me, indeed, a
party existed in most countries, whose aim was to overturn the existing
order of things, of which the efforts at revolution in several small
states, such as Aix-la-Chapelle and Geneva may be cited as examples.
These were so many instances of the democratic spirit which now
prevailed; but they sink into insignificance when compared with the
commotion which had commenced in France.

Incidental mention has been made of the financial embarrassments of the
court of France; embarrassments which were in a great measure induced by
the impolitic interference of that court in the dispute between England
and her American colonies. Such was the deplorable condition of the
French treasury in 1780, that a national bankruptcy was only avoided
by the issue of paper money, which by a royal edict was enforced on the
people, who were enjoined to receive it as gold or silver. Added to
this a scarcity was threatened, and many of the people were actually
perishing for want of bread. The prime minister, Necker, who was at the
head of the French government during the American war, had incurred the
hatred of the court party, and had been compelled, in 1781, to leave the
kingdom. His successors were first Calonne, and then Brienne, both
of whom failed to deliver the nation from its distresses. In 1788,
therefore, Necker was recalled, and placed anew at the head of the
finances, and also admitted to the council of state. Necker was at this
time the hope of the nation, but there was no man in existence who could
effect its salvation. Urged by the people, one of the first measures
of Necker was to procure an order of council for the assembling of the
States-general, which it was thought, could alone rescue the nation from
impending ruin. The meeting of the States-general would probably have
been attended with no ill effects, had it been constituted as in ancient
times. Instead, however, of there being an equal number of nobles,
clergy, and commons convoked, Necker unfortunately prevailed upon the
king to summon six hundred of the commons, making that body numerically
equal to the other two estates, and therefore capable of successfully
opposing their measures. This was fatal to the peace of the nation,
for the mass of the people of France, from among whom the commons
were convoked, were rampant for a change in the existing order of
things--were revolutionists at heart. The factious spirit which
prevailed among them was discovered at t