7510. REVOLUTION (French), Financial abuses.—
The discovery of the abominable
abuses of public money by the late Comptroller
General, some new expenses of the Court, not of a piece with the projects of reformation,
and the imposition of new taxes,
have, in the course of a few weeks, raised a
spirit of discontent in the nation, so great and
so general, as to threaten serious consequences.
The parliaments in general, and particularly
that of Paris, put themselves at the head of this
effervescence, and direct its object to the
calling of the States General, who have not
been assembled since 1614. The object is to
fix a constitution, and to limit expenses. The
King has been obliged to hold a bed of justice,
to enforce the registering the new taxes; the
parliament on their side, propose to issue a
prohibition against their execution. Very possibly
this may bring on their exile.—
To General Washington. Washington ed. ii, 251.
(P.
1787)
