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Houfe upon the reports which they have fubmitted, the fame fubje&t may be refumed, with advantage to the public, by other Select Committees in a subsequent feffion ;—fuch Committees to be appointed for the purpose of exom ning particular branches of the revenue. -In fome inftances, as in that of the Tobac co t ade, or the great and complica ed bufinefs of the Distilleries, ample occupation may be given to a Committee, without extending the line of their enquiries beyond one object : In others, it may be material to affign a more general investigation, as well to afcertain what relief may be given to fair traders and manufacturers, by the lowering of particular duties, without detriment to the revenue, and by other indulgencies, as to trace and guard againft new fpecies of frauds, which must be expected, fo long as the neceffities of the Country require the prefent fyftem of taxation. In a country fo circumftanced, the beft regulated plans that can be devised will from time to time be found inadequate :-Where the duties are high the vigilance of thofe who are purfuing an illicit profit will ever be active snd daring; the vigilance of those who are hired to refit illicit practices, feldom goes beyond a principle of duty, and oftentimes falls thort of that principle.

It is evident, that in fo great a detail, and in fo extenfive a variety of fubjects, as have

been comprehended in these three reports, feveral errors may have found a place, as well through inadvertency, as from misinf rmation, and an imperfect knowledge of particulars:

Your Committee trust and hope, however, that fuch errors will not be found of much mportance, nor be likely to mislead the Honfe. If what they have in general stated shall prove to be well founded, both as to the exifting practices, and the proposed means of preven tion, any mistakes, either in judgment or in expreffion, will be very immaterial: these feveral reports being tendered only as grounds of deliberation, and in no degree as dictating a fyftem of meafur s, which cannot be enforced to any advantage, but with the united fenfe and fupport of Parliament.

It remains for your Committee to exprefs their hope, that in preventing the fmuggling practices in future, a full indemnity may be given for paft offences; and that in reftraining the channels of fraudulent trade, means may. be found to open new fources of honeft cmployment and fair commerce.-It is the part of wifdom, as well as of human ty, to avold driving to extreme diftrefs, or voluntary ba nishment, a multitude of individual, who, however combined against the laws of their country, are, by their talents, fpirit, and activity, peculiarly capable of becoming ufefu! members of fociety.

Circumftantial Account of the fingular Attempt to affaffinate the King of
Poland in 1771, and his Miraculous Efcape.

(From Coxe's Travels juft publifhed.)

S As the attempt on his Polish majefty was perhaps the moft atrocious, and his efcape certainly the moft extraordinary and incredible that has happened, I fhall be as minute as poffible in the enumeration of all the principal circumftances which led to, and which attended this remarkable event.

A Polish nobleman, named Pulaski, a general in the army of the confederates, was the perfon who planned the atrocious enterprize; and the confpirators who carried it into execution were about forty in number, and were headed by three chiefs, named Lukawfki, Straw enfki, and Kofinfki.. Thefe three chiefs had been engaged and hired for that purpofe by Pulaski, who in the town of Czetfchokow in Great Poland obliged them to fwear in the moft folemn manner, by placing their hands between his, either to deliver the king alive into his hands, or, in cafe that was impoffible, to put him to death. The three chiefs chofe thirty-feven to accompany them. the 2d of November, about a month af

On

ter they had quitted Czestochow, they obtained admiffion into Warfaw unfufpected or undifcovered by the following ftratagem. They difguifed themselves as peafants who came to fell hay, and artfully concealed their faddles, arms, and cloaths under the loads of hay which they brought in waggons, the more effectually to efcape detection.

On Sunday night, the 3d of September, 1771, a few of these confpirators remained in the fkirts of the town; and the others repaired to the place of rendezvous, the ftreet of Capuchins, where his majefty was expected to pafs by about his ufual hour of returning to the pa lace. The king had been to vifit his uncle prince Zartorifki, grand chancellor of Lithuania, and was on his return from thence to the palace between nine and ten o'clock. He was in a coach, accompanied by at leaft fifteen or fixteen attendants, befide an aid-de-camp in the carrage: fcarce was he at the diftance of two hundred paces from prince Czartorifki's palace, when he was attacked by the

the confpirators, who commanded the coachman to ftop on pain of instant death. They fired feveral fhot into the carriage, one of which pafled through the body of a heyduc, who endeavoured to defend his matter from the violence of the affalfins. Alinoft all the other perfons who preceded and accompanied his majefty were difperfed; the aid-de-camp abandoned him, and attempted to conceal himfelf by flight. Mean while the king had opened the door of his carriage with the defign of effecting this escape under fhelter of the night, which was extreme ly dark. He had even alighted, when the affatfins feized him by the hair, exclaiming in Polish with horrible execra tions, We have thee now; thy hour is come.' One of them difcharged a piftol at him fo very near, that he felt the heat of the flafh; while another cut him a crofs the head with his fabre, which pe netrated to the bone. They then laid held of his majefty by the collar, and, mounting on horfeback, dragged him along the ground between their horfes at full gallop for near five hundred paces through the ftreets of Warfaw.

All was confufion and diforder dur ing this time at the palace, where the at tendants who had deferted their mafter had fpread the alarm. The foot-guards ran immediately to the fpot from whence the king had been conveyed, but they found only his hat all bloody, and his bag: this increafed their apprehenfions for his life. The whole city was in an uproar. The affaffins profited of the univerfal confufion, terror, and confternation, to bear away their prize. Finding, however, that he was incapable of following them on foot, and that he had already almoft loft his refpiration from the violence with which they had dragged him, they fet him on horfeback; and then redoubled their speed for fear of being overtaken. When they came to the ditch which furrounds Warfaw, they obliged him to leap his horfe over. In the attempt the horfe fell twice, and at the fecond fall broke its leg. They then mounted his majefty upon another, all covered as he was with dirt.

The confpirators had no fooner croffed the ditch, than they began to rifle the king, tearing off the order of the black eagle of Pruffia which he wore round his neck, and the diamond crofs hanging to it. He requested them to leave him his handkerchief, which they con VOL. IV. June 1784.

fented to: his pocket-book escaped their rapacity.

A great number of the affaffins re tired after having thus plundered him, probably with intent to notify to their refpective leaders the fuccefs of their enterprife; and the king's arrival as a pri foner. Only feven remained with him, of whom Kofinfki was the chief. The night was exceedingly dark; they were abfolutely ignorant of the way; and, as the horfes could not keep their legs, they obliged his majefty to follow them on foot, with only one fhoe, the other being loft in the dirt.

They continued to wander through the open meadows, without following any certain path, and without getting to any distance from Warfaw. They again mounted the king on horseback, two of them holding him on each fide by the hand, and a third leading his horfe by the bridle. In this manner they were proceeding, when his majefty, finding they had taken the road which led to a village called Burakow, warned them not to enter it, because there were fome Ruffians ftationed in that place who might probably attempt to rescue him. Finding himself, however, incapable of accompanying the affaffins in the painful pofture in which they held him kept down on the faddle, he requested them, fince they were determined to oblige him to proceed, at least to give him another horfe and a boot. This request they complied with; and continuing their progrefs through almost impaffable lands, without any road, and ignorant of their way, they at length found themfelves in the wood of Bielany, only a league distanc from Warfaw. From the time they had paffed the ditch they repeatedly demanded of Kofinski their chief, if it was not yet time to put the king to death; and these demands were reiterated in proportion to the obstacles and difficulties they encountered.

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place where his majefty. had paffed the ditch. There they found his peliffe, which he had loft in the precipitation with which he was hurried away: it was bloody, and pierced with holes made by the balls or fabres. This convinced them that he was no more.

The king was fill in the hands of feven remaining affaffins, who advanced with him into the wood of Bielany, when they were fuddenly alarmed by a Ruffian patrole or detachment. Inftantly hold ing council, four of them difappeared, leaving him with the other three, who compelled him to walk on. Scarce a quarter of an hour after a fecond Ruffian guard challenged them a-new. Two of the affaffins then fled, and the king remained alone with Kofinfki the chief, both on foot. His majefty, exhaufied with all the fatigue which he had undergone, implored his conductor to ftop, and fuffer him to take a moment's repofc. Kofinfki refufed it, menacing him with his naked fabre; and at the fame time informed him, that beyond the wood they should find a carriage. They continued their walk, till they came to the door of the convent of Bielany. Kofinfki appeared loft in thought, and fo much agitated by his reflections, that the king perceiving his diforder, and obferving that he wandered without knowing the road, faid to him, I fee you are at a lofs which way to proceed. Let me enter the convent of Bielany, and do you provide for your own fafety. No,' replied Kofinfki, I have fworn.'

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They proceeded till they came to Mariemont, a fmall palace belonging to the houfe of Saxony, not above half a league from Warfaw: here Kofinfki betrayed fome fatisfaction at finding where he was, and the king ftill demanding an inftant's repofe, he confented at length. They fat down together on the ground, and the king employed thefe moments in endeavouring to foften his conductor, and induce him to favour or permit his efcape. His majefty reprefented the atrocity of the crime he had committed in attempting to murder his fovereign, and the invalidity of an oath taken to perpetrate fo heinous an action: Kofinfki lent attention to this difcourfe, and began to betray fome marks of remorfe. But,' faid he, if I fhould confent and reconduct you to Warfaw, what will be the confequence?-I fhall be taken and executed!'

This reflection plunged him into new

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uncertainty and embarraffiment. give you my word,' anfwered his majefty, that you fhall fuffer no harm; but if you doubt my promife, efcape while there is yet time. I can find my way to fome place of fecurity: and I will cer tainly direct your purfuers to take the contrary road to that which you have chofen.' Kofinfki could not any longer contain himfelf, but, throwing himself at the king's feet, implored forgiveness for the crime he had committed; and fware to protect him against every enemy, relying totally on his generofity for pardon and prefervation. His majesty reiterated to him his affurances of fafety. Judging, however, that it was prudent to gain fome afylum without delay, and recollecting that there was a mill at fome confiderable distance, he immediately made towards it. Kofiniki knocked, but in vain; no answer was given: he then broke a pain of glafs in the window, and intreated for fhelter to a nobleman who had been plundered by robbers. The miller refufed, fuppofing them to be banditti, and continued for more than half an hour to perfift in his denial. At length the king approached, and speaking through the broken pane, endeavoured to perfuade him to admit them under his roof, adding, If we were robbers, as you fuppofe, it would be very easy for us to break the whole window instead of one pain of glafs.' This argumeut prevailed. They at length opened the door, and admitted his majefty. He immediately wrote a note to General Coccei, colonel of the foot guards. It was literally as follows: Par une espece de miracle je fuis fauvé des mains des affallins. Je fuis ici au petit moulin de Mariemont. Venez au plutot me tirer d'ici. Je fuis blefié, mais pas fort.' It was with the greatest difficulty, however, that the king could perfuade any one to carry this note to Warfaw, as the people of the mill, imagining that he was a nobleman who had just been plundered by robbers, were afraid of falling in with the troop. Kofinski then offered to restore every thing he had taken; but his majefty left him all, except the blue ribbon of the white cagle.

When the meffenger arrived with the note, the aftonifhment and joy was incredible. Coccei inftantly rode to the mill, followed by a detachment of the guards. He met Kofinfki at the door, with his fabre dawn, who admitted him as foon as he knew him. The king

had

had funk into a fleep, caufed by his fatigue; and was ftretched on the ground, covered with the miller's cloak. Coccei immediately threw himfelf at his majefty's feet, calling him his fovereign, and kifling his hand. It is not eafy to paint or defcribe the aftonifhment of the miller and his family, who inftantly imitated Coccei's example, by throwing themfelves on their knees. The king returned to Warfaw in General Coccei's carriage, and reached the palace about five in the morning. His wound was found not to be dangerous, and he foon recovered the bruifes and injuries, which he had fuffered during this memorable night.

So extraordinary an efcape is fcarce to be paralleled in hiftory, and affords ample maiter of wonder and furprife. Scarce could the nobility or people at Werfaw credit the evidence of their fenfes, when they faw him return. Certainly neither the efcape of the king of France from Damien, or of the king of Portugal from the confpiracy of the Duke d'Aveiro, were equally amazing or improbable, as that of the king of Poland. I have re lated it very minutely, and from authorities the highest and most inconteftible.

It is natural to enquire what is become of Kofinfki, the man who faved his majefty's life, and the other confpirators. He was born in the palatinate of Cracow, and of mean extraction: having affumed the name of Kofinfki, which is that of a noble family, to give himself credit. He had been created an officer in the troops of the confederates under Pulaki. It would feem as if Kofinfki began to entertain the idea of preferving the king's life from the time when Lukawiki and Strawenfki abandoned him; yet he had great ftruggles with himself before he could refolve on this conduct, after the folemn engagements into which he had entered. Even after he had conducted the king back to Warfaw, he expreffed more than once his doubts of the propriety of what he had done, and fome remorfe for having deceived his employers.

Lukawfki and Strawenfki were both taken, and feveral of the other affaffins. At his majefty's peculiar requeft and intreaty, the diet remitted the capital punishment of the inferior confpirators, and condemned them to work for life on the fortifications of Kaminiec, where they now are. By his interceffion likewife with the dict, the horrible punish

ment and various modes of torture, which the laws of Poland decree and inflict on regicides, were mitigated; and both Lukawiki and Straweniki were only fimply beheaded. Kofinski was detained under a very ftrict confinement, and obliged to give evidence againft his two companions. A perfon of diftinction, who faw them both die, has affured me, that nothing could be more noble and manly than all Lukawfki's conduct previous to his death. When he was carried to the place of execution, although his body was almoft extenuated by the severity of his confinement, diet, and treatment, his fpirit unfubdued raifed him above the terrors of an infamous and public execution. He had not been permitted to fhave his beard while in prifon, and his drefs was fqualid to the greatest degree; yet none of thefe humiliations could deprefs his mind. With a grandeur of foul worthy of a better caufe, but which it is impoffible not to admire, he refufed to fee or embrace the traitor Kofinfki. When conducted to the fcene of execution, which was about a mile from Warsaw, he betrayed no emotions of terror or unmanly fear. He made a fhort harangue to the multitude affembled upon the occafion, in which he by no means expreffed any forrow for his paft conduct, or contrition for his attempt on the king, which he probably regarded as meritorious and patriotic. His head was fevered from his body.

Strawenfki was beheaded at the fame time, but he neither harangued the people, or fhewed any figns of contrition. Pulafki, who commanded one of the many corps of confederate Poles then in arms, and who was the great agent and promoter of the affaffination, is ftill alive, though an outlaw and an exile. He is faid, even by the Ruffians his enemies, to poffefs military talents of a very fuperior nature; nor were. they ever able to take him prifoner during the civil war.

To return to Kofinski, the man who faved the king's life. About a week after Lukawfki and Strawenski's execution, he was fent by his majesty out of Poland. He now refides at Semigallia in the papal territories, where he enjoys an annual pension from the king.

A circumftance almost incredible, and which feems to breathe all the fanguinary bigotry of the 16th century, I cannot omit. It is that the papal nuntio in Poland, infpired with a furious 3 G 2

zeal

zeal against the diffidents, whom he believed to be protected by the king, not only approved the fcheme for aflaffinating his majefty, but bleffed the weapons of the confpirators at Czeftachow, previous to their fetting out on their expedition. This is a trait indifputably true, and fcarcely to be exceeded by any thing under the reign of Charles IX. of France, and of his mother Catharine of Medicis.

In addition to the above account I am enabled to add the following circumftances:

Upon General Coccei's arrival at the mill, the firft queftion which his majefty afked was, whether any of his attendants had fuffered from the affaffins; and upon being informed that one of the heyducs was killed on the spot, and another dans geroufly wounded, his mind, naturally feeling, now rendered more fufceptible by his late danger, was greatly affected; and his joy at his own efcape was confiderably diminished.

Upon his return to Warfaw, the streets through which he paffed were illumined with torches, and crouded by an immenfe concourfe of people, who followed him to the palace, crying out inceffantly "The king is alive." Upon his entering the palace, the doors were flung open, and perfons of all ranks were admitted to approach his perfon, and to felicitate him upon his efcape. The fcene, as I have been informed by feveral of the nobility who were prefent, was affecting beyond defcription. Every one ftruggled to get near him, to kiss his hand, or even to touch his cloaths: all were fo tranfported with joy, that they even loaded Kofinski with careffes, and called him the faviour of their king. His majefty was fo affected with thefe figns of zeal and affection, that he expreffed in the moft feeling manner his ftrong fenfe of thefe proofs of their attachment, and declared it was the happieft hour of his whole life. In this moment of rapture he forgot the dangers he had avoided, and the wounds he had received and as every one feemed anx、 ious to learn the circumftances of his efcape, he would not fuffer his wounds to be infpected and dreffed before he had himself fatisfied their impatience, by relating the difficulties and dangers he had undergone. During the recital, a perfon unacquainted with the language might have difcovered the various events of the tory from the changes of expreflion in

the countenances of the byftanders, which difplayed the moft fudden alterations from terror to compallion, from compaffion to aftonifhment, and from aftonishment to rapture; while the univertal filence was only broken by fighs and tears of joy.

The king having finished the account, again repeated his allurances of gratitude and affection for the unteigned proofs they had given of their love and attachment; and difmiffed them, by adding, that he hoped he had been thus miraculoufly preferved by Divine Providence, for no other purpose, than to purtue with additional zeal the good of his country, which had ever been the great object of his attention.

Being now left alone, his majefty permitted the furgeons to examine the wound in his head. Upon cutting away the skin, it appeared that the bone was hurt, but not dangerously; from the quantity of clotted blood, the operation of dreffing was tedious and painful, and was fubmitted to by the king with great patience and magnanimity. The furgeons propofed at first to bleed him in the foot; but they laid afide this intention upon finding both his feet fwollen confiderably, and covered with blifters and bruifes.

The family of the heyduc, who had faved the king's life by the lofs of his own, was amply provided for: his body was buried with great pomp; and his majefty erected an handfome monument to his memory, with an elegant infcription expreffive of the man's fidelity and of his own gratitude.

I faw the monument: it is a pyramid ftanding upon a farcophagus, with a Latin and Polish infcription; the former 1 copied, and it is as follows.

"Hic jacet Georgius Henricus Butzau, qui regem Stanislaum Auguftum nefariis parricidorum telis impeditum, die 111 Nov. 1771, proprii pectoris clypeo defendens, geminatis ictibus confoffus, gloriofé occubuit. Fidelis fubditi necem lugens, Rex pofuit hocce monumentum illius in laudem, aliis exemplo."

"Here lies George Henry Butzau, who, on the 3d of November, 1771, op pofing his own breaft to fhield Stanislaus Auguftus from the weapons of nefarious parricides, was pierced with repeated wounds, and gloriously expired. king, lamenting the death of a faithful fubject, erected this monument, as a tribute to him, and an incentive to others.”

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