HLS TORY 
French as a blood-thirsty and merci- 
less people. Here was an instance 
ofthe contrary, seldom, if ever, 
precedented in the civil feuds of a- 
tions.” iy Taye 
The sequel of the address expa- 
‘tiated on the miseries that had been 
so auspiciously avoided, and the 
prosperity that would arise from the 
concord and benevolence to each 
other of families and individuals, 
while they remained firmly united in 
their attachment to the constitution, 
and their opposition to those who 
strive to sow ‘the seeds of discord 
among them, and to plunge them 
even into blood and murder. ‘* From 
the. return of ‘unanimity and confi- 
~ dence among the various classes of so- 
ciety, the most happy consequences 
would result toall France. Agricul- 
ture, industry, commerce, would, in 
a short time, be diffused through 
every part of the country, and with 
them would spring up the comforts 
_ of private life, and the splendour at- 
tending the success of public affairs. 
By the re-establishment of unteigned 
union among the French, their fo- 
reign enemies would quickly be re- 
duced to’ despair of either partition- 
_ ing France as their prey, or of sub- 
duing it to its former slavery. Ma- 
gistrates, administrators, funtiona- 
ries of all degrees, were now called 
upon by their country to exert 
themselves with peculiar diligence 
and fervour, in the stations which 
the suppression of the late conspira- 
cy would henceforth enable them to 
occupy in peace, undisturbed by 
the fear of being expelled, through 
ruffian violence, or sacrificed for 
having discharged their duty. Men 
of letters, on whom the return of 
despotism would have imposed per- 
petual silence, were now freed 
from their terrors, and empower- 
i] 
OF EUROPE. 
[87 
ed to exercise the energy of their 
minds in enlightening the public, 
in defending the cause of liber- 
ty, and confuting the apologists 
of tyrants, im aiding government, 
and forming the manners of the na- 
tion.” 
Such were the ideas which the 
framers of the address, decreed by 
the council of five hundred, endea- 
voured to impress on: the people of 
France. It was carefully distri- 
buted in every department, and 
in every division of the army, and 
received with great approbation and 
applause by all the friends of the 
republic, and of republican princi- 
ples, not only in Frrnce, ~but in 
every part of Europe. They con- 
curred in asserting both the reality 
of the conspiracy, and the indis- 
pensable necessity of recurring to the 
means that were used to suppress it. 
Every proof of its existence had, 
they asserted, been adduced, that 
could in reason and equity be ex- 
pected, and not one sound argument 
had been alleged to disprove it. 
The contest between government 
and opposition was manifest, the fa- 
yours and partialities to the royalists 
were not less visible, the influx of 
emigrants, and the boldness of their 
speeches and behaviour, the seizure 
of.treasonable papers, and the dis- 
covery of the secret agency of the 
numerous emissaries of the royal 
party : theseand other circumstances 
of the most suspicious nature suffi- 
ciently corroborated the charge 
of an attempt against the repub, 
lic, and carried conviction to the 
minds of all who were nat preju 
diced. 
The reply to these allegations was 
that the conspiracy had not been 
legally proved to be real, ina court 
of justice; that the individuals ac- 
[G 4] cused, 
