STATE PAPERS, 
councils towards a few men, be- 
tween whofe fate and that of the 
Republic they would hefitate! The 
Executive Directory has applied it- 
felf to point out to you the means 
of faving France, but it has to ex- 
pect that you will avail yourfelves 
of them, The Directory has felt a 
perfuafion that you are fincerely 
attached to liberty and the Repub- 
lic, and that the confequences of 
this firft liberty ought not to terrify 
you. It lays them before you, and 
is obliged to tell you that you are 
placed in an unprecedented predi- 
cament; and that ordinary rules 
cannot apply to an extraordinary 
cafe, unlefs. ha are defirous to fur- 
render yourfelves to your enemies. 
If the friends of kings find friends 
among you; if flaves can meet with 
rotectors in you; if you wait an 
inftant, the fafety of France muft be 
defpaired of; the conftitution will 
ceafe to be in force; and the patri- 
ots may be told, that the hour of 
royalty is proclaimed throughout 
the Republic. But if, as the Exe- 
cutive Direétory is fully perfuaded, 
this terrible idea afflifts and ftrikes 
you, appreciate the value of the 
moment, and embrace it; be the 
deliverers of your country, and lay 
the eternal foundations of its hap- 
pinefs and glory. 
L.M. Revevrirers Lepavx, 
Prefident. 
LacGarpé, Secretary. 
effage from the Direétory to the Council 
uf (Si Hundred, Sept. 5th, 1797. 
Citizens Legiflators, 
THE embarraflment of the fi- 
mances was tke moft inveterate 
wound of the ftate: the enemies of 
of the Republic and the friends of 
ings, fought to render it incura- 
‘ 
gir 
ble. By this they have injured the 
public fervice, irritated the defend: 
ers of their country, and drove the 
public annuitants to defpair. To- 
day your fhackles are broken, which 
will infpire thofe with confidence 
whom circumftances have alarmed. 
Will you reftore peace at home, © 
and diétate it abroad? anrounce 
your intentions upon the finances, 
That is the object of the Direétory’s 
folicitude. They hope that, con- 
vinced of the urgency of the acca- 
fion, you will give them all the ne- 
ceflary power, in order that. the 
public fervice may not be impeded. 
France can only be faved by the 
legiflative body’s occupying itfelf 
about the finances. It is neceflary 
for you immediately to make fome 
regulations in the direé taxes of the 
fifth year, One of the moft certain 
means for haftening the receipt of 
the money arifing from them, would 
be to receive from the receivers ge- 
neral an account of the payments 
they have to make. 
It will alfo be neceflary io make 
regulations in the carriage of arti- 
cles by land and water ; to fupprefs 
franking and free-letters; to re- 
eftablifh the national lottery, and 
the right of enregiftering ; and ta 
eftablifh a duty of one per cent, 
upon pafteboard and paper ; and ta 
fet the public debt afloat by creat- 
ing bons, by the aid of which the 
payment of national debts may be 
made. 
Proclamation of the Executrve Direétory 
to the French Peejle, \8th Frudtidor, 
(September 4) 1797. 
Citizens, 
THE Executive Direfory fub- 
mits to your view a few of the pa- 
U4 pers 
