I never heard of it.
At length they have spoken out, and they have made a full
discovery of their abominable fraud in holding out the church lands as
a security for any debts, or any service whatsoever. They rob only
to enable them to cheat, but in a very short time they defeat the ends
both of the robbery and the fraud by making out accounts for other
purposes which blow up their whole apparatus of force and of
deception. I am obliged to M. de Calonne for his reference to the
document which proves this extraordinary fact; it had by some means
escaped me. Indeed it was not necessary to make out my assertion as to
the breach of faith on the declaration of the 14th of April, 1790.
By a report of their committee it now appears that the charge of
keeping up the reduced ecclesiastical establishments and other
expenses attendant on religion, and maintaining the religious of
both sexes, retained or pensioned, and the other concomitant
expenses of the same nature which they have brought upon themselves by
this convulsion in property, exceeds the income of the estates
acquired by it in the enormous sum of two millions sterling
annually, besides a debt of seven millions and upwards. These are
the calculating powers of imposture! This is the finance of
philosophy! This is the result of all the delusions held out to engage
a miserable people in rebellion, murder, and sacrilege, and to make
them prompt and zealous instruments in the ruin of their country!
Never did a state, in any case, enrich itself by the confiscations
of the citizens.
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