300° 
have led the members of your com- 
mittee into an error upon this fub- 
ject. 
We now come, Citizens Repre- 
fentatives, to the fecond part of 
your meflage. 
The Executive Directory cid not, 
till the day before yefterday, receive 
the originals of the addreffes of the 
defenders of the country from the 
different divifions that compofe the 
army of Italy. They were all def- 
tined for the Executive Dire€tory, 
with the exception of two only; 
and thefe were addreffed to the de- 
fenders of the country compofing 
the other armies. 
Though the meaning and fenfe 
of the word deliberer (to deliberate) 
has not been fo accurately defined 
as to be clearly applied to the at 
by which, after having expreJed 
their fears and their hopes to the 
Executive Directory and to their 
brethren in arms, the defenders of 
the country have only ftated the 
wifhes they had formed, and the 
fentiments that animated’ them, the 
Executive Directory have neverthe- 
lefs refolved to prevent its circula- 
tion. They have alfo written to 
the general in chief, deploring the 
circumftances which had induced 
the brave republican foldiers to 
commit thofe acts which might be 
confidered irregular, and inviting 
them carefully to avoid every thing 
which may in the leaft degree tend 
to the infraction or violation of the 
conftitution. The Directory «has 
not ftopped there: they have thought 
it their duty to go back to the cautes, 
and to point them out, perfuaded 
that you will, in your wifdom, adopt 
fuch meafures as fhall make ihem 
ceafe to exitt. 
The caufe of thefe proceedings, 
on the part of ihe defenders of the 
AN NeUWL? REGISTER; 
1797 
country, is to be attributed: to the 
generalalarm and inquietude which, 
for fome months paft, having taken 
pofteffion of all perfons, has fuc- 
ceeded the ‘profound tranquillity 
that reigned, and the general con-. 
fidence which everywhere prevailed. 
It is to be attributed to the defalca- 
tion in the revenue, which leaves 
all parts of the adminiftration in 
the moft deplorable fituation, and 
deprives often, of their pay and 
their fubfiftence, the men who, for 
years paft, have “fhed their blood 
and facrificed their healih to ferve 
the republic :—It is to be attributed 
to the perfecution and affaffination 
of the purchafers of national pro- 
perty, of the public fun¢tionaries, 
of the defenders of the country—in 
fhort, of all thofe who have dared 
to fhew themfelves the friends of 
the republic:—It is to be attributed 
to the want of firmnefs and vigour 
in the punifhment of criminals, and 
to the partiality of the public tri- 
bunals : — It is to be attributed to 
the infolence of the emigrants and 
the refractory priefts, who, recalled, 
and openly favoured, appear every- 
where, keep alive the flame of dif- 
cord, and infpire a contempt for 
the laws :—It is to be afcribed to the 
multitude of journals with which 
the armies, like the interior, are 
inundated —journals which threaten 
death to the.fupporters of liberty, 
which vilify all the republican in- 
ftitutions, which openly and fhame- 
lefily defire the return of royalty, 
and all the oppreflive and vexatious 
inftitulions which equally torment 
and humiliate the merchant, the 
arlifan, and the labourer, and even 
the rich proprietor who is untitled : 
—It isto be found in the intereft 
(always ill-diffembled, and frequent- 
ly openly manifefted) which the 
; enemies 
i 
