ve.ge

expose them to the hatred of thofe princes and states at whofe coft they were performed. France, under Lewis XIV. had defervedly incurred the odium of all Europe, on this very account. The victorious career of that monarch had lafted uninterruptedly many years: yet, notwithstanding the terror diffufed by his fucceffes, his neighbours gradually recovered from their fears, and finally brought him to the of ruin. In the fame manner, by perfifing obftinately in overrunning and fubjecting every country, not able at prefent to refift them, the French would indifpofe all their neighbours. Convinced of the neceffity of making it a common cause, these would filently, but firmly, frame an union of strength and interest against France, which would certainly feel the effects of it foon or late, as that ambitious monarch had done. It was rafh to expect that fortune would never defert the standards of the republic. Prudence dictated the neceffity of moderation, if it meaned to fecure the advantages it had gained. But fubjugations and conquefts muft eventually prove its ruin, as they would require the ftrength of the nation to be continually on the fulleft ftretch. This was a fituation it could not bear. Boundless exertions would, by degrees, deprive it of the means, not only of retaining the acquifitions it had made, but of preventing the reaction of the many enemies that would then be ready to avail themfel es of the diminution of its force. This would infallibly refult from an adherence to the prefent fyftem of revolutionizing and giving laws to all its neighbours. France, in these per

nicious attempts, had been drained of its braveft men, and though the triumphs it had obtained in the field were fignal and extraordinary, yet the power thereby acquired refted on the most precarious grounds, as on the least reverse of fortune, the difficulties they would have to encounter would become greater than before, and their means to overcome them neceffarily lefs. The external lofs of men, in the profecution of this deftructive war, waged in fo many countries, and with fo many powerful and refolute enemies, and the torrents of blood shed in the internal feuds and commotions that had diftracted the nation, had thinned its population in a degree that good policy forbad even to mention. Thefe various confiderations demanded an immediate change of conduct in those who were at the head of the republic. Inftead of continuing and extending hoftilities, pacific measures ought to be adopted, and the utmoft folicitude prevail, to create no additional enemies, by interfering in the affairs of nations that were defirous of peace, and of fettling any dif ferences in a manner fatisfactory to the intereft and dignity of the republic.

Such were the opinions of a strong and numerous party in France, at this time. In pursuance of a determination, formed to put a stop to the hoftile fpirit that actuated the executive government and its adherents, Dumoulard, one of the moft vigorous fupporters of the oppofition, moved, on the twentythird of June, that a committee fhould be appointed, to inveftigate the proceedings, that had taken place in Italy, refpecting the two

republics

The influence exerted by oppofition, and their evident inclination to lenity, and moderate measures, encouraged the friends of thofe royalifts whofe behaviour had been peaceable, and againft whom no charges of acting against the republic had been proved, to come forward in their favour, and to foleit the restoration of their property. The legiflature behaved with marked impartiality on this occafion. Some perfonages, of great birth and rank, under the monarchy, were re-inftated in their poletions; among whom were two individuals of the Bourbon family, the prince of Conti, and the duchefs of Orleans.

The feveral decrees, made during the barbarous adminiftration of Roberfpierre, by which the relations of emigrants were unjustly affected, underwent a complete revifion, and were new modelled in fo equitable a manner, that no perfon, however nearly related to those who came under the fentence of emigration, were, on that account, to fuffer in their property. Thofe individuals, allo, who, in the diforders and confufions attending hoftilities, had fled from those countries now occupied by the French, and taken refuge in foreign parts, were now, by an exPrefs decree, invited to return to their homes and poffeffions; and an ample space of time was allowed

them, to make their option, whether to decline, or take, the benefit of this indulgence.

Hitherto, the proceedings of op pofition had, by the impartial part of the public, been viewed in a favourable light: but thofe which followed excited fufpicions among the ftaunch republicans, that fome defigns were in agitation of an inimical tendency to the conftitution. Camille Jourdan, a member of the council of five hundred, and a man of refolution and abilities, had, in the month of June, fignalized himfelf by a fpeech, full of boldness, and no lefs of found reafoning, in favour of an unreftrained liberty of confcience, and a fuppreffion of all perfecutions, on account of religious opinions. His fentiments and arguments had been highly applauded, and the difcourfe he had made was ordered to be printed. As it contained a variety of matter favourable to the caufe of the nonjuring clergy, and inculcated lenity to perfons of a tender confcience, he could not avoid the imputation of inclining to their opinions. His conduct, however, in efpoufing their defence did not fubject him to cenfure at that time: but, in the course of the difcuffions on the cafe of thofe ecclefiaftics that had either expatriated themselves, or been banifhed, it evidently appeared, that a powerful party had been formed, to procure their recal from exile, and to take off the restrictions that had been laid upon them. This alarmed the republican party, which immediately refolved to keep a more watchful eye than ever upon the oppofition, as concealing, under the pretence of moderation, projects inconfiftent with the fecurity of the commonwealth. They were con

firmed in this perfuafion, by the negative put on a motion, made on the fifteenth of July, to exact a declaration of fidelity, to the conftitution, from the clergy, as a condition whereon they fhould be permitted to exercife their functions. The refufal to comply with a requifition that appeared reafonable,

to the moderate of both parties, excited a violent difpute in the council. It was not till the next day, that those who fupported the motion were able to carry it, by an immediate call of all the members on their fide that could be procured.

СНАР.

THE HE conduct of oppofition began now to meet with general difapprobation. Their defigns were viewed as intirely hoftile to the repablic; and the directory, which had loft ground in the efteem and attachment of the public, regained it fo effectually, that, notwithitanding the boldnefs and ftrength of numbers they had to encounter, they clearly perceived, that a majority of the people was ready to befriend them, fhould matters be carried to extremity.

The royalifts had, in the mean time, indulged in the moft fanguine hope, that they were on the eve of a counter-revolution. Relying upon the protection of their numerous partifans, in the legislative body, they affumed a freedom of fpeech and behaviour extremely offenfive to the republicans, whom they fcrupled not to revile and abufe in very daring and outrageous manner. Alarmed at this fudden au

a

dacity, the friends to the commonwealth judged it neceffary to unite, as heretofore, in clubs and affociations. Their antagonists did the fame, and their mutual rancour broke out in frequent quarrels. But the enemies to the oppofition fo powerfully outnumbered their friends, that these found it neceflary to have recourfe to a decree of the councils, to prevent the increase of the republican clubs, by formally prohibiting all meetings for political difcuffions, under heavy penalties.

The palling of this decree, which was effected on the twenty-fourth of July, proved the influence still retained by the oppofition; but it alfo evinced and augmented their unpopularity, as it fhewed how little diipofed they were to place any dependence on the people at large: but they had enemies ftill more dangerous. The military were decidedly in the intereft of the commonwealth, and openly refolved

to

to fupport it. The directory were deeply connected with the general officers, of whom they were conftitutionly invefted with the appointment. Through thefe it was fecure of the army, and felt no difquietude at the attempts of the oppofition, fure of crushing them, fhould it become neceflary to employ force.

Buonaparte, the favourite of the republican part of the French nation, had openly declared his determination to abide by the republic. On the fourteenth of July, the anniverfary day of the revolution, he thence took occafion to inform his army, that counter-revolutionary defigns were in agitation, and to exhort them to remain true to the caufe for which they had fhed fo much of their blood. His addrefs produced its intended effect, by preparing the officers and foldiers, under his command, to fecond him in all the meatures he might propofe for the fervice of his party.

The fecuring of a man, who was the terror of his enemies, and the admiration of all Europe, placed the directory at once above all apprehenfions. They now affumed a firmer tone, and refolved to exert all the powers they poffeffed, in deftroying, at one ftroke, the hopes of all their enemies. The first ftep which they took, on this critical emergency, was to difmifs the prefent minifters, and appoint others in their room, in whofe fidelity they could better confide. This was not done without occafioning violent. complaints from oppofition. The right of the directory to act in this manner could not conftitutionally be controverted; but they were called upon, by a formal notice, to lay an

account of the state of the nation before the two councils.

The conduct of the directory met with the fulleft approbation of all the armies. The various addreffes from each of these were calculated to infpire government with the higheft confidence, and oppofition with the moft ferious apprehenfions. The firft divifions that led the way were thofe of Joubert and Maffena, belonging to the army of Italy: in the addrefs of Joubert, fevere notice was taken of the ftrictures, paffed in the council of five hundred, ón the conduct of Buonaparte; and the priesthood, to ufe the words of the addrefs, was accufed of heating the heads, and fharpening the daggers, of the enemies to the republic.

The address of Maffena's divifion was penned with ftill more afperity: "The conftitution violated, emigrants returning, priests, rebels to the laws protected, republicans murdered." Such was the picture it drew of France. It threatened confpirators against the republic with extermination, telling them, that, the fwords which had deftroyed the armies of kings were ftill in the hands of their conquerors, and that the road to Paris would not prefent more obftacles than that to Vienna.

The divifions, commanded by generals Augereau, Bernardotte, and Vignolle, forming allo part of the army in Italy, followed the example of the former; and expreffed no lefs zeal for the directory, and enmity to the royalifts.

In addition to these military addreffes to the directory, the minifters newly appointed by them were not wanting in their endeavours to ferve the republican caufe. Schrer, the new minifter of war, a veteran of