rage of the populace was not yet exhausted.
On his return his majesty was again assaulted and insulted; stones were
thrown at him, and there was a good deal of hooting and shouting, and
loud cries of "Bread," "Peace," and "No Pitt!" But while one part of
the mob thus assailed him, another part cheered and applauded him, and a
detachment of horse-guards, which arrived as he was passing through the
park, presently dispersed them all. So gross an outrage as this had not
been offered to any other monarch of Great Britain since the days
of Charles the First. A reward of L 1,000 was offered, to be paid on
conviction of any person concerned in the assault; and one Kidd Wake,
a journeyman printer, was convicted, and sentenced to five years'
imprisonment in Gloucester goal. But his majesty received much
consolation from the assurances of loyalty to his person contained in
the numerous addresses which were presented to him from all parts of the
kingdom.

His majesty's speech on this occasion made the most of the check
which the French had received from the Austrians on the Rhine. It said
likewise, that the ruin of their commerce, the diminution of their
maritime power, and the unparalleled embarrassments of the French,
induced them to exhibit some desire for peace, and gave assurance that
any disposition on their part to negociate for a general peace, on just
and suitable terms, would be met, on the part of his majesty, with
a full desire to give it speedy effect. At the same time the king
recommended energy, in order to meet the possible continuance of
the war, and the improvement of our naval superiority. An amendment,
proposed by Fox, to the address was negatived.

BILL TO PREVENT SEDITIOUS MEETINGS, ETC.

On the 6th of November Lord Grenville introduced a bill in the house
of lords "for the safety and preservation of his majesty's person and
government against treasonable and seditious practices and attempts."
On the same day a bill was introduced into the commons by Pitt "for the
prevention of seditious meetings." These bills, which went to restrict
the right of the people to assemble for petitioning the crown and the
legislature, and for discussing political subjects, and which were
therefore almost sufficient to provoke and create the evils they were
intended to prevent, met with a warm opposition in all their stages and
in both houses; but they were carried by very large majorities. Many
members at this time conn