six millions of livres more than they produced as money.  The church plate, which was brought to the bar of the Convention with such eclat, and represented as an inexhaustible resource, amounted to scarcely a million sterling:  for as the offering was every where involuntary, and promoted by its agents for the purposes of pillage, part was secreted, a still greater part stolen, and, as the conveyance to Paris was a sort of job, the expences often exceeded the worth—­a patine, a censor, and a small chalice, were sent to the Convention, perhaps an hundred leagues, by a couple of Jacobin Commissioners in a coach and four, with a military escort.  Thus, the prejudices of the people were outraged, and their property wasted, without any benefit, even to those who suggested the measure.

—­The Convention, indeed, have partly relinquished their project of destroying all the Kings of the earth, and forcing all the people to be free.  But, though their schemes of reformation have failed, they still adhere to those of extirpation; and the most moderate members talk occasionally of “vile islanders,” and “sailing up the Thames."*—­

* The Jacobins and the Moderates, who could agree in nothing else, were here perfectly in unison; so that on the same day we see the usual invectives of Barrere succeeded by menaces equally ridiculous from Pelet and Tallien—­

     "La seule chose dont nous devons nous occuper est d’ecraser ce
     gouvernement infame."

     Discours de Pelet, 14 Nov.

     “The destruction of that infamous government is the only thing that
     ought to engage our attention.” 
     Pelet’s Speech, 14 Nov. 1794.

"Aujourdhui que la France peut en se debarrassant d’une partie de ses ennemis reporter la gloire de ses armes sur les bordes de la Tamise, et ecraser le gouvernement Anglais.”  Discours de Tallien.

“France, having now the opportunity of lessening the number of her enemies, may carry the glory of her arms to the banks of the Thames, and crush the English government.”  Tallien’s Speech.

"Que le gouvernement prenne des mesures sages pour faire une paix honorable avec quelques uns de nos ennemis, et a l’aide des vaisseaux Hollandais et Espagnols, portons nous ensuite avec vigueur sur les bordes de la Tamise, et detruisons la nouvelle Carthage.”  Discours de Tallien, 14 Nov.

“Let the government but adopt wise measures for making an honorable peace with a part of our enemies, and with the aid of the Dutch and Spanish navies, let us repair to the banks of the Thames, and destroy the modern Carthage.”  Tallien’s Speech, 14 Nov. 1794.

No one is here ignorant of the source of Tallien’s predilection for Spain, and we may suppose the intrigue at this time far advanced.  Probably the charms of his wife (the daughter of Mons. Cabarrus, a French speculator, formerly much encouraged by the Spanish government, afterwards disgraced and imprisoned, but now liberated) might not be the only means employed to procure his conversion.