the beneficial consequences of Mr Pitt's measures of finance, and of her reviving commerce ; and France felt too sensibly her inabilty to plunge herself into a new war, if it could possibly be avoided. The navies of both nations, therefore, were placed on the footing of a peace establishment, and harmony was restored between them.
From' these momentary and comparatively trifling sub jects of uneasiness, the mind of Louis unwillingly reverted to the assembly of the Notables. It was already too evi dent, that they would not assist in extricating the king out of his difficulties, unless they were recompensed for their interference and assistance, by a compliance with their de mands ; and it was equally evident, that their demands would go far to reduce the royal authority to that limited condition in which it had been before the reign of Louis XI. Louis, however, had gone too far to recede ; and even if he could have receded, and dismissed the Notables, how was he to recruit the finances of the kingdom ? It was therefore necessary to gain the good will, or at least to avoid, as much as possible, exciting the discontent and sus picion of the assembly ; and, for this purpose, the Arch bishop of Toulouse was appointed to superintend the finances, instead of Calonne. But he soon found that it was more easy to object to the schemes which his predecessor had presented, than to offer any thing more satisfactory ; and he was under the necessity of again proposing the ter ritorial impost. The objections and oppositions to it were now more violent than before, as the assembly plainly per ceived that the kingdom was in such a state, as to have placed the sovereign completely in their power. Louis was thus placed in a state of great embarrassment ; but, at length, he determined to dissolve an assembly from which he had received no support or advantage, but which, on the contrary, had only increased the difficulties in which he was previously involved. On the dismissal of the assembly, royal edicts were issued for raising money ; to these the parliament of Paris objected, in such peremptory language, that Louis was under the necessity of holding what is term ed a Bed of Justice, and compelling them to enrol the edicts. In former times, the parliament would most pro
bably have submitted after this step ; but now they were emboldened by the sense of their own power, and the une quivocal symptoms of disaffection, which had spread over the whole kingdom, to protest against the enrolment as a compulsory measure ; and to declare, that the first person who should attempt to carry the edict into execution should be punished as a traitor to his country. At this crisis, the King acted with unusual decision and vigour. As soon as the discontents and opposition of the Notables began to wear a formidable aspect, large bodies of troops had been gradually brought into Paris ; and some of these, a few days after the Parliament had entered their protest, signified to each individual member the King's pleasure, that he should immediately leave Paris, and proceed to Troyes. The Parliament, probably forewarned, or appre hensive of this measure, had previously registered their opinion, that no permanent tax could legally be imposed, except by the authority of the three estates of the king dom; and had, at the same time, urged the necessity of calling them together.
For a short period, Louis endeavoured to proceed with out the Parliament, but he found it impossible. lie was frugal and economical in his habits and expenditure ; hut the savings thus effected went but a little way towards the removal of financial difficulties, while they failed in gaining him the confidence or approbation of his subjects. He himself, indeed, was not very unpopular ; but the other branches of the royal family, particularly the Queen, and the Count D'Artois, were the objects of the indignation of the Parisians. They could not but be sensible of the dan ger in which they, as well as the King, were placed ; yet they acted in such a manner as to increase that danger. The time for haughty manners and tyrannical conduct was gone bye ; yet the Count D'Artois did not accommodate himself to the change of circumstances, but spoke and acted as if the sentiments and feelings of the people, and the influence and authority of the crown, remained exactly the same as they had been when Louis XVI. ascended the throne. The King at last yielded, and recalled the Parlia, meat: a kind of compromise took place between them ; Louis gave up the territorial impost and the stamp duty, and the Parliament sanctioned the appointment of the Arch bishop of Toulouse to the situation of first minister of state. These concessions on the part of Louis, however, failed in conciliating the people ; being regarded either as the effects of apprehension, and of conscious weakness, or as the giving up of unjust claims. The King also soon found, that the Parliament itself regarded their recal as a triumph, and that they returned still less disposed to sub mission and obedience; for, about the middle of Novem ber, after he had laid before them two edicts, one for a new loan of nearly 19 millions sterling, and the other for the re-establishment of the Protestants in their civil rights, introducing these edicts by a speech, in which he intimat ed his expectation of obedience from the Parliament, a bold and animated debate took place, which was so offensive to the King, that he suddenly arose, and commanded the edict to be instantly registered. Scarcely had Louis sat down again, when the Duke of Orleans, first prince of the blood, declared this command of the King to be an infringement of the rights of Parliament ; and, on this ground entered his protest against all the proceedings, as illegal and void. Louis merely repeated his commands, and left the assem bly. On his departure, the protest of the Duke was for mally sanctioned by the Parliament.