STATE PAPERS. 
known in the revolution, or known 
only by their incivifm the moft re- 
volting. It was by thefe means 
that there was formed, in almoft 
every place, a majority of men, 
feduced, bribed, or deluded, whofe 
fpeaking conftantly under fpecial 
mandate, and employing themfelves 
only in the overthrow of the re- 
public, made us doubt whether their 
conftituents refided in France or at 
Blankenburgh. It was thus that 
the votes of the true citizens were 
of no avail in the eleétions; and 
that, with the exception of a {mall 
number of affemblies where their 
voices were attended to, almoft 
everywhere the votes of crime and 
of royal intrigue were triumphant. 
- We may conceive how, eftablifhing 
themfelves the judges of their own 
elections, they haftened to declare 
them good or bad as it fuited their 
purpofe: fometimes making an ar- 
gument of the majority of voters, 
to cover their violences, the denial 
of juftice, and the unconttitutional 
nature of thefe affemblies ; and 
fometimes oppofing protefts, ob- 
{cure, and without character, to the 
formal wills of a republican majo- 
rity. Certainly it is wonderful 
that, with fo many means of corrup- 
tion, and of deftructive influence, 
fome nominations—nay, that one 
fingle place fhould efcape them; 
as, after a vaft conflagration, we 
fometimes fee with aftonifhment 
fome buildings refpected by the 
flames. 
“ We will not recall to you, 
citizens, what has been the deplor- 
able fuccefs of thefe atrocious com- 
binations. In Floreal, peace, ho- 
nourable and folid, {miled propiti- 
ous to our wifhes: it is flown. 
Could it refide in a land in ¢onvul- 
fion, ready to cover itfelf with blood 
323 
and afhes?, National credit had 
taken confiftency ; the creditor was 
about to be paid ; falaries were dif- 
charged in currency; and in an in- 
ftant, mifery and penury returned 
to burft upon France. The credi- 
tor funk into defpair; the infcrip- 
tions, which were at forty, fell to 
ten; the armies without pay, with- 
out clothing :—the armies that had 
triumphed over Europe—oh fhame! . 
oh griet !—were obliged to live ei- 
ther upon requifition, or upon the 
product of their courage. And yet 
a hideous laugh efcaped from the 
lips of the artificers of counter-revo- 
lution; each day they faw the em- 
barraflments of government aug- 
ment, each day they increafed them 
more and more; interpretations the 
moft forced, want of faith the moft 
imprudent, every thing was good 
in their eyes, provided they attain- 
ed the defired end. The labourers 
in fanaticifm were recalled; a f{can- 
dalous and public traffic for the 
erafure of emigrants was openly 
carried on. Citizens, alarmed by 
thefe appearances, aflembled to con- 
fer together: the right of meeting 
was interdicted ; they reclaimed 
their rights; they were treated as 
feditious, and as cut-throats : they 
complained of miferable men being 
affaflinated ; to which it was anfwer- 
ed, that vengeance was legitimate, 
and crime was erected into fyftem. 
A new revolution, a thoufand times 
more bloody than the firft, was iffu- 
ing from every pore of the body 
politic ; but fome indifcretions, 
fome figns of premature joy, be- 
trayed the confpirators; they began 
to take pride in the title of royal- 
ifts; a panties the avant-courier 
of aflaflination, took place between 
the profcribers and the profcribed. 
They firft entitled themfelves the 
X2 truc 
