STATE PAPERS. 



185 



foam of the ocean breaks upon the 

 rock. 



Restored to your piistine energy, 

 you will no more suffer a few indi- 

 viduals to impose on your reason, 

 and you will not forget, that the 

 greatest misfortune of a people is a 

 continualagitation. Theyknowthis 

 well who would drive you from the 

 slumber of death into the arms of 

 tyranny. 



Rally at the voice of your repre- 

 sentatives. You will ne^er lose 

 siglitof tbistruth, thattheassurance 

 of liberty is at once in the force of 

 the people, and in -ts reunion to the 

 government which has merited its 

 Confidence. 



On our side, theconvention, con- 

 stant in Its course, supported by the 

 will of the people, will maintain by 

 reforming it, thatgovernmentwhich 

 has saved the republic. 



Yes, we swear — we will remain 

 at our post until the consummation 

 of the revolution J until that hour 

 when the triumphant republic, giv- 

 ing the law to its enemies, shall be 

 able to enjoy, in the security of vic- 

 tor}"^, those fruits of a constitution, 

 as solid as the peace they shall have 

 imposed. 



Weshallknow how to spare error 

 and tostrike only at crime- be inex- 

 orajle only to immorality. The im- 

 moral man ought to be rejected by 

 society as a dangerous element cor- 

 ruptible by his nature, and therefore 

 always ready to rally round con- 

 spiracy. 



Your representatives will not suf- 

 fer the public sanctions to be exer- 

 cised by oiliers than the true friends 

 of the people — they will banish far 

 from them the perridious, who talk 

 of the rights of the people only to 

 t noross thcui. 



After having thus expressed its 

 solicitude, manifested its thoughts 

 and intentions, the nalura! conven- 

 tion states to the French people, 

 those sacred principles and eternal 

 truths the central force of their uni- 

 on. 



A nation cannot govern itself by 

 the flexible decisions of caprice, the 

 sport of tlie passions it is by the 

 authority only of the laws that it can 

 do so. 



The laws are the securities for 

 our rights. This previous securiiy 

 is sought by man wiien he enters 

 political associations This they af- 

 ford bira by the aid of government, 

 which confines the citizen within 

 the circle of his duties. 



Every thing which would violate 

 those rights is a crime ag-inst the 

 social organization. Individual liber- 

 ty m ust haveno bounds,except wiiere 

 it trenches uponlhelibertyof others. 

 The law must ascertain, and mark 

 those boundaries. 



Property must be sacred. Far 

 from us be those systems dictated by 

 immorality aid idleness, that erect 

 into system thccommission of theft, 

 and diminish the salutary horror it 

 inspires. Let the power of the lav*- 

 therefore secure our property, as it 

 secures the other rights of the citi- 

 zen. 



But whoshould establish the law? 

 The people alone, by the organ of 

 those represent.! lives to whom it has 

 delegated this power. No particular 

 authority — no reunion is .hepeople 

 — nor can it act, not even speak in 

 its name. 



it any audacious hand should at- 

 tempt to seize the rights of the peo- 

 ple, upon the ailar of the country, 

 the convention will discover with 

 greater eagerness their delegated 



power 



