merous individuals among the in the general affembly of the Swifs who disapproved of the fytiem of government prevailing in their country, and were defirous of innovations on the revolutionary plan. citizens, who were fuch, either by inheritance or purchate. Individuals born of foreign parents were fiyled natives, but excluded from the privileges enjoyed by the former. This was a fubject of much grievance to them, and they determined to remove it, the first opportunity. In 1791, the political ferments in France were fo favourable to their withes, that they feized the occafion to propofe a law for their admiffien to all the rights of citizens, on paying a moderate fine: their demands were deemed fo reafonable, that they were granted. Matters refted on this footing till They had, however, in one instance, laid aside their usual diffimulation, and openly countenanced the alterations that had taken place, in a ftate, which, though of fmall extent, had always maintained a refpectable appearance. This was the city of Geneva, long famous for the industry of the inhabitants, and their inflexible attachment to liberty and proteftantifm. Their contiguity to France interested them more deeply in its concerns than any of its other neighbours: the next year; when, after the they were, indeed, defcended chief- dethronement of the king, and ly from the French; particularly the abolition of monarchy in the refugees from that kingdom, France, a French army, employed perfecuted for their religious opi- in the reduction of Savoy, adnions. French was the native vanced towards Geneva. The language of the place, and all the inhabitants, alarmed at this confocial habits of lite were the fame duct, applied for aid to the goas in France. The court of Ver- vernment of Switzerland, which failles had formerly exercifed great immediately difpatched a body of interference, in the affairs of this troops to their affiftance. They little republic; but had always fent, in the mean time, a depu acted with decided partiality for tation to general Montefquieu, who thofe claffes that conftituted the commanded the French, to inaristocratical party. Through fuch quire the motives of his conduct. powerful aid, it maintained His answer was, that the Genefuperiority extremely offenfive to vefe had behaved with undue the democratic body, which, partiality to the emigrants from though the moft numerous, was France, by permitting them to not the moft confiderable. At fettle in their city and territory. the breaking out of the revolu- The Genevele replied, that, far tion, this party conceived imme- from harbouring enmity to France, diately the defign of rendering it they had been the firft and were inftrumental for the purpose they fill the only people that had had long meditated, which was, acknowledged the French repub to defiroy the power of their lic. Thefe reafonings prevailed on antagonists, and to eftablish a the French adminiftration to dipure democracy. The fovereign rect Montefquieu to remove from authority of the flate was lodged the Genevefe territory. But the convention a convention disapproved of this in the affefliment of taxes that meafure, and determined to ef fect a total revolution in Geneva; folicited, as they obferved, by a pality of the inhabitants, who complained that the title of citiwas reftricted to thofe only who compofed the general aflembly, but ought to be extended to every inhabitant, without exception. The ruling party refolved inftantly, for the fake of peace, to admit of thefe pretentions: but that portion of the citizens, who were ftyled natives, without waiting for the formal farction of the general affembly, haftily took up arms, and infif ted, that, for the fecurity of their thaims, all pots and places fhould be refigned to perfons of their own party. Their ftrength and refolation prevailed, and they obtained all their requests. A convention, elected by univerfal fuffrage, affembled and took the fupreme power into their hands. They new modelled the whole government; and, among other alterations, introduced the trial by jury. They met with opponents and cenfurers, in thofe whom they had oufied. But they paid the ftricteft regard to property, and aced altogether in fo equitable and popular a manner, that, in a general affembly of the people, held for the purpose of accepting or rejecting the new conftition, it was confirmed by four thoufand against only two hundred. The fatisfaction of the geBerality was, however, difturbed, hortly after, by the machinations of an individual, who declaimed against the conftituted government, as inclined to favour the rich, in oppofition to the poorer claffes, was then projecting. Through his fpared, either in perfon or pro- of of the remaining four hundred and fixty prifoners, twenty only were acquitted; the others were either ftripped of their property, expelled the city, or imprifoned. Geneva continued thus three months in a fiate of confufion and tyranny. The moft prudent of the different parties found it neceffary, at length, to drop their feuds and animofities, and to unite for the prefervation of their civil independence against the private intrigues of the French, and their emiflaries, to bring the city under fubjection. After a multiplicity of efforts to defeat thefe inimical projects, they fucceeded fo far as to obtain, from the convention at Paris, the recal of the French refident at Geneva, who had been at the bottom of the defigns against its independence. They inflicted punishments adequate to their guilt on those who had been concerned in this treafonable bufinefs. They also reverted those judgements pronounced by the revolutionary tribunal, which had been dictated merely by the fpirit of party. They laid an equitable affeffment of taxes on the public: they prohibited party clubs, and threatened fevere chaltizement to those who abused the liberty of the prefs by incendiary publications. But it was not only in the vicinity of France that the principles of refiftatice and innovation were felt: they extended their influence acrofs the Atlantic, and excited dangerous commotions in the united states of North America. The neceffities of the public had obliged government to adopt feveral of thofe methods of levying money, that are practifed in Europe. That which appeared the moft odious of any was the excife, so long held in ab horrence in all free ftates, notwith ftanding the arguments not unjuftly alleged for its propriety. A flight duty was impofed on the diftilleries in the American states, by the congrefs that fat in 1790. It was fubmitted to by the generality, without complaint or diffatisfaction; but in the weftern parts of Penfylvania it created difcontents, that broke out into open refiftance, in the course of 1794. Thefe parts were chiefly inhabited by emigrants from the Highlands of Scotland, and from Ireland. As they had left their native coun try, in the hope of experiencing a happy and great change in their condition, which animates all emigrators from their native climes, and which, indeed is the only motive that induces men to relinquish the place of their birth, they faw with particular reluctance that mode of taxation exercised over them, which they had in their own country been taught to confider as highly tyrannical and oppreffive. From murmurs they proceeded to actual refiftance, and not only refused obedience to the laws enjoining the tax, but maltreated the officers that were employed to levy it. Recalling to their minds the modes of refifting the ftamp-act, and the other obnoxious methods of taxation that brought about the American revolution, the oppofers of the excife-duties expected that they would, in the prefent cafe, be attended with the fame fuccefs, and they adopted them accordingly. They affembled at Pittsburgh, the principal place in the difcontented counties. Here they agreed on a general remonftrance to congrefs, and on the establishment of committees of correfpondence among themfelves. They entered into refo lutions lutions against all communication with those who fhould accept of commiffions for the levying of the duty. In confequence of these meafures, the perfons thus commiffioned were fo harthly ufed, in the execution of their orders, that, apprehendng their lives were in danger, they had recourfe to flight. Intelligence of thefe tranfactions arriving at Philadelphia, excited much alarm in the government; averfe to feverity, and yet forefeeing that, without coercive meafures, obedience to the law would probably be refufed. The circumflances of the times were alfo particularly critical: the contest between Great Britain and France had occafioned material differences of opinion throughout the united states. Open parties had been formed in favour of each of these formidable powers, and they carried their reciprocal enmities to fuch a length, that it was becoming a talk of great difficulty to contain them within bounds of any moderation. Happily for that country, and Great Britain itfelf, general Wathington ftill prefided over the American councils. He faw the neceffity of uniting vigour with conciliation, and of putting a speedy period to this fpirit of refiftance to the authority of government, before it rofe to fuch a height as to become contagious, or through unforeseen cafualties, be rendered inftrumental in the hands of that party which fought to involve America in the quarrels that distracted Europe, Commiffioners were fent to the refractory party, in order to negotiate with the heads of the opponents, who appointed fixty of their own people to meet them. But the pro pofals on the part of government were rejected, and it was intimated to the commiffioners, that unless the tax were repealed, the inhabitants of the oppofing counties would renounce their allegiance to congrefs, and apply for affiftance to Great Britain. A menace of this nature raised in the commiffioners a fufpicion, that the difaffected were fecretly infligated to their refiftance, by agents among them from the Britih government, This was farther confirmed by the treatment they experienced from the populace, which infulted them in the grofleft manner. Thus the negoti ations were broken off, and the commiffioners departed without hopes of effecting a reconciliation. The American government had now no other alternative but to repeal, or to enforce the tax. The general fubmiflion to it, as just and judicious, by all the other provinces of the union, foon determined the adminiftration to act with vigour on this occafion; rightly confiding in a faithful and unanimous fupport. A proclamation was first iflued, recalling, in friendly terms, the refractory counties to their duty, and warning them of the neceflary confequences of their difobedience. But whatever motives prompted them, they openly bid defiance to all threats, and aflembled, to the number of five thousand men, in arms, at Pittsburgh, fully deter mined to oppofe force with force. The exigency was now become too ferious for any longer delay. The militia of the counties adjacent to thofe in infurrection, which were were four in number, received or ders to embody. General Miflin, who had made a confpicuous figure in the American war, took the field against them, at the head of fix thoufand volunteers, and another body of feven thoufand men was on its march to join them. Thefe different corps amounted to near thirty thoufand men. This great force had been collected with the view of intimidating the infurgents into fubmiffion, without the effufion of blood. The plan fucceeded completely. On the approach of general Wath ington, they gave up all ideas of refiftance. The army entered, without meeting with the leaft moleftation, into the country of the infurgents, who had at firft affembled in confiderable numbers; but finding that oppofition would be vain, dibanded every where; their chiefs, thus deferted, were obliged to fly. Several of them, however, were taken. The infur rection being fuppreffed in this expeditious manner, a meeting was called, at Pittsburgh, of the principal fettlers in the difaffect ed parts, who came to a determination to fubmit to the tax, and to pay due obedience to the laws enacted by congrefs, and to maintain them to the utmost of their power. In order to reconcile the malcontents by moderation, after fubduing them by force, their leaders, who had been feized, received a full pardon with the other prifoners, and the infurrection finally terminated, as the government had cordially desired, without effufion of blood. This fpeedy and fortunate iffue of a bufinefs, that wore at firft fo menacing an afpect, did great honour to the American government. Through the firmnefs and prudence difplayed throughout the whole of this tranfaction, not only a dangerous infurrection was quelled, but a ftrong precedent was eftablished of the inefficacy of refiftance to the juft and moderate demands of the legiflature. It was allo the more feasonable, that the ftate was, at this very juncture, involved in a quarrel with the Indians on the frontiers to the Weft of the United States, and not a little apprehenfive that the difpute might, before long, aflume a greater degree of magnitude, from the interference of that power which the Americans had moft rea fon to dread. An officer of noted courage and conduct had been placed at the head of the force difpatched againft the Indians. This was general Wayne, who had greatly diftinguifhed himself in the Ame rican war. He had, on this occafion, a difficult part to act. He had not only the Indians to encounter, but a confiderable body of Canadians and British colonifts, of Detroit, intermixed with them. A farther difficulty occurred from a circumftance unforefeen and unexpected. A fort, within the li mits of the United States, ftood behind the encampment of this force, and had a British gar rilon, which had lately retaken poffeffion of it. This being an infraction of the treaty of 1783, general Wayne thence concluded that hoftilities were intended a gainst the American ftates. He had alfo received information that a British agent among the Indians had excited |