The nation was in a state of terror against France, and against any at home who might be supposed to sympathise with the enormities she had just been committing.

The oppressive act against seditious meetings had been passed the year before; and people were doubtful to what extremity of severity it might be construed.

Even the law authorities forgot to be impartial, but either their alarms or their interests made too many of them vehement partisans instead of calm arbiters, and thus destroyed the popular confidence in what should have been considered the supreme tribunal of justice.

Yet for all this, there were some who dared to speak of reform of Parliament, as a preliminary step to fair representation of the people, and to a reduction of the heavy war-taxation that was imminent, if not already imposed.

But these pioneers of 1830 were generally obnoxious.