l28 ANNUAL register; 1794. 



jccl of sufRcient weight to balance 

 the g^'neral inconveniences arising 

 from their long duration. 



Among the severities of this de- 

 cree, persons convicted of holding 

 discourses inimical to the revolution 

 were to be denounced by those who 

 heard them ; and who, in case of 

 omission, were punishable them- 

 selves. The offenders were to be 

 tried by the constituted authorities 

 of their district; and, if under sixty 

 years of age, and enjoving health, 

 they were then to be sentenced to 

 transportation to Guinea; a French 

 colony on the northern coast of 

 South America. This decree was. 

 looked upon by the generality of 

 the people as too harsh, as it is tended 

 to convert familiar acquaintances 

 into spies upon each other, bv the 

 punishment it threatened to those 

 who, from sentiments of generosity, 

 • would wish to conceal the unguard- 

 ed effusions tc which men are lirible 

 in the warmtii of conversation. 



A lew days after, an act took 

 place, by which all aged and non- 

 juring ecclesiastics were ordered to 

 reside in the departments to v>hich 

 they belonged, in houses appro- 

 priated for their future abode. The 

 punishment of exile '.vns enacted for 

 concealing or entertaining clergy- 

 men condemned to punishment or 

 eontinement. The occasion of this 

 act was the dread of that spiritual 

 influence which the ecclesiastical 

 order exert<"d so diffusely through- 

 out France, especially over the 

 rustic classes^ who still remained as 

 entirely devoted to them as ever. 

 Tlie jurisdictioii ihey czicrcised was 

 the more difficult to be prevented, 

 that It arose from the sole cmiscnt 

 of these v.'ho subaiitted to it, and 

 who thought themselves bound in 

 csnscicnce to such a submission in 



whatever related to religion. The 

 powers thus possessed by the eccle- 

 siastics, were, through the zeal of 

 their numerous adherents, cxcrtt^i 

 not only in spiritual cases, but in 

 temporal matters of the highest im- 

 poi-tance. They were, not without 

 cause, repiited the movers, or the 

 abettors at least, of every insurrec- 

 tion and attempt that had been 

 made in favour of royalt}'; As 

 they had been deprived of their 

 possessions by the ruling powers, it 

 could not be expected that they 

 should bear them no resentm.ent. 

 Actuated thus by private motiv-es, 

 no less than public principles, they 

 wei"e considered as domestic ene-J. 

 mies ; the more dangerous that, 

 imderthe appearance of performing 

 ecclesiastical duties, they governed 

 the minds of multitudes with the 

 most absolute sway ; and could at 

 any time impel them to execufe 

 ■whatever was proposed to them, by 

 representing it as a duty, which to' 

 neglect would be highly sinfuli 

 The more orderly clergy were the 

 most active and zealous. Long 

 habituated to the maxims and doc- 

 trines of former times, ^thcy viewed 

 and represented the revolution and 

 its consequences in the most odious 

 light. As their asrc and Ions: stand- 

 mg procured them proportionable 

 attachm.ent and respect, their influ- 

 ence wcS much greater than that 

 of their juniors ; ;iHd tliey were lis- 

 tened to with more attention and 

 deference. Neither was it to be 

 expected that men, grown grey in 

 the belief and profession of the doc- 

 t.'incs they had been accustomed to 

 inculcate with so much care, ancj 

 U> niaiiitaiii with so much zeal norci 

 their youth, would be prevailed 

 upon to remain silently passive 

 ctnndst the daily wrecks they V/it- 



