applaufe. The fact was, that the depreffion of the royalifts always excited unfeigned fatisfaction in the vaft multitudes, who, having experienced that contemptuous treatment of the inferior claffes, which had characterised the monarchical government, were willing to prefer to it any other that did not take away from them thofe ideas of equality which, to fome men, are of fo eflential an importance. The tranfactions of the fourth of September were, however, but the prelude to thofe that followed this memorable day. The directory had only begun the great work which they had undertaken in full confidence that, with the advantages this beginning had put into their hands, they fhould be able thoroughly to complete, their defigns. Their principal opponents in the council of five hundred, the moft formidable body that thwarted them, were now in their power: but a large number of their ftaunchest and moft refolute adherents ftill remained, and it would require no fmall degree of courage and exertion to deprive them of their feats in the legiflature. This nevertheless was the only method by which to compafs their views, which were to put an end to the oppofition that had fo much fettered all their measures, and to execute their many plans without future controul; firmly convinced, that they were calculated for the prevention of the return of monarchy, which they confidered as the greateft of all political evils; and, probably, for, what they had at least as much at heart, that of their own power; and, actuated by these principles, the three remaining directors, certain of the reliance they could place on each others fidelity, resolved, that previously to the appointment of fucceffors to their late colleagues, they would put the finishing hand to the bufinefs they had fo profperoully commenced. To this end, they framed a monitory meffage to the council of five hundred, which, as most contaminated by antirevolutionary maxims and members, in the opinion of the public, required a fpeedy and immediate reform. In this meffage, the directors notified to them, that the eighteenth of Fructidor was destined to be a day of falvation to the republic and to themfelves. Such was the expectation of the public, of which the tranquillity, during the events of the preceding day, and the fatisfaction with which it had beheld them, was undeniable. The eyes of the nation were now fixed upon its reprefentatives, and it was incumbent upon them to complete the falutary meafures fo aufpiciously entered upon. But no time should be loft, the moment was decifive, the confpirators were on the watch, the filence of the council had given them courage and audacity: they were fill intriguing and ftriving to mislead the public mind: they boafted that their plot extended fo the legiflative body itfelf: they already fpoke of punishing the repab licans for their imaginary triumph: was this, therefore, a reason to hefitate about the propriety of delivering the country from its betrayers, however highly ftationed ? Principles, faid the directors, will be pleaded, forms reforted to, excufes for delay invented. Thus time will be gained for them, and the conftitution affaffinated, under pretext of keeping within its limits. But ought the council to balance one inftant between the fate of the republic, and that of fuch men? the directors having pointed out the means of faving it, expected, they faid, that the council would do its duty. It ought to confider itself as placed in an unprecedent predicament, and that ordinary rules fhould not be applied to extraordinary cafes; unlefs, therefore, it intended to, furrender to the enemy, it fhould no longer procraftinate, but embrace the opportunity of the remaining moments to deliver France from the dangers impending over it, and which, if not inftantly removed, would caufe its unavoidable deftruction. The meaning of this meffage was well understood by both parties in the affembly: but the refolution with which the determined conduct of the directors had infpired their adherents, feemed now to bias down all oppofition. After the message had been read, Boullay Delamearth prefented a report, in the name of the committee of public fafety, which had been appointed on the preceding day, that unfolded at once the fyftem intended to be purfued, by thofe who had placed themselves at the head of the government. After reprefenting the profperous fituation of France, previoutly to the influence of the royal party, and the introduction of its adherents into the councils, and the evils occafioned by the attempts of these to reftore the monarchy, with its concomitances of priests and nobles, doubtlefs, he faid, were thofe who now ftand accused of a confpiracy against the republic, to be brought before an ordinary tribunal, the confpiracy would be pronounced real, and the confpirators punished according to the rigour of the law. But let us declare to all France, fuch were his words, that the triumph of the republic will not occafion a fingle drop of blood to be shed, nor scaffolds of terror to be renewed. This declaration produced the loud and unanimous applaufe of all parties. It quieted the apprehenfions of thofe who trembled for themselves, or their friends: and though fevere measures were expected, yet, as they did not extend to death, they were not accompanied with thofe ideas of cruelty, that rendered the difputes between the former factions in France fo dreadful and barbarous in the fight of Europe. He concluded his report by producing a series of refolutions, which the committee had prepared for the confideration of the council, and recommended as unnecessary to be paffed into laws at the prefent juncture. The number of them was forty: they were readily adopted, as being intirely confiftent with the views of the party now predominant. The motives, propofed to the council for its acquiefcence, were that the enemies of the republic had manifeftly followed the plan traced out to them, in the inftructions found upon Dunan, Laville, Harnois, Brottier, and Berthelot, who were feconded by numbers of other emiffaries of the royal party, fcattered through every part of France. It was fpecially recommended to thefe agents, to direct the operations of the laft affemblies of the people, primary, communal, and electoral, for the choofing of a new third, and to make the elections fall upon the partifans of royalty. With the exception of a fmall fmall number of departments, where the energy of the republicans fruftrated their attempts, the elections had been carried in their favour, and had introduced, into official fituations, and even into the legiflative body, notorious royalifts, fome of them emigrants, and other chiefs of rebels. Thus the conftitution being attacked, by thofe whom it had particularly appointed for its defence, and against whom it had taken no precaution, it was become impoffible to preferve it, without recurring to extraordinary meafures. In order, therefore, to obviate the defigns of the confpirators, to prevent a civil war and its fatal confequences, to heal the wounds inflicted on the conftitution fince the late election, and to fecure the liberty and the internal tranquillity of the nation, from fuch imminent dangers, in future, ftrong and vigorous refolutions fhould be taken, peculiarly adapted to the uncommon occafion that required them, and which, though not ftrictly accordant with forms, were neverthelefs fufficiently juftified by indifpenfible neceffity. On thefe grounds, the council approved of the refolutions laid before it, by the committee, for its acceptance. By thefe refolutions, the tranfactions of the primary, communa!, and electoral, aflemblies, in no fewer than fifty departments, were declared illegal, the perfons elected by them to public offices, or to feats in the legiflature, were compelled to refign them, and the directory empowered to nominate to the vacancies thence occafioned in official places. The laws lately enacted to favour the royalifts; the emigrants, and their relations, were repealed, and thofe enacted againft the confirmed and to remain in force till four years after a general peace. No individual was ad-mitted to vote in the primary or electoral affemblics, till he had previously taken the oath of hatred to royalty, and of fidelity to the republic and the conftitution of the third year. Barthelimi and Carnot, members of the executive directory, eleven members of the council of elders, forty-two members of the council of five hundred, with ten others perfons, were fentenced to tranfportation abroad, to any place appointed by the directory; and their property to be fequefiered ti!! their arrival at the place of exile, when the directory thould be authorifed to fupply them, out of their effects, with the means of fubfifte..ce. All individuals inferibed upon the lift of emigrants, and who had not obtained their erafement, were warned to leave the territory of the republic in fifteen days; after the expiration of which, if found upon it, they were to be tried before a military tribunal, and the fentence pronounced upon them to be executed within twenty-four hours. The late law, recalling the banished priefs, was revoked, and the directory invefted with the power of ordering thote priefts to be tranfported, wl.o difturbed the public tranquility. Ecclefiaftics, authorifed to remain in the territory of the republic, were required to take the oath of hatred to royalty, and of fidelity to the republic. Every peffon, officially bound to enforce the execution of the laws relating to the emigrants and pricits, and who either prevented or impeded them, was to lufter two years imprifonment in irons. No juries whatever were to enter upon the exercite of their functions, till they thus unexpectedly feized, the body, of which they were the head, was rendered inftantly incapable of action. Whatever organization it might have previously received, the boldness, as well as the fuddennefs, of the blow, ftruck by their more active and expeditious enemies, feemed to have wholly deprived them of fpirit and energy. Among the members of the legiflature, thus deprived of their liberty, were, befides Barthe had taken the oath of hatred to royalty, and fidelity to the republic. They were not, in the first twentyfour hours after their meeting, to pronounce a verdict, unless unanimous. If after that space of time they declared that they could not decide unanimoufly, the decifion of the majority was to be valid. Journals and other public papers were placed, for a year, under the infpection of the police, which might, by its own authority, prohibit their publication. The law was repealed lemi and Carnot, two perfons of that prohibited focicties, wherein political queftions were difcuffed: but every fociety, in which principles inimical to the conftitution of the third year were profeffed, was to be fhut up, and the members of it, afferting fuch principles, to be profecuted. The laws recently enacted, relatively to the establishment and organization of the national guard, were abrogated, and the power of putting a commune in a fate of fiege, lately taken from the directory, was reftcred to it. The decrees enacting the banishment of the Bourbons, including the widow of Orleans, and the confifcation of their effects, were confirmed, and all provifions to the contrary refcinded, the directory was empowered to fix the place of their exile, and to allow them, out of their eftates, a fufficiency to maintain them. Such were the principal refolutions adopted by the council of five hundred, in their fitting of the fifth of September. They put an effectual ftop to all the efforts that had been clandeftinely prepared by the oppofition, and fruftrated, at once, all the expectations of its adherents. Its chiefs and leaders, who were all men of courage and capacity, being noted talents, general Pichegru, Boiffy d'Anglas, Dumolard, Gilbert, Definolieres, Villaret Joyoufe, a naval officer of great merit, Paftoret, Vaublanc, Troncon Ducaudrai. Thefe were all men of confpicuous refolution and abilities. Cochon, late minifter of the police, and general Miranda, who had figured in the army, were alfo in the lift of prifoners. So vigilant and determined had been the conduct of the three directors, who affumed the fupreme power on this critical occafion, that not one perfon remained at large, of all their opponents, of fufficient confideration to give them difquietude. On the reprefentations of fome of their friends in the council, Thibaudeau, Doulert, and four other of their colleagues, who had been arrested, were fet at liberty. But these were the only perfons in whofe favour any folicitations, however ardently urged, could prevail upon the council to fhew any farther lenity. Having thus provided for their own fecurity, and that of their party, the next ftep, of which the three directors faw the immediate neceflity, was to fill up the places vacant in their own office. To this intent they fent a meflage, on the of five hundred, from whom they now had no reason to apprehend a choice of men not entirely devoted to their views. Out of the lift of names, prefented by the council of five hundred to that of elders, the two perfons felected by these were Merlin and Francois de Neufchateau, both men of tried fidelity to their party, and confpicuoufly attached to republican principles. fixth of September, to the council by intercepting all neceflary communications, and infesting the roads in every part of the country. These iniquitous defigns were to have been executed by means of a fociety, formed and organized under the denomination of legitimate fons. The first principle of this fociety was the most abfolute and blind devotion of its members to the orders they were to receive from chiefs they were not to know. They began by feduction, bribery, and delufion. An oligarchy now reigned in France, under the aufpices and protection of the army. The experiment of establishing a commonwealth in France had been made without fuccefs. National reprefentation, a republic, and liberty, in France, were found to be mere chimeras.. The council of five hundred, from which the republican party had now expelled fo many formidable adverfaries, thought it neceffary to delay no longer a formal avowal to the nation, of the conformity of its fentiments to thofe of the generality. On the twenty-firft of Fructidor, (feventh of September) it iffued an addrefs to the departments, and to the armies, which contained, in imitation of the directorial addreffes to the public, a circumftantial detail of fuch particulars as were judged the most likely to make an impreffion favourable to the caufe of the predominant party. Thofe who framed this addrefs were evidently actuated by the moft violent animofity to their antagonists, whofe intentions they laboured to reprefent in the moft atrocious light. They explicitly charged them with "the refolution to affaffinate every man whom they fufpected of republicanifm; to light up the flames of civil war; to destroy internal fafety, Thefe were the inftruments employed to pervert those in whom were vested the rights and duties of the election of national reprefentatives. Thus it was that members were chofen whofe only recommendation was their hatred of the republic, and their determination to use all endeavours to fubvert it. From the machinations of men of this defcription, and from the wicked intrigues of the emiflaries of royalifm in all the departments, proceeded the difficulties and embarrafments fo grievously experienced by government. From the brighteft hopes the public was finking to defpondency. National credit had taken confiftency; the creditor was about to be paid; falaries were discharged in currency; but, fuddenly, penury and mifery burft forth. The inferiptions, which were at forty, fell to ten; the armies were left without pay and without clothing. Alarmed at these appearances, the friends to the republic affembled to confer together, but through the royal party, in the legiflature, the right of meeting was interdicted; they reclaimed their rights, but were accufed offedition: they complained of affaffinations, but were told that revenge was lawful. A counter revolution was preparing, but, for |