large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_07_yonge_64kb_45
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_07_yonge_64kb
English
12344
Louis decided on calling together the Notables, or higher nobility; but they were by no means disposed to tax themselves, and only abused his ministers. He then resolved on convoking the whole States General of the kingdom, which had never met since the reign of Louis XIII. 2. The States General. LOUIS DECIDED ON CALLING TOGETHER THE NOTABLES OR HIGHER NOBILITY BUT THEY WERE BY NO MEANS DISPOSED TO TAX THEMSELVES AND ONLY ABUSED HIS MINISTERS HE THEN RESOLVED ON CONVOKING THE WHOLE STATES GENERAL OF THE KINGDOM WHICH HAD NEVER MET SINCE THE REIGN OF LOUIS THIRTEENTH TWO THE STATES GENERAL
rs, who had nothing but their pensions to live upon. Yet there was a general passion for reform; all ranks alike looked to some change to free them from the dead-lock which made improvement impossible. The Government was bankrupt, while the taxes were intolerable, and the first years of the reign were spent in experiments. Necker, a Swiss banker, was invited to take the charge of the finances, and large loans were made to Government, for which he contrived to pay interest regularly; some reduction was made in the expenditure; but the king's old minister, Maurepas, grew jealous of his popularity, and obtained his dismissal. The French took the part of the American colonies in their revolt from England, and the war thus occasioned brought on an increase of the load of debt, the general distress increased, and it became necessary to devise some mode of taxing which might divide the burthens between the whole nation, instead of making the peasants pay all and the nobles and clergy nothing. ATION TO MANY OF THEIR HOLDERS WHO HAD NOTHING BUT THEIR PENSIONS TO LIVE ON YET THERE WAS A GENERAL PASSION FOR REFORM ALL RANKS ALIKE LOOKED TO SOME CHANGE TO FREE THEM FROM THEDLOCK WHICH MADE IMPROVEMENT IMPOSSIBLE THE GOVERNMENT WAS BANKRUPT WHILE THE TAXES WERE INTOLERABLE AND THE FIRST YEARS OF THE REIGN WERE SPENT IN EXPERIMENTS NECKER A SWISS BANKER WAS INVITED TO TAKE THE CHARGE OF THE FINANCES AND LARGE LOANS WERE MADE TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR WHICH HE CONTRIVED TO PAY INTEREST REGULARLY SOME REDUCTION WAS MADE IN THE EXPENDITURE BUT THE KING'S OLD MINISTER MOPPA GREW JEALOUS OF HIS POPULARITY AND OBTAINED HIS DISMISSAL THE FRENCH TOOK THE PART OF THE AMERICAN COLONIES IN THEIR REVOLT FROM ENGLAND AND THE WAR THUS OCCASIONED BROUGHT ON AN INCREASE OF THE LOAD OF DEBT THE GENERAL DISTRESS INCREASED AND IT BECAME NECESSARY TO DEVISE SOME MODE OF TAXING WHICH MIGHT DIVIDE THE BURTHENS BETWEEN THE WHOLE NATION INSTEAD OF MAKING THE PEASANTS PAY ALL AND THE NOBLES AND CLERGY NOTHING
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