56] 
sive. Complaints of this kind were 
equally made by the. republicans 
and the royalists. The former re- 
proached the people in office for 
affecting a needless pomp in their 
execution, and for converting to 
their private emolument, the sums 
entrusted to their hands for public 
uses. The latter expressed their.in- 
dignation, that persons of low de- 
gree, and that had risen to power 
and affluence by the depression 
_ and ruin of their superiors, should 
riot ostentatiously in their spoils, and 
that after destroying monarchy, as 
too costly a system, andimpoverish~ 
ing the many for the enriching of 
the few, they should, in the midst of 
pretences to frugality, live in sump- 
tuousness and luxury, and rival the 
state and splendour of kings, 
In the council of five hundred, 
now consisting of numbers highly 
dissatisfied with the conduct of go- 
vernment, and resolved to expose it 
to the public, withont palliation, 
the severest invectives took place 
against the superfluous multitudes 
of commissaries, andotherattendants 
on the army, and of individuals 
employed in the official depart- 
ments. It was surmised that they 
were maintained as retainers to 
those who appointed them, whose 
private interest and service they were 
thus fond to promoteon ail occasions. 
Itwas also insinuated, thatina matter 
of the highest importance to the be- 
nefit of the revenue, the sale of pub- 
lic lands, frauds and collusions had 
taken place to the deep detriment of 
the revenue, notwithstanding the 
clamorous wants of every branch of 
_ the national expenditure. 
/ 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1797. 
of those who superintended thera, 
debts and arrears, they said, had 
been accumulated to the amount of 
six hundred-miilions, a sum exceed- 
ing the annua) income by thirty 
millions.. The negligence or igno- 
rance of some of the ministers, had 
been extreme. Provisions had been 
purchased by one of them, for the 
use of the navy, at nearly thrice 
their cost in the common markets, 
and almost as much had been paid. 
for naval stores. 
Various mismanagements of the 
heaviest nature. in. pecuniary and 
other matters, were, at the same 
time, Jaid to the charge of the direc- 
tory. Whether for the support of the 
army, or the arrangements prepara= 
tory for peace, their demands for 
money were, it was said, equally ex - 
orbitant. For the latter of these 
objects, they required no Jess than 
one hundred millions, Nor was. 
their arrogance inferior to their pro- 
fusion, ‘| hey presumptuously de-~ 
manded copies of the speeches fe+ 
lating to them, that had been made. 
in the councils. What was this but 
invading the freedom of debate 2 
Their conduct ought, therefore, it 
was asserted, to be rigorously scru- 
tinized, and no greater authority al- 
lowed them than the constitution 
had decreed. The more effectually. 
to restrain them within their own 
limits, they should be debarred 
henceforth from the management of 
the national finances: and those 
Jaws that had empowered them to. 
dispose of the public money, on va~ 
rious oceasions and pretences, ought 
forthwith to be repealed, 
These strictures on the directory, 
and the bold measures preposed in 
consequenceofthem, proceededfrom 
Gilbert Desmoulieres, a man deeply 
conversant in pecuniary cates 
ap 
_. Lhe committee of finances, in par- 
.°, ticular, animadyerted with great 
"freedom on their administration. 
2 
<e 
Rick 
a ‘Through the neglect and indolence 
+ Oh - 
