sixth of September, to the council 
of five hundred, from whom they 
now had no reason to apprebend 
_achoiceof men not entire ly, devoted 
_to their'views. Out of the list of 
‘names, )presented by, the council 
of five hundred to that of elders, 
the two, persons selected by these 
were Mevlinand Francois de Neuf- 
chateau, both men of tried fidelity 
to their: party, and conspicuously 
attached to republican principles. 
An oligarchy now reigned in 
_ France, under the auspices and 
protection of the army. | The ex- 
_ periment of establishing a common- 
wealth in France had been, made 
without success, National repre- 
_ sentation, a republic, and liberty, in 
_ France, were found to be mere 
~ chimeras. 
The council of five hundred, from 
_ which.the republican party had now 
expelled so many formidable adver- 
“jBaries, thought it necessary to delay 
Bo longer a formal avowal to the 
_-nation, of the conformity, of its sen- 
_timents to, those of the generality. 
On the twenty-first of [ructidor, 
(seventh of Sepiember) it issued an 
address to the departments, and to 
~ ithe armies, which ‘contained, in 
Imitation of the directorial addresses 
_ to the public, a circumstantial de- 
" * tail .of such particulars as were 
* judged tne most likely to make an 
impression fayourabie to the cause 
_ +of the predominant party. Those 
ie framed this address were evi- 
pepently actuated by the most violent 
himosity to theirantagonists, whose 
istcoions they Jaboured to repre- 
Ht in the most atrocious light. 
Se, explicitly charged them with 
the resolutian to assassinate every 
es whom they suspected of repub- 
Br csnincs 3 to light up the flames of 
ivi War ; fo destroy internal safety, 
+g - 
‘ 
5 
SHIS TORY (OF JEU ROPE. . 
[85 
by intercepting all necessary com- 
munications, and infesting the roads 
in every part of the country. These 
iniquitousdesigns were to have been 
executed by means of a society, 
formed and organized under the 
denomination of legitimate sons. 
The first principle of this .society 
was the most absolute and blind 
devotion of its members to the or- 
ders. they were to receive from 
chiefs they were nottoknow They 
began by seduction, bribery, and 
delusiow, These were the instru- 
ments employed to pervert those in 
whom they vested the rights and 
duties of the election of, national 
representatives. Thus it was that 
members were chosen whose only 
recommendation was their hatred 
of the republic, and their determi- 
nation to useall ‘endeavours to sub- 
vert it. From the machinations 
of men of this description, and from 
the wicked intrigues of the emssa- 
ries of royalism in all the depart- 
ments, proceeded the difficulties and 
embarrassments so grievously expe- 
rienced by government. From the 
brightest hopes the public was sink 
ing to despondency. National cre- 
dit had taken consistency ; the cre- 
ditor was about to be paid; salaries 
were discharged in currency; but, 
suddenly, penury and misery burst 
forth. The inscriptions, which were 
atforty, fell toten ; thearmies were 
left without pay and without cloth- 
ing. Alarmedat these appearances, 
the friends to the republicassembled - 
to confer tagether, but through the 
royal party in the legislature, the 
right of meeting was interdicted : 
they reclaimed their rights, but were 
-accusedof sedition: they complained 
of assassinations, but were told that 
revenge was lawful, A counter- 
yeyolution was preparing, but, fore 
[G 3] tunately 
