108 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1Y94. 



broke out in I.n Vendee, migrated 

 ^rom their own country and joined 

 the Prussian and Aus.rian arinies, 

 »'hose aim it was to restore unlimit- 

 ed monaichy. The ins<irgcnts, 

 though they raised the royal stand- 

 ard, were not txsctiy of tlie same 

 party with the royalists in the ^x- 

 tcrior of France j being composed 

 of the disconteiited,of various eiass- 

 cs ; among whom were constitu- 

 tionalists, tedtrralists.lhoe who had 

 escaped from the scatfolds of the 

 juational Convention, and others. 

 This mixed party was headed by 

 chiefs of the greatest courage and 

 bravery; but incapable of forming 

 aiid acting on sucl) a system as 

 might support itself and extend its 

 influence. The task of drawing up 

 maftifestoes was corainitt' d to tho 

 priests who were of iheir number ; 

 who in their declarations expressed 

 the sentiments of mibsionaries, not 

 the principles and views of statca- 

 men. They denominated their 

 army the Catholic Army, at a time 

 when the Pope, the Catholic laith, 

 and all monastic ideas were regard- 

 ed with general indifference, and 

 too general contempt. Thus they 

 wore an Sfrpearance of fanaticism 

 ■which exposed them to the popu- 

 lar and trivial eloquence of the Ja- 

 cobins, who laboured inc 'ssantly to 

 render them objects either of hatred 

 or derision. If they had styled 

 themselves the army of the pro- 

 prietors of France, they would 

 have comprehended, and might 

 probably have attached to their 

 party a greater immber of the peo- 

 ple ; and of course proved more 

 formidable to the Jacobins. By the 

 aid of women, monks, and ministers 

 ef religion, it is possible to make 

 enthusiasts and martyrs ; but it is 

 only by ajustand proibuud calcula- 



tion of the resources of a .countiiP| 

 the modes of directing public opi* 

 nion to 1-he same ob'iecl, — ^^of fornxi 

 ing an union of the most generd 

 interests, and, in a word, of raii-» 

 ing all the various supplies, ways 

 and means of war, that it is possible 

 fomaice successful resistance agaiiis* 

 a. government already organized 

 and ill possession of the uationai 

 territwry. The inhabitants of La 

 Vendee, after ti;xhting and conquer- 

 ing the republican troops, were in-» 

 terrupltd in their career, by the 

 want of camp-equipage, and mili- 

 tary stores and provisions. These 

 they expected from England ; but^ 

 in their stead, received a niimbeu 

 of generals and other officers frora 

 the army of the French princes. 



It was an opinion very generally, 

 entertained at this lime by the 

 loyalists in the interior ol' France^ 

 that the ,coale>vced powers were 

 under .some apprehension, lest, if 

 the Vendeans should succeed iit 

 their enterprise, tjiey nVight be inr 

 duced to proclaim a con.stitutioi>al; 

 king under similar restrictions to 

 those that limit and define the royal 

 authority in England, or thatof tha 

 Stadtholder in the United Pro-. 

 vinces ; and that, in order to obviri 

 ate such a resolution, they hacfe 

 judged it necessary to accompany 

 any succours tiiey might send fop 

 theirsupportjwithsuchcommandersi* 

 as might incline their mind an<jk; 

 direct their etTorls to the re-cstar 

 blishmeut of the ancient monarchya 

 the only mode of goveniment that* 

 suited the views of the coalitionji 

 'J'he sentiments of the militarjli 

 chiefs sent to the aid of the Venj(|' 

 deans, did not well accord witl^ 

 tjjose of that people. The mea- 

 sures that depended on the co- 

 operation of England were wholly r 



defcate4 ' 



