This was a somewhat severe ordinance, but as far as I know, it was never acted on, for the French _emigrés_ were a quiet, law-abiding people, thankful for the refuge they had received. It was during the debate on this Bill that Burke made his historical _coup de theatre_, the dagger scene in the House of Commons. I quote from the _St. James's Chronicle_ 27-29th December 1792:--Burke _loquitur_. "It had been declared by a noble Lord (Granville) in another place, that there were known to be _nineteen assassins_ in this country with daggers for the extirpation of kings--but it had been said that nineteen were of no consequence; he thought differently, for there were in that number seven more than necessary to destroy the whole Royal family; the number to him was alarming, for he knew not how many apprentices those murderers might have, nor how many encouragers in this country; the knowledge of nineteen French murderers having arrived, was a full justification of the present Bill. He thanked His Majesty's Ministers for having brought it forward; it might prevent the arrival of nineteen times nineteen of those monsters, and it might counteract the intentions of that Englishman who had ordered the manufacture of 5000 daggers at Birmingham--how many for exportation, or how many for home consumption, he knew not. He had, however, strong reasons to believe that they were intended to introduce _French fraternity_ into the bosoms of Englishmen--to introduce murder and desolation, for '_there! there!_' exclaimed Mr. Burke, _throwing a dagger upon the floor of the House_, 'is the _fraternity of freedom_; that is the fraternity they wish to plunge into the heart of our Sovereign; into the heart of every virtuous Englishman who was loyal to his King, or worshipped his God,'" &c. &c. This rodomontade was only provocative of mirth, and it is said that Sheridan asked--"You have thrown down the knife--where is the fork?" which convulsed the House with laughter. * * * * * 1793 opened gloomily with the trial, sentence, and decapitation of Louis XVI. (sentenced 17th January, beheaded 21st January); and our national sympathy towards the martyred King was shown by an order for a general mourning, which it was hoped would be universal. "As our Court has ordered an etiquette mourning for Louis XVI., there can be little doubt that the people will, as one man, clothe themselves in a garb expressive of their detestation of his murtherers."