54] ANNUAL REGISTER, 
and government, as well as of jthe 
refusal of persons in officé to take 
the oaths required of them, and re~ 
questing, that a law should pass to 
oblige them to comply with this re- 
quisition. 
This message was delivered to 
the council, on the fifteenth of 
March, and the passing of it was 
warmly solicited by thefriends of the 
directory, as peculiarly necessary at 
the present season. The fact was, 
, thar in many parts of France, those 
who had been appointed electors of 
the members of the two councils, 
that composed the legislative body, 
weresecretly royalists, and, ofcourse, 
disinclined to take the oaths admi- 
nistered to them by the republicans, 
as a test of their fidelity to the pre- 
sent constitution. It was particu- 
larly against these, the law now 
proposed was aimec. But it was 
strongly opposed by ‘several of the 
most conspicuous members of the 
council, who rejected it, as unne- 
cessary and injurious to the charac- 
ter of the electors; whose loyalty to 
their country it represented as 
doubtful. They were answered, 
that testimonies of attachment to 
the state ought always to accompany 
official appointments, and that no 
one, who did not harbour sinister: 
designs, would be averse to give 
so easy a proof of his patriotism. 
After violent altercations, it was 
decreed, at last, that every elector, 
previously to his entering upon his 
functions, should formally promise 
attachment and fidelity to the re- 
public,,and to the constitution of 
‘the third year, and pledge himself 
to defend them to the utmost of 
his abilities. 
The enacting of this decree was 
considered, by the republican party, 
1797. 
as no little advantage gained over 
the royalists, who had, for some 
time, been remarkably successful in 
encreasing their strength: - This, 
indeed, was evident, by the returns 
made of new members to’ the legis- 
lature. ~ Among these” was ‘the 
prince of Conti, and some‘of ‘the 
ancient noblésse. Several others 
were elected, whose principles were 
remarkably moderate, and: by some 
thought inclining to royalism. 
Three persons s took their seats-as 
representatives on this océasions who 
had each made a conspicuous figure 
in the republic. 
in the convention, during the time 
of ‘Roberspierre, and for having pre- 
sided at the trial of the unfortunate 
Lewis. 
Jourdan, the first who’ turned the 
tide of fortune in favour of France, 
in the campaign of 1798, by the 
victory of Dunkirk } and’ general 
Pichegru, no less noted’ for his suc 
cesses in Flanders and Holland, the 
ensuing year. Both the laiter were 
admitted to their seats ‘with every | 
token of approbation and respect, 
But the former was rejected, as be-~ 
ing an out-law, and incapable; as 
well as unworthy, of havitg a seat 
in the representation. ‘In the di- 
rectorv, Latourneur went, by lot, 
out of office, and was replaced 
by the celebrated negociator Bar- 
thelemi, whose talents and pers 
sonal character had long’ rendered 
him the favourite of the public, 
which expressed universal  satis- 
faction at his promotion to that 
dignity. 
This partial renovation of the’ ex 
ecutive andlegislative bodies was ac- 
companied with a general expecta- 
tion, that it would be followed by 
material - 
\ 
The one was Bar- 
“rere, famous for his many ‘speeches 
The others were general 
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