ANNUAL RE 
divifions and diftributions contain- 
ing a detailed account of the de- 
mands, founded on the regifters of 
the different commiflaries. The 
Directory refer to thofe authentic 
papers all thofe who fhall prefume 
to queftion the truth of the refults 
they offer. Who contradiéts the 
following facts is either grofily mif- 
taken, citizens reprefentatives, or 
endeavours to deceive you:—-1. The 
national treafury does not poffes 
one million of difpofable funds for 
the prefent decade. 2. In order to 
find the above-ftated fum, it is in- 
difpenfably neceflary to fuppofe 
‘the receipts in the departments 
amount to 7,000,000; and that, 
moreover, the national treafury is 
. to receive one million at Paris. 
3. This fuppofition is exaggerated, 
but muft be admitted. 4. The law 
of the Vendemiaire and 9th Ther- 
midor, enact that the pay and fuf- 
tenance of the troops fhall be paid 
in preference to every other de- 
mand. The ageregate fum of thefe 
‘two articles of expence amounts 
to 7,075,226 livres.73 centimes. 
5. The law of the 15th Vendemiaire 
aftigns to the ftockholders a fixth of 
- the taxes; the national treafury de- 
mands under this head 900,000 li- 
vres. 6. The law which fixes the 
expence of the legiflative body or- 
dains that the conftitutional indem- 
nification of its members fhall be 
paid every month. 7. The engage- 
ments contracted by the national 
, treafury, with refpect to accepted 
bills of exchange, demand the. {um 
- of 63,703 livres 24centimes. 8. The 
fafety of Paris, the imperious force 
of the fupreme law; demands that 
the minifter of the interior-be able 
to difpofe of 50,000 livres. 9. Thefe 
articles abforb all the funds which 
may be confidered as difpofable. 
~ 
308 
GIST ER; 7976 
10. Except the falaries of the legif- 
lative body, there remains no mo- 
ney to difcharge all other conftitu- 
tional and other falaries and pen- 
fions; nor are any funds left for the 
hofpitals, the repair of dykes, roads, 
canals, &c. 11. The Directory 
cannot extend its diftribution to 
any fum exceeding thé above 
amount: and it is to the want of 
difpofeable funds that ought to be 
imputed the failure of all the other 
branches of the public fervice, and 
the danger with which they are 
threatened. 12. If the national 
treafury is defired, by means of ne- 
gotialions, to augment the refourc- 
es, it is obliged to return in anfwer, 
That it does not poffefs any thing 
which may ferve for that purpofe. 
13. The pay of the army is confi- 
derably inarrear.. This is a certain 
and acknowledged fact. 14. The 
future fuftenance of the troops is 
compromifed. 15. No funds re- 
main to be difpofed of for the relief 
of hofpitals. The Executive Di- 
rectory can perceive no poflible re- 
fource that may be applied to affift 
them. The decifion which it is 
enabied to make with refpect to 
the urgency of the payments, make 
no alteration in the deplorable fitu- 
ation in which they are placed. | 
The Directory confidered itfelf | 
bound to lay before you thefeftate- — 
ments. It has fulfilled that duty ; 
but it does not apprehend that this 
expofition can fhake the courage 
and perfeverance of the friends of 
the Republic. It, on the contrary, 
finds a powerful motive, in the true 
picture which it has drawn, to hope’ 
that vour deliberations on the fi- 
nances will render thofe refources 
effective which can be brought into 
action. Thefe refources poffefs 
the great advantage of being ade- 
quate 
