XXIV. and the Mahrattas kept discreetly aloof, leaving BOOK the burden of the war almost entirely to the British. But the next campaign, for which lord Cornwallis made unremitted preparations, opened under more favorable auspices. Early in February, 1792, the eastern and western armies, resuming their former plan of operations, effected, before the end of the month, a junction under the walls of Seringapatam; the forces of the peishwa and of the nizam encamping also at a small distance, and furnishing to the British army a plentiful supply of stores and provisions. On the 7th of February a general attack was made by moonlight, the troops marching in grand and awful silence to their respective posts, on the lines of the sultan, which was attended with very important effects-Tippoo being compelled to relinquish his former advantageous position, which covered his capital; and Seringapatam was in consequence of this defeat closely and completely invested. The situation of Tippoo Saib being now in the highest degree alarming, and almost hopeless, he thought proper to send a vakeel to the camp of lord Cornwallis to sue for peace; which the British general granted on the severe terms, 1. Of his ceding one half of his dominions to the allied powers. 2. Of paying three crores and 1792. XXIV. BOOK thirty lacks of rupees, as an indemnification for the expenses of the war. 3. The release of all prisoners; and, 4. The delivery of two of his sons as hostages for the due peformance of the treaty. 1792. The On the 26th of February the princes, each mounted on an elephant magnificently caparisoned, proceeded to the British camp, where they were received by lord Cornwallis with all possible demonstrations of kindness and affection. The eldest, Abdul-Kalic, was about ten; the younger, Mirzaud-Deen, about eight years of age. princes were attired in white muslin robes, with red turbans richly adorned with pearls, and they conducted themselves with a politeness and propriety which, astonished the spectators. On the 19th of March, the definitive treaty, signed by the sultan, was delivered by the young princes, with great solemnity, into the hands of lord Cornwallis; but the sums specified in the second article not being actually paid, the princes still remained under the safeguard and custody of his lordship. Though the entire knowledge of these transac tions had not reached England when the affairs of India came under the discussion of the house of commons, (June 5th) Mr. Dundas stated the general situation of the Company to be in the highest degree flourishing; and, by an intricate deduction of figures, he shewed the surplus of the Bengal revenue for the preceding year to be no less than XXIV. 1792. eleven hundred thousand pounds. "The flou- BOOK rishing state of the revenue was however remarked by Mr. Francis to be not precisely the same thing with the flourishing state of the country, which might be ill able to bear the weight of these impositions. The seizures for non-payment of the land revenue were (he said) most alarmingly notorious; and he held in his hand, at that moment, two Bengal advertisements, the one announcing the sale of seventeen, the other of forty-two villages." The trial of Mr. Hastings occupied twenty-two days of the present session. Although that great delinquent had not scrupled in the speech delivered by him at the close of the last session to declare himself " above all things desirous of an immediate decision upon the evidence before their lordships," this must be understood as a mere bravado; for it was not possible for a moment seriously to imagine that the house of peers would descend to a compliance so derogatory to the dignity and justice of their proceedings. And during the present year his counsel, far from displaying any eagerness to bring matters to a short issue, went into speeches and details of such immoderate length, that their reply to the first charge only, viz. that of Benares, was completed within the term prescribed. But in the view of the public at large no light whatever was thrown upon the XXIV. 1792. BOOK main question by all the rhetorical harangues, the examinations, the re-examinations, and cross-exa minations which took place in the investigation of this intricate business. To the common sense of mankind this alone appeared, that flagrant and enormous guilt could not need so many words for the purpose either of proving or of disproving it. On the 15th June (1792) the session closed with a speech from the throne, in which his majesty expressed to the two houses "his great concern at the actual commencement of hostilities in different parts of Europe, assuring them that his principal care would be to preserve to his people the uninterrupted blessings of PEACE." State of Europe. Second National As France con The second National Assembly of France met sembly of October 1, 1791. By an act of patriotic disinte vened. restedness, very indiscreet in its nature, and pernicious in its consequences, the late Assembly had decreed that no person should be eligible to two successive legislatures. The present Assembly, therefore, was necessarily destitute of the experience, and, according to the general opinion, of the talents likewise, of the former. And being chosen at the precise period when the national resentment was at the highest pitch, they were of a much more anti-monarchical complexion. The opening speech of the king was received nevertheless with great applause and the president replied in terms of confidence and respect, expressing the united wish XXIV. 1792. of the Assembly to comply with the benevolent BOOK and patriotic views of the king. "Such, sire," said he, "is our duty, such are our hopes, and the gratitude and blessings of the people will be our reward." The prospect, however, was quickly overcast. By the king's express desire, on his acceptance of the Constitutional Act, a decree of indemnity had passed respecting the emigrants, without any exception whatever, on the condition of their returning to their country within a limited time. But the agent deputed on this commission to the refugee princes at Coblentz, in the electorate of Treves, was not only treated with contempt and insult, but actually imprisoned, on pretence of his want of passport. In consequence of this outrage, and of the continuance of the hostile preparations of the emigrants, a decree passed the Assembly early in November (1791) declaring prince Louis Stanislaus Xavier to have forfeited, in case he do not return to the kingdom in two months, his eventual claim to the regency: and, by a subsequent decree, the Assembly pronounced the French hostilely assembled on the frontier guilty of a conspiracy against their country, in case they did not return before the 1st of January 1792; incurring thereby the forfeiture of their estates during their lives, but without prejudice to their children. On the 18th of November a severe decree passed the Assembly |