82} ANNUAL’ REGISTER, | 1797. 
the council to balance one instant 
between the fate of the republic, 
and that of such men? The direc- 
tors having pointed out the means 
of saving it, expected, they said, 
that the council would do its duty. 
It ought to consider itself as placed 
in an unprecedented predicament, 
andthat ordinary rules should notbe 
applied to extraordinary cases ; un- 
less, therefore, it intended to sur- 
render to the enemy, it should no 
longer procrastinate, but embrace 
the opportunity of the remaining 
moments to deliver France from 
the dangers impending over it, 
and which, if not instantly remo- 
ved, would cause its unavoidable 
destruction. 
The meaning of this message was 
well understood by both parties in 
the assembly: but the’ resolution 
with which the determined conduct 
of the directors had inspired their ad- 
hierents, seemed nowto bias down all 
opposition, After the me:sage had 
been read, Boullay Delamearth'pre- 
sented a report, in the name of the 
committee of pubtic safety, which 
had been appointed on the prece- 
ding day, that unfolded at once the 
system intended to be pursued, by 
those who had placed themselves 
at the head of the government. 
After representing the prosperous 
* situation of Trance, previously to 
the influence of the royal party, 
and the introduction of its adhe- 
rents into the councils, and’ the 
‘evils occasioned by the attempts of 
these to restore the monarchy, with 
its concomitances of priests and 
nobles, doubtless, he said, were 
those who now stand accused of a 
conspiracy, against the republic, to 
be brought before an ordinary tri- 
bunal, the conspiracy would be pro- 
nounced Teal, and the conspirators 
_emissaries of the royal party, scat- 
punished according to the rigour of 
thelaw. But let. us declare to all 
France, such were his words, that 
the triumph of the republic will not » 
occasion a single drop of blood to 
be shed, nor scaffolds of terror to be 
renewed, : 
This declaration produced the 
loud and unanimous applause of all 
parties. It quieted the apprehen- 
sions of those who trembled for 
themselves, or their friends: and 
though severe measures were expect 
ed, yet, as they did not extend to 
death, they were not accompanied 
with those ideas of cruelty, that ren- 
dered the disputes between the for- 
mer factions in France so dreadful 
and barbarous in thesight of Europe. 
He concluded his report by pro- 
ducing a series of resolutions, which 
the committee had prepared -for the 
consideration of the council, and 
recommended as necessary to be 
passed into laws at the present junc- 
ture. The number of them was 
forty: they were readily adopted, 
as being intirely consistent with 
the views of the party now predo- 
minant, 
The motives, proposed to the 
council for its acquescence, were 
that the enemies of the republic had 
manifestly followed the plan traced 
out to them in~ the instructions 
found upon Dunan, Laville, Har-, 
nois, Brottier, and Berthelot, who 
were seconded byynumbers of other 
ae a ee 
tered through every part of France. © 
It was specially recommended to 
these agents, to direct the opera- 
tions of the last assemblies of the 
people, primary, communal, and. 
electoral, for the choosing of a new 
third, and to make the elections fall 
upon the partisans of royalty. With” 
the exception of a small awe 
Q 
