STATE 
guencés, at the same time with the 
source of them, is one of your most 
urgent necessities, and one of your 
most sacred duties, 
The peaceful exercise of your 
religion is granted to yor. You 
may securely make use of this im- 
prescriptible right, which could 
not be taken from you withour a 
total disregard of your rights. From 
this nioment you are irce to offer 
to the Supreme Being your homage 
and your gratitude, according zo 
your ancient usages. 
__ Your unhappy country has been 
Jaid waste; fire has consumed your 
habitations, and unbridied soldiery 
has exercised on your persons and 
property the most horrible rob- 
beries. But the national conven- 
tion has solemnly promised to in- 
demnify you for your losses, and 
torepair, as far as possible, all the 
evils occasioned by a system of pro. 
scription and injustice. 
Succours are granted to you to 
rebuild your cottages. Carle will 
be given you to revive agriculture 
and to procure you the comforts of 
life, You will not long regret 
the want of your instruments of 
labour. You will not hear of taxes, 
till the period arrives in which 
your recovered happiness shall af- 
ford you the means of contribut- 
ing to the wants of the state. 
Let not the disconsolate widow 
and the infirm father trembie for 
the fate of their children whom the 
laws may cal] to the defence of the 
republic. No; misfortune and 
old age will not be deprived of 
their support.—What, could the 
republic resolve to deprive misfor- 
tune of its support, and respeéta- 
ble old age of its prop? no; the 
pation dispenses with your going 
. $0 protest the frontiers, and only 
PAPERS. 199 
imposes upon you the easy task of 
labouring in your fields to assist in 
the nourishing her defenders. 
You have furnished, for the sub- 
sistence of armies, the fruit of the 
sweat of your brow, and your eco- 
nomy. We have given you re- 
ceipts for it; the national conven- 
tion will pay the amount. 
What remains for you to desire? 
what disquiets can sitll agitate 
hearts so long torn, it is true, by 
resentment and misfortune? will 
you fear being oppressed anew by 
authorities unworthy of your con- 
fidence? 
Dismiss your fears, brave inhabi- 
tants; let security re-enter your 
minds, and drive thence horrible 
despair. Lhe men whose odidus 
yoke you dread with reason; the 
men who are as much the enemics 
of their country as your enemies, 
will no more be the depositories of 
power which they abused so cruelly. 
The representatives of the peo- 
ple will consult us on the choice of 
men to replace them; we will 
point out to them persons known 
to you; persons who have acquired 
your esteem and our’s; persons who, 
to sweeten your existence, are rea. 
dy to sacrifice their pleasures, their 
fortunes. 
Could you then think, brave io. 
habitants, that we are capable of 
basely. betraying your interests? 
after having supported thern with 
so much ardour, ought you to fear 
for a moment that we are capab'e 
of giving the lie.to the conduct 
we have constantly held ? 
Ah, if these injurious ‘sentiments 
proceed from. your hearts; if we 
were to impute them to jealousy 
and malevolence, how must our 
hearts be for ever affi@ed! how 
should we support the shocking 
O4 ideas 
