In November, 1780, he was nominat- extolled. Partaking of every labour, and ed captain of the Brilliant, and failed fharing in every danger, his men were a for Gibraltar under fealed orders, accom- nimated by his example, and the fervices panied by a cutter, but being attacked by performed on fhore by the failors were of a great force of the enemy near that place, the most important nature. When, pre he was driven into the Mediterranean, and vious to the grand attack, it was found went to Minorca. Having there a few neceffary to fecure the shipping and en frigates under his command, he conduct- camp the feamen, his brigade amounted ed from thence to Gibraltar a very impor- to near one thousand, and fo exact was tant convoy of provifions. He now took the difcipline and order which he efte upon himself the management of the na- blifhed and maintained, that the Tailor val affairs at Gibraltar, where his zeal, performed the duty of foldiers with are gallantry, and indefatigable labours, were gularity and obedience equal to the troops very foon and fenfibly felt. The gun boats, of the garrifon. He was, indeed, mot fitted out by him, gave fecurity to the defervedly beloved by his people, and in troops in camp, and were productive of confequence thereof they fubmitted with the most effential advantages. In Auguft, chearfulness to whatever was directed by 1779, the Helena floop, going to Gibral a perfon whom they confidered as their tar with difpatches, was becalmed in the friend and protector. A more general of Bay, and attacked by fourteen Spanish more confpicuous harmony never appear. gun boats, befides mortar boats and other ed in any garrifon. The Hanoverian fmall craft, and fupported by captain troops (than whom it is affirmed there are Curtis, with only three gun boats from no better in the world) the failors, and the gerrifon. Ile conducted this bufinefs the British foldiers, lived together upon with fuch fkill and gallantry, and the He- the most affectionate terms, and the fe lena was fo bravely defended by captain vereft labours were performed without a Roberts and his crew, that the enemy murmur. were beat off and retired in confufion, though a frigate and a xebeck were approaching very fast to their affittance. This action is highly extolled by general Eliott in his letter to the fecretary of ftate. Our hero had also a great fhare in planning, with the governor, the fuccefs. ful fally made from the garrifon in the following November. One hundred fea men from the fhips were employed with the troops on this enterprize, who were put under the immediate command of two naval lieutenants, but capt. Curtis could not be prevailed on to refrain from ac companying them in the attack. There were different opinions about the fuccefs of this measure, and he felt himfelf bound to go upon a fervice, which it was generally fuppofed had at leaft met with his hearty concurrence. General Eliott was alfo prefent at the attack, and perbaps for fimilar reafons. The general, in his public letter, speaking of capt. Curtis's Conduct on that occafion, fays, "He greatly diftinguifhed himself by his difcernment, affittance, and perfonal efforts." This fally was a daring undertaking, and greatly beneficial in its effects. What the enemy had been eighteen months in conftructing, was entirely in flames in two hours, and finally reduced to afhes. This eminent fervice was performed before 15,000 Spanish troops, and in the front of at leaft fventy pieces of cannon and thirty mortars.

His whole conduct during the fiege of Gibraltar has been very highly and justly

His behaviour on the day of attack need not here be enlarged on, the event is too recent. The reward of his Sovereign, the thanks of Parliament, the approbation of his country, and the admiration of the world, fufficiently demonftrate in what eftimation it is held. We may fafely pronounce that our history does not furnish an inftance where bravery and humanity were more eminently exhibited, or which will fix a more lafting honour upon the name of Briton.

It is mott evident that general Eliott and himself were actuated with the fame zeal for his majefty's fervice, and to an union of fuch hearts and fuch talents may be juflly attributed The glorious defence of Gibraltar.

A complete View of the Origin and Progrefs of the Political Diffentions of Geneva to the prefent Time. By a real Traveller, suho bad exact and infallible Sources of Information.

(Concluded from p. 638.)

HIS great acceffion of power to the Tpopular patte occafioned much dif

content in the councils; viz. The S nate and Grand Confeil, and made them apprehenfive of still farther encroach. ments. They determined to feize every opportunity to regain their rights, and to recover their independence. For this par pofe they made application to the court of France, to interfere, and to withdraw the magiftrates from the influence of Demo

cratic

#782.

A View of the Origin of the Diffentions of Geneva.

cratic oppreffion. The French minifter did not then feem inclined to trouble himfelf again, by taking a part in thofe difputes, which were no fooner terminated, than they broke out with greater virulence and increated malignity.

For thirteen years therefore this act continued in full force, and to be regarded as the conftitution of the ftate.The troubles which arose about the beginning of laft year, appear to originate from the fcheme of a code of laws, which had been a long time before in agitation, *and had been lately reviewed and refolved upon by the different orders in the ftate. This code was intended to contain not only a collection of all the acts of the legiflature with refpect to affairs civil as well as criminal, but also such as regarded the conftitution and nature of the government. But this code, however neceffary, however praife-worthy, was in fact nothing but an inftrument of party in the hands of the predominant faction. If the Negatifs had the afcendancy, thefe would have been an ariftocratic code, but as the party of the reprefentans was then predominant, the fyftem of laws would neceffarily favour the democratical part of the conftitution.

When this work was but a fhort way advanced, the magiftrates found, upon looking into it, that the very firft propofition was defructive of their rights and . privileges in the ftate, and they refolved to put a stop to a work, which, in their opinion, tended to overturn, and not to ftrengthen the conftitution. In the Grand Confeil, one hundred and five members declared boldly againft the fcheme of the code, and diffolved the commiffioners who were employed in composing it.

The difpute at this time appears to be more general and more important than formerly.It is now no more the difputed prerogative of this or that council, whether the impofition of an inconfiderable tax was an affair of importance, and ought to be of confequence expofed or withheld from the people; it is now a conteft of a more fyftematic nature, where all the difputed points of former times are concentrated, and the form of a government compleat in all its parts, is to be fettled. To fy upon this occafion, that the magistrates were againft cftablishing any fyftem of laws, because they oppofed a collection, begun under the aufpices of their adverfaries in politics, would be unjuft. They certainly wifhed, that the conftitution of government fhould be fixed and permanent, though they might have particular ideas of their own, refpecting the diftribution of power. Their conduct

685

upon this affair has been called violent
and outrageous, and perhaps with fome
degree of truth. These, however, are re-
proaches which one party has not an ex-
clufive privilege of making ufe of, and
applying to their antagonists in any pe-
-If the Grand
riod of paft controversy.-
Confeil, by a fudden exertion of a difput-
ed authority, diffolve a commiffion which
they esteem hoftile to their prerogatives,
they do not act more violently than the
people when they run to arms upon an
imagined violation of their rights.

The open and undisguised conduct of
the Negatifs, was bold and manly. Though
their numbers were reduced, they refo-
lutely perfifted to support what they were
convinced was the conftitution of their
country.

Of late, however, their conduc has been more exceptionable, and their fecret intrigues for the fupport of their party do them no honour. They were mean, cowardly, and illiberal. What other epithets can be given to the conduct of magiftrates, who abufed and perverted their authority for the purpose of sowing fedition, and fetting one clafs of people in oppofition to the other. The fpirit of patriotifm, like the fpirit of true religion, fcorns to promote the interefts of mankind by low and ignominious means, and political, as well as pious frauds, are equally contemptible. In thefe tranfactions, are evidently to be feen the fpirit of a faction, which, unmindful of the public good, wifhes only to promote its own private views. No neceffity whatever can justify the idea of magiftrates encouraging quarrels, and promoting diffention. These contemptible tratagems of party were not attended with their expected fuccefs. On the contrary, they afforded the people an opportunity of paffing one of the most laudable and brilliant refolutions that can be produced from hiftory. It was the Edict of the tenth of February last year, which is calculated to put an end to the invidious diftinction of Natif, &c. and Citoyen, and to grant to the former all the privileges that are enjoyed by the latter. This Edi&t would ftill have been more fplendid, had there To understand the been no restriction as to the number and time of admiffion. circumftances which led to this act, it will be neceffary to take a curfory retrofpective v ew of this class of the people.

It has been already obferved, that the past political difputes in this Republic reipect a very inconfiderable portion of its population. That though the one party have been called magiftrates, and the other people, it has been iu fact a controverfy, whether the principal fhare in the

govern

1782.

A View of the Origin of the Dissentions of Geneva.

3 grefs, which met at Soleure, the Swifs
Cantons having at laft acceded to the
propofal of a mediation offered by the
King of France. This affembly, how-
ever, was foon diffolved; for the French
minifter having taken a decided part in
favour of the magiftrates, infifted, as a
preliminary ftep, that the Edict of 1768
The Cantons of
fhould be fufpended.
Zurich and Berne opposed this propofiti-
on, as being inconfiftent with the inde-
pendence of the Republic. This disagree
the mediating parties,
ment between
produced the diffolution of the Congrefs,
and in the month of September following,
M. de Vergennes, in a letter to the Se-
nate, fignified his mafter's intention to
have nothing more to do with the media-
tion. This was foon after followed by a
fimilar refignation on the part of the two
Cantons.

The Genevois being now left to them-
felyes, the fpirit of party contention foon
brought on that revolution and crifis of,
the 7th of April last, which threw the
whole power into the hands of the Repre-
fentans, or popular party. The Negatifs
deriving courage from the certain inter-
pofition of France in their favour, began
in the Senate to pass fome fevere cenfures
upon the Edict of the 10th of February,
and alfo upon that of 1768, as being both
fubverfive of the ancient conftitution, and
calculated to throw the whole power into
the management of a democratical rabble.
They again attempted to divide the Na-
tifs and Habitans from the citizens, who
had been united fince the paffing of the
Edict. Mercenary writers were employ-
ed to compofe fuch libels as were calcu-
lated to make the Natifs despair of fuc-
cefs, and to deftroy the confidence which
they repofed in the good intentions of the
citizens. Such was the principle and ob-
ject of nine different pamphlets, which
rapidly fucceeded one another from the
month of October, 1781, till February
laft. Thefe inflammatory compofitions
were not without effect. The Natifs be-
gan to be alarmed, and they were offend-
ed at the very idea of being confidered as
tools in the hands of parties, who were
unconcerned about their welfare. They,
therefore, pressed the citizens to clear
themselves of all the imputations that had
been laid to their charge, and infifted up-
on their defiring the Senate, in a peremp-
tory manner, to execute this edict in fa-
your of the Natifs, &c.

The citizens, for fome confiderable time past, had declined to push this matter to an extremity, in hopes that the Council, feeing the critical fituation of affairs, would at last relax from their ari

687

But

ftocratical severity, and endeavour to make
proposals for an accommodation.
they continued obftinate and inflexible,
and the citizens found it neceffary, in or-
der to fatisfy the ardent importunities of
the Natifs on this fubje&, to present ano-
ther remonftrance to the Senate. A re-
prefentation of this nature, it was fup-
pofed, would bring matters to a crifis,
and the event juftified the fufpicion. If
the Senate confented to execute the Edi&t,
the difpute was at an end, and every
thing fettled; whereas, if they refused to
do it, the government would be overturn-
ed by the junction of Citizens, Natifs, and
Habitans, in oppofition to the further ex-
ercife of power, in the hands of fuch ma-
giftrates as had refufed to comply with
the request of so great a part of the com-
munity. This remonftrance was accor-
dingly prefented to the Senate upon the
18th of March, and the answer of the Se-
nate to it appeared even fooner than was
expected. Upon the evening of Sunday,
the 7th of April last, the Senate remitted-
to the agents of the citizens, an extract
from their registers, intending it as a final
reply to their repeated reprefentations.
They therein exhibited the treaty that
had been agreed upon in 1738, examined
it article by article, and fhewed that the
fubfequent Edicts were inconfiftent with
the principles of the conftitution, then
fettled and established, because they had
been constrained against their inclinations
to approve of them. They concluded,
by declaring they ftill perfifted in refuf-
ing to execute that Edict, which they
confidered as null and void, having pal-
fed the councils while the people were in
arms.

An anfwer fo decifively oppofite to the
expectations of the people, did not fail
to produce the moft alarming confequen-
ces. Secret difcontent and filent mur-
murings, were rapidly fucceeded by loud
invective and infolent abufe. The next
day, after the anfwer of the Senate was
known, the people affembled in bodies to
communicate to one another their mu-
tual fentiments and opinions.All of
them feemed equally offended with the
decifion, and the generality thought for
fo violent a diftemper, violent remedies
alone were neceffary. The refentment of
individuals, thus united, became too pow.
erful to be withstood by reafon or mode-
ration. The people began to arm about
two o'clock in the afternoon, and by nine
at night, the moft perfect tumult and
anarchy prevailed in the city. The efforts
of fome of the magiftrates, and moft mo-
derate of the citizens, were unable to re-
ftrain the impetuofity of the armed multi-

tude.

1

tude. It appears that the Natifs and Habitans were the firft who took arms, but they were foon joined by the citizens, who pretended, that though they difapproved of their violence, they found it neceffary to join them, for the prevention of fuch acs of outrage and abufe as might be prejudicial to their caufe, and dangerous to the Republic. They conjun&ly took poffeffion of the Hotel de Ville and the gates of the city. Thefe latter were not given up without refistance. Some shots were fired, and several killed and wounded on both fides. Opposition, however, foon ceafed, and the power of the popular party univerfally prevailed. Aconfiderable number of the chiefs of the Negatifs were seized, and kept confined in the Hotel de Ville; and an order was published at the fame time, prohibiting any individuals of that party, to go out of the city. This feverity was foon relaxed; twelve only of thofe chiefs were kept in confinement, and the reft fet at liberty.

forming them anew, retained in the Grand Confeil 294 members, and in the Senate 15; the relt were expelled, and their places filled up the fame day, and the felection was immediately approved of in the general affembly of the people.

Such is the ftate of the third and lift crisis of the internal diffentions in this fmall Republic. The events which have fince taken place, are well known. A body of 12000 troops belonging to the King of France, the Swifs Cantons, and the King of Sardinia, were ordered fome time ago by their respective sovereigas, to form the blockade of that city. | This was accordingly done, and we have been informed, that Geneva has opened her gates, in consequence of a fummons to furrender.This event in fo unequal a conteft, admitted of no uncertainty. The feeble efforts of a few magnanimous citizens, unaccustomed to the habits of war, must foon give way to the powerful and vigorous exertions of military art; and patriotifm, however ardent, muft fubmit to the law of the conqueror.

It is to be hoped, that the plenipotentiaries appointed by these powers will be fuccessful in fettling all differences to the fatisfaction of both parties. Their known moderation and delicacy upon former occafions, leaves no room to doubt but that they will exert their utmoft endeavours for the prevention of future difputes in fo unfettled and tempestuous à ftate; and that though at present they have affifted the magiftrate in diftrefs, they will not proceed fo far as to establish his authority at the expence of the perfonal liberty of the subject.

The people having now carried every thing before them, began to think of refloring the appearance of order and government, which had been suspended by the late fermentation. The most effectual step for this purpose, was, they were fenfible, to haften the execution of the edict of the 10th of February, 1781, the great oftenfible ground of diffention and difpute. To propofe this edict again to the Senate and Grand Confeil was unneceffary, when they reflected upon the refolute and determined manner in which they had lately refufed to pass it, and they were apprehenfive of a second denial while the people were yet in arms. In this dilemna, they thought the wifeft and most practicable. The frequent prevalence of civil dif scheme was, to new model the Senate and Grand Confeil, by ejecting from them a few of their moft hardy opponents, and by introducing fome of their own adhe. rents in their places. By this means, while they changed the fpirit of the two councils, they preferved the form of the conftitution. A requifition was accordingly prefented to the Syndics, exhibiting the causes of all the public calamities; and as the only remedy for the falvation of the ftate, they requested of them to diffolve immediately the two councils, and to have certain perfons invefted with powers to create inftantly two new counels, compofed of fuch members as were approved of by the general affembly of the people.

The Senate and Grand Confeil, in thofe circumstances, could not refufe to comply with this request, but gave their confent to their own diffolution.--The perfons who were charged with the authority of

cord in this Republic, almoft from its very exiftence, muft proceed from fome deep and radical defect in the conftitution.—— The alternate fuccefs of the two factions, ferved rather to increase than to alleviate the public calamities, and it cannot be supposed that the late revolution, had it paffed unnoticed, would have contributed more than former ones, to the general good of the ftate. If, therefore, the prefent plenipotentiaries are fuccessful in rectifying the defects of this conftitution, in pointing out precifely the powers and prerogatives of the different councils, fo far as they are confiftent with private liberty, this may be reckoned by all parties, the moft happy and fortunate æra in the annals of the Republic. When the citi zens of old rofe in arms to repel the infidious attack of the duke of Savoy upon the famous day of the Escalade, they only made an exchange of private quiet for public tranquility. When the citizens of

modera