t . > /V" , / r i r r X } mvfr ?; - ; *C" :- sv'-s-' -,' V c V *>A-'-L. v r •>• V T»" ■"*• ~V -4- ;• •♦> v '.;,"5-' r ; ' 7 ' ' ■ ,'/ ' r / / Number 11. From WEDNESDAY, Atril ij, to SATURDAY, Atk.il xB, 1789. trice six tence. [The Revolution of Amcrica, it was very early predicted, would have a great influence upon the publick affairs of the European «y #r ld hut the moil fanguinc advocate for the Liberties of Man^- kind could not have anticipated those fiTrprifmg Events, which have already tranfpircd to distinguish the annals of the present ath of Nov. 1788. HIS MAJESTY'S SPEECH. " GENTI.E.MEN, " THE manifold proofs I have lately had of your knowledge and abilities, as well as of your zeel and publick Ipirit have delerminedme to meet you again. " 1 have appointed the beginning of the follow ing year for holding the States General of my kingdom, and you may reft allured that my heart impatiently waits for the moment, when surround ed by the representatives of my Faithful fubjeClr, 1 lhall have it in my power to devise and confuli with them on the heft means of healing the wounds of the State, and without weakening the authority which I have received from my people's future happinels ; as long as I Eve, such will be the priii cipal aim of all my artions, and of my Left wifties. " But before the Convocation of those States is to take place, I wish to consult you, gentlemen, on the molt eligible mode of rendering that impor tant meeting as ufeful to my kiligdoin as pofhble. For that purpose, I have ordered, that every infor mation, and papers which may tend to elucidate the principle object of your meeting, flyjuld be laid before you. lam confident that your zeal, the celerity of your debates and deliberations, V. ill hasten the completion of this important talk, for which I have called you together, and that your labours will defcrve all my confidence, and answer the expectations of the publick." S*EECH ofrhc KEENER of the SEALS. " GENTLEMEN, " THE Notables of the kingdom have never been called but on the molt urgent occurrences, and in consequence of the molt important circum- Itances, it is in tliofe momentous ones, that amo liarch, whose firft v. ilh is the publick good, loves to meet the wife councils of his people, and to sur round himfelf with the light of their knowledge. " Such has been the condurt of those of our 10- vereigns whose names have been handed down, and are exhibited to their fucceflors, as patterns of good kings ; such w as the condurt of that mag nanimous one, whose memory becomes dearer every day, as we tracc his \ irtues in the heir of his throne. " The convocation of the States General will become one of the molt memorable events of his retgn ; what greater boon could the nation expert from his goounefs and justice ? But the tender so licitude of his Majesty is not limited to the meer calling of this great aflembly ; he wiihes also to re move every obstacle, to smooth eveVy difficulty which can poflibly be forefeen. He wants to know which is the inoft perfect mode of calling them, and that which may become the most ufeful to the people. Infteadof fruiting to his own wisdom, or applying to the advice of his council for the in vestigation of this question, rendered ltill more momentous the great number of yeais elapsed since the meeting of the lalt aflembly, as well as by the increase which the kingdom has received since, his Majesty requires that you should let him know which are the surest means of accpmplifhing the mcft arduous measure of his admirrillratioii, and •at the fame time the one molt intevefting, as hav ing for its object the publick felicity. " The King comes in the m;dft of you gent le men to hear the voice of the nation, henceforth to be tile basis of publick opinion, to derive from your collective wisdom, information and sentiments, some part of his power and peculiar happiness ; the fuccelsFul trial he has already made of it, en courages and juftifies his confidence. " That you may be enabled at one glance, to per vade the whole extent of the business which you have to run over, and adopt some precise ideas concerning the various points of disquisition which will be proposed, his Majesty has ordered his Mi nister of the Finances to lay before you a fei ies of questions to which he expects the molt explicit ans wers. This measure, as plain as it is natural, will greatly facilitate yourlabours and by circumscribing them within proper bounds, will enable you with out delay to meet the just impatience of the mon arch to know your opinions. " It will be a glorious ta(k, gentlemen, thus to have prepared the way f»r the convening this great and solemn aflembly, which will be truly conliitu tional—an aflembly from whose wisdom, and salu tary determinations, the people of this kingdom ex pert to derive a degree of energy, strength and lustre hitherto unknown. Hasten therefore to undertake and fulfil those honourable funrtions :—The eyes of the whole na tion are already turned towards you, while she re collerts with gratitude the proofs you gave in the year i 787, of your zeal and ofyourlincere assertion to the true interests of the state. "Ye ministers of the altar, whose virtue and learning France has long since refperted and ad mired, you will diftinguifli yourselves no doubt, by that aptitude to business which is due to your ftudioushabits, by that spirit of love and concilia tion which springs from the holy religion you teach. " Andyou, generous nobility, whose hereditary honours and military services have been so ufeful to the monarch, as well as to the monarchy, shew by the wisdom of your councils, that you are as fit to watch over the internal regulations of the pub lick weal, as t6 defend it by your valour and your courage. " First magistrates of the kingdom, you who preside over those venerable and ancient corps, learned expositors and refpertable depofiirories of our laws, what may not the nation expert from your consummate experience, your well known zeal, and your attachment to those maxims on