Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

Lusignan , one of those noblemen who have sacrificed themselves to the idol of democracy . I met there all the leaders of that party , who are called the Enrages . Unluckily the conversation turned on the abolition of certain feudal rights , of ivhich

I am not competent to judge . Rut after dinner Neckar became the subject of their conversation . I did not in my last make use of a term too strong when I said he was despised by the Democratic party , they treated him as a man without resource ,

without genius and at best , deserving to be a premier loinmis de Finances . The Duke D'Aiguillon said that he had frequent opportunities of seeing him on public business , as president of the Committee of Finances , that he had always

found him " que sarci de palliatives , et jamais un remede . " The conversation afterwards became warm on the subject of the Colonies . Lusignan at last said I have adopted your party because at first I thought you ivere

in the right ; I continued Avith you when I knew you were going wrong , because the mischief was done , and retrograding would only increase our misfortunes . But I tell you , I repeat to you , that if you do not find some expedient to calm the jniblic

inquietude , and preserve our Colonies , vous nous ferez tous egorger . Oui fe precois que nous serou tous egorger . You may imagine that this speech did not meet with approvers , but the Comte de Castellane , to whom it was addressed , did not contradict it .

I send you the Address of the city of Bourdeaux ; so little was it admired in the Assembly , that they would not allow it to be inserted iu the Proees Verbal . This day was to have decided between France and her Colonies . The situation of the Democrats was difficult . The

Aristocratic party called loudl y for a decision on the slave trade . To have declared it legal would have militated against les droits de 1 'homme , and the basis of their constitution ; to decide against it was to arm all the commercial citys , the capital itself

against them , to deprive five millions of inhabitants of the means of subsistence , and to annihilate a trade whose balance in favour of the mother country exceeds eighty millions of livres . 1 he Democrats determined to encounter one enemy at a time ; they have , therefore ,

separated the other demands of the colonies from that which requires the legalization of the slave trade . But they have proposed in secret to leave that question for ever undecided , and to promise the Colonies that it shall never be agitated .

How they will steer between Scylla and Charibdis . how they will decide between Domingo and Bourdeaux , tomorrow , perhaps , may determine , but it is most probable the question will be adj ourued , or the affair referred to a committee , whose

report may be prorogued from time to time . The demands of the Colonies , or rather which party in the Colonies is most powerful is as yet unknown . But those most affectioned to their mother country ask an

assembly with the same powers as the French National Assembly , whose decrees are to be sanctioned by the Governor , and confirmed by the King ; a declaration of the legality of the slave trade . ; and measures to be taken ivith France to

facilitate the exportation of their produce , aud the furnishing themselves Avith those articles of European manufacturing they may stand in need of .

The other party , and which it should seem is the weaker , declares for an absolute and unrestrained independence . Bourdeaux , Nantes , and the commercial towns demand , as you may suppose , a continuation of those laws which confine the commerce of the islands to their mother

country . The fermentation and alarm at the first of those cities is very great , but however determined she may appear to oppose the National Assembly when they propose to wound her interest , yet are they equally jealous to maintain those principles which

have led the merchant and mechanic to be the petty tyrants of their little republics , and decked the curile chair Avith the spoils of an oppressed nobility' . Ale ' nner arrived yesterday Avith a denunciation of the parliament of Bourdeaux from the

municipality of that city to the National Assembly . A gang of revolted peasants and armed banditti infested the neighbourhood of that city ; some letters were stopped from members of the assembly , which seemed , if not to authorize , at least not to condemn the outrages committed . The parliament have issued an edict against those who are in