3044 ANNUAL REGISTER,» 1797. 
duty to declare openly to you, that 
the anfwer of the Direétory has ap- 
peared to them unworthy of its 
power, and the rank in which the- 
conftitution has placed that body. 
Confider what progrefs has been 
made in confequence of thefe dan- 
gezous examples. .The fpirit of 
faétion has already introduced the 
Janguage of anarchy into the camps. 
‘It has infinuated itfelf even into the 
honourable retreat of our wounded 
warriors for the fabrication of ad- 
dreffes: it heats the minds of men : 
it proclaims everywhere diffolu- 
tion and death— Yet the govern- 
ment fleeps! Awaken, legiflators, 
watch for yourfelves and for the 
people. The conftitutional limits 
avetraced. Directors, generals, and 
foldiers, bow yourfelves before the 
will of the people. . The legifla- 
tive body will never balance with 
its duty. It is inacceffible to fear, 
and will never fubmit to menace. 
Your committee will not hum- 
ble itfelf in replying to the calum- 
nies propagated by your enemies. 
A legiflative body which is not ac. 
cufable, ought not to juftify itfelf. 
By its aéts it muft be judged. We 
fhall {peak the truth to the Directory 
—we fhall fpeak the truth to the 
people. 
The infolence of priefts and emi- 
grants is denounced to you. As to 
the priefts, is their profcription in 
a mafs to be regretted? Liberty of 
confcience, liberty of worfhip, and 
fubmiffion tothe laws—fuch are the 
principles maintained by all philo- 
fophers — fuch are the principles 
confecrated by the conftitution and 
’ the laws, in oppofition to the claims 
of a religion which wifhed to te 
exclufively eftablifhed. As to the 
emigrants, who favours them? Do 
not the laws refpecting the emi- 
é 
grants exift? Do they not place in 
the hands of the Dire@tory the moft 
active, the moft powerful, and the 
moft arbitrary means? The return 
of noted emigrants is announced. 
The houfe in which they affemble 
is even mentioned: but what then 
is the duty of the police? Why 
thofe erafements, the traffic of 
which is publicly reported? It be- 
longs to us to require from the Di- 
rectory an account of thefe monft- 
rous abufes. 
The Direéory tell you that af- 
faffinations are committed, and that 
partiality is difplayed by the tribu- . 
nals. It is neceffary to inform them 
that they have oyerftepped their 
duty, and we do them fervice in 
recalling them to it. Itis true that 
blood flows in feveral departments; 
but there are laws againift aflaflina- 
tion, and the Directory ought to 
execute them. If there be partia- 
lity in the. tribunals, there is a law 
to punifh them, and the Directory 
ought to denounce the guilty. In 
all cafes crimes cannot make us de- 
{pair of juftice; and we ought to 
demand of the DireGory an account 
_of the meafures they have taken to 
reprefs ihe crimes of which they 
complain. We do not underftand 
the protection they claim for the 
purchafers of national property. 
Their perfons and their property 
are under the fafeguard of the con- 
ftitulion, and you have given a 
proof of your refpect for them by 
your refolution refpecting the fre/- 
byteres. 
The Directory inform you that 
there are journals which breathe 
only murder and the return of roy- 
alty: It is certain that the exceffes 
of a multitude of pamphlets and 
journals leave no citizen the power 
of repofing his mind amidft an prea 
o 
