250 
isting, whether between France 
and the countries mentioned in 
the first four articles of the present 
decree, or between the different 
parts of the same countries, shall 
be suppressed. Those which are 
established between these same 
countries, the United Provinces, 
and the countries not annexed be. 
tween the Meuse and the Rhine, 
shall remain as before, 
Proclamation to the French People, 
Odtcber 7. 
Frenchmen, 
ONE of the most extensive con- 
spiracies to be recorded in the 
annals of the French revolution, 
was on the point of breaking out. 
For a Jong time the royalists had 
been arranging their plot: incen- 
’ diary ltbels, corrupt manceuvres, 
all the means of stock-jobbing, and 
artificial scarcity, had been em- 
ployed. They hoped to subdue 
the defenders of the national con- 
vention, and of the country. Not 
content with sowing amongst the 
citizens the seeds of war, they at- 
tempted to introduce division among 
the representatives of the people. 
They chose the period of the pri- 
mary assemblies for the accomplish- 
ment of their purpose. The nation 
already know how far they had 
usurped the rights, how far they 
had ‘tried the patience of the peo- 
ple and their representatives. They 
could not, however, succeed in 
‘wearying them out. The national 
convention, calumniated, torn’ in 
pieces, proscribed by some sections ; 
superior to personal outrages, but 
too indulgent, perhaps, to crimes 
directed against the rights of all, 
the precipice. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1495. 
by their decree of the r1th Ven- 
demaire, granted to some seétions 
four days to terminate their elec- 
tions. It even promised to the 
agitators pardon for their disobe. 
dience to laws previously proclaim. 
ed—they despised its clemency— 
they provoked its justice. The 
time granted them fee repentance, 
they employed to fill up the mea- 
sure of their crimes. On the day 
of the 12th, they were incessantly 
engaged in publishing horrible pro- 
clamations. They loudly called for 
civil war-—they took up arms in 
order to carry it on, and even fixed 
the hour at which they intended to 
commence it. Summoned to lay 
down their arms and to obey the 
laws, they resisted. A central com- 
mission was established under their 
bayonets, and, as if infatuation had 
seized the wretches, they thought 
themselves sufficiently strong to 
bring forward, for their electorate, 
and for the presidency of their com. 
mission, one of the most audacious 
writers in favour of royalty. They 
created an army, named. generals, 
and prepared to renew the dreadful 
day of the 31st of May. ‘Their 
parricidal bands were seen to ap- 
proach in six different seétions. 
Some atrocious intriguers, as on 
the 2d of June, were employed to 
deceive a credulous multitude. 
They marched almost 30,000 strong 
—they came from all quarters to 
surround the representatives of the 
people at the place of their sittings, 
A hope was yet cherished, that 
they would stop on the brink of 
The defenders of 
the convention had express orders 
to disregard all commotions, and 
by all means to-avoid, at' whatever 
price, any effusion of the blood of 
the citizens; but perfidious fo. 
reigners 
