108} ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
and considered in the light of ene- 
mies, much more than they did the 
French ration. What must, there- 
fore, it was said, be their disappoint- 
ment, on finding, that hardly any 
other alteration was intended in the 
form of the French government than 
of names? The same persons that 
now presided over the affairs of 
France, in the assembly, styled the 
convention, would continue to di- 
ret them, under the appellation of 
council of ancients, and of juniors. 
What expectations could foreign 
powers harbour, of meeting with 
more facility to treat, than they 
had done before ? They would have 
the same men to deal with, the same 
pretensions to combat, the same an- 
tipathies would still subsist on both 
sides. The abhorrence with which 
foreigners beheld those men, who 
had shed so much of the blood of 
their fellow citizens, would still in- 
fluence any correspondence that 
might be opened with foreign 
powers, They would meet the 
same individuals, whom they had 
lately. indulged the hopes of never 
Meeting again. Had a total change 
taken plice in the constitution, had 
it, in reality, been framed so as to 
devolve the supreme authority into 
new hands, the lassitude now felt, 
both by France and the coalition, 
would: have smoothened the road 
to a general pacification, equally 
wanted, and equally desired by 
both. But confidence would in- 
stantly vanish, when the coalesced 
powers found themselves so grossly 
disappointed. Instead of pacific 
dispositions, they would direétly 
conceive the most violent suspicions, 
that the convention meaned to de- 
ceive at once both the French, and 
the powers with which they were 
at war. ; 
; 
Such were the reasonings of a 
great number of individuals among 
the French; but the convention 
was now in a condition to supersede: 
allarguments. Proud of a situation 
that rendered them uncontroulable 
masters of their country, the sole 
obje& now in their contemplation 
was, tocement the absolute autho- 
rity they had acquired, so as to ren. 
der it indissoluble, and to reduce 
‘their opponents at home to such a 
degree of weakness, as to deprive 
them of the very idea of raising any 
opposition, With this view, the 
predominant party in the conven- 
tion procured a commission to be 
appointed, consisting of five persons, 
who were empowered to consult 
together what measures © were 
proper to be adopted, in order to 
save the country. As soon as this 
commission was passed, and notice 
of it given to the public, all France 
was struck with amazement. -A 
constitution, it was said, had been 
framed ; and now the convention, 
by whose orders it was framed, 
came forward with a declaration, 
that such was the danger of the state, 
that nothing less than a dictature of 
five men, invested with absolute 
power, would be able to save it; 
this was exaétly the mode, and the 
very style adopted by the ancient 
Romans, in times of great calamity 
and danger. The situation of France 
was calamitous indeed, incessantly 
exposed, as it was, to internal ty- 
ranny ; but with what other danger 
was it threatened at the present 
hour? its foreign enemies were 
thoroughly humbled, and ready to 
enter into terms of peace, provided 
they could depend on the permanence 
of the government with which they 
made them. Such a government 
was onthe point of being settled be 
t 
