; HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
and in the revenues and resources of 
France, and of a disposition not to 
‘be intimidated by frdwns and me- 
naces, while conscious that he stood 
_ upon the strong ground of truth and 
- facts. He was resolutely supported 
. throughout the animated discussions, 
upon these divers subjects, that took 
up the attention of the, councils, 
_ from the commencement of June, 
to the twentieth, The impression 
_ made on the public, by the severe 
animadversions on the directory, 
_ was highly to their discredit. But 
they were not dismayed by this ap- 
pearance ef hostility to them, and 
prepared to meet their enemies with 
‘weapons not less offensive than those 
that were employed against them. 
Their adversaries, in the mean 
_ while, elated with success, deter- 
 %nined to follow it up with farther 
__censures of the directorial body, On 
the twentieth of June, Pastoret, a 
leading member of the opposition, 
_ made a violent attack on their con- 
duct, respecting the United States 
_ of North America. These were re- 
_ presented as haying displayed an 
Ne baiivocal -approbation of the pro- 
 geedings of the republican party, 
and to haye acted uniformly as the 
_ staunch friends to the revolution, It 
of was therefore the highest degree of 
mmpradence in government, to afford 
_ them cause of complaint. Nothing 
short of manifest and avowed en- 
_ Mity, on the part of the Americans, 
~ gould authorise the harsh measures 
adopted against them, and enforced 
Mtv the directory with so much se- 
verity. This charge was followed 
__ by a motion to inquire into the con- 
_ duct of the directory upon this occa- 
sion. The powers assumed by that 
, were explicitly termed uncon- 
" ‘Stitutional, and transgressive of the 
 guthority lodged in them by the laws. 
oo : 
= 
| a 
[57 
A charge of a more henious na» 
ture, and involving them in a much 
more extensive coritest, was the 
privilege they had arrogated, of ex- 
amining the epistolary correspond- 
ence of private individuals, by break; 
ing open letters. This was de- 
clared a scandalous violation of 
liberty, and evidently repugnant to 
the fundamental principles of the 
constitution, In this. declaration 
the council was seconded by the 
voice gf the public, over which the 
assumption of such a privilege held 
a rod of perpetual terror. It was 
particularly odious to the Frenchy 
who, of all people, delight ina frank 
and unrestrained communication of 
sentiments upon all subjects, and are 
prone to give an unbounded loose 
to that sarcastic humour of wit and 
gaiety that accompanies their in- 
vestigation of both public and pris 
vate affairs, 
The disposition to criticise the 
proceedings of government, that 
now characterized the.two coun~ 
cils, especially that of the juniors, 
led them to inquire into the mili- 
tary transactions abroad, with more 
strictness than was thought’ neces- 
sary, even by many of their friends, 
The victories, obtained by their 
commanders and armies, were, to 
the generality of Frenchmen, a suf- 
ficient motive for approving the fo- 
reign polities ef the directory. The 
glory resulting from these to the na= 
tioa silenced all doubts of their pro- 
priety. 
’ But there were numbers, both in 
the councils and the public at large, 
that did not look upon the success of 
the French arms, as any reason for 
approving the measures of those 
who directed them. Though war; 
like atchievements might render the 
Trench fermidable, they would also 
expose 
