- usually founded. 
HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
solute diétators of society. This 
was undeniably an evil of such 
enormity, that all reasonable men 
would concur in the necessity of 
obyiating it by every means that 
appeared indispensibly requisite. 
The only expedient that seemed to 
promise efficacy was to interdict 
every individual of that profession 
from interfering in political matters, 
either directly or indirectly, under 
the severest penalties. Such was 
the language of the staunch friends 
to the republican system, and to that 
freedom of, thought upon all sub- 
jects, which now characterised so 
numerous a part of the French na- 
tion. 
While the French government 
andits adherents were complaining 
of the undue influence of the re- 
fractory clergy, these retorted the 
representations made to their disad- 
vantage, by appealing to the peo- 
ple, on the little justice they had to 
expect from men, so many of whom 
disregarded those principles on 
_ which alone the morality of man- 
kind, and their integrity in the most 
essential transactions of society, are 
These principles 
were those of religion, without which 
little contidence could be placed in 
each other by the generality of men, 
who had neither abilities nor lei- 
sure to argue themselves into vir- 
tue and honesty by philosophical 
TeaSonings, and were much more 
easily kept in good order by those 
precepts and doétrines that had 
been established and respected dur- 
ing so many ages, than by the max- 
ims and opinions lately introduced. 
‘The clear and visible consequence 
of these had been the embroilment 
of the public in continual feuds, 
and the overturning of a govern- 
meat, under which, with all its im 
[153 
perfections, the nation had enjoyed 
much more tranquillity and satis- 
faction, than it had known since the 
introduction of the present system. 
The principal allegation against 
the soundness of the principles, or 
which the successive rulers of the 
republic had conducted themselves, 
was the shameful negligence of 
which they had all in their turn 
been guilty, in deferring upwards 
of three years the inquiry into the 
murders committed in September, 
1792. These were universally ree 
probated by all parties: they had 
covered the French nation with dis~ 
grace, and exposed it to the ab- 
horrence of all Europe ; and they 
still remained unpunished and un- 
investigated. Of those who had 
been the reputed authors and 
abettors; some indeed were no 
more, but others remained, who 
were happily divested of the power 
of opposing the course of justice. 
These reproaches bore hard upon 
government, and it found itself un- 
able to stem the torrent of complaint 
against the long and scandalous 
neglect of executing that justice 
upon the criminals, which they so 
fully deserved. A tribunal was 
erected, in May, before which their 
trials began upon the twenty sixth. 
Severai of those arraigned before it 
were sentenced to die, and others to 
be imprisoned : but as it appeared 
that the generality had beenthe mere | 
tools of others, and had beenimpelled 
to the commission of those enor- 
mities, through mistaken zeal, and 
an erroneous persuasion that they 
were avenging their country, in 
compassion to their ignorance, they 
were acquitted of evil intentions, 
and pardoned. 
These acquittals were so many, 
and the punishments so few, come 
paratively 
