Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 5.djvu/495

A.D.1790.] having a strange monstrosity of a government, combining all the political licence of France with the most thorough priestcraft of Rome, for there was, and probably is now, no country in Europe where the populace was, and is, so thoroughly under the spell of the catholic priests. Another party proposed to have the duke of Orleans as the grand duke of Flanders and Brabant, and Montmorin, the French minister, appeared to favour this scheme, from a desire to rid Paris of his presence.

When the duke was banished, and came to England, this scheme fell to pieces, and La Fayette and Montmorin reverted to the idea of a republic in the Netherlands, which should form a barrier betwixt Austria and France, in case that Austria should attempt to invade France and crush the revolution, as appeared probable. Dumouriez was sent to Brussels to inquire into the real state of the Netherlands, as the Belgians had sent deputies to Paris to make certain overtures. The result of Dumouriez's inquiries was so extremely unfavourable that the French government gave up all idea of meddling in Netherland affairs. To Dumouriez, Vandernoot and Vaneupen, the leaders of the revolutionary party appeared regular adventurers and impostors, most grossly imposing on the people; the people to be most grossly ignorant and bigoted; and the army, though full of courage, yet destitute of good officers, money, clothing, and discipline. Dumouriez, therefore, shrewdly concluded that France had better make no present engagements with the Belgian reformers, but leave the destinies of the country to be decided by the congress at Reichenbach, England, this scheme fell to pieces, and La Fayette and Montmorin reverted to the idea of a republic in the Netherlands, which should form a barrier betwixt Austria and France, in case that Austria should attempt to invade France and crush the revolution, as appeared probable. Dumouriez was sent to Brussels to inquire into the real state of the Netherlands, as the Belgians had sent deputies to Paris to make certain overtures. The result of Dumouriez's inquiries was so extremely unfavourable that the French government gave up all idea of meddling in Netherland affairs. To where the English, Dutch, and Prussian ministers had guaranteed the restoration of the government to Leopold, on the renewal of the ancient institutions.

The Pitt ministry continued to display a most blind and selfish policy as regarded the encroachments of Russia on the Turkish empire. The undisguised policy of Catherine was to press on her operations against Turkey till she had planted herself in Constantinople. No man having the least pretence to a statesmanlike sagacity could be ignorant of the calamitous consequences of having this semi-barbarous