158] 
action, without needing any other 
stimulation. Men of this cha- 
ra¢ter are not easily tamed into sub- 
jeétion to those who differ from 
them in sentiments, and are much 
more ready to rise in opposition to 
them, than those who are governed 
by the diétates of others. 
. This conspicuously appeared in 
that other attempt, which the jaco- 
bins made tooverthrow the establish - 
ment, so very soon after having 
failed in their late conspiracy. The 
numbers that voted against the im- 
peachment of Drouet, and his eva. 
sion from confinement, plainly shew_ 
ed the influence of the jacobin fac- 
tion. Relying on its many can- 
cealed partisans, a resolution was 
taken, by the undiscovered accom- 
plices of Babeufin that conspiracy, 
to rescue him and his associates from 
the hands of government, at the 
time when they were to be removed 
from their prison at Paris, and trans- 
ferred to Vandame, for trial before 
the high criminal court. 
In order to conceal from the pub- 
lic the real aétors in the intended 
rescue, the jacobins assumed the ap- 
pearance of royalists, They puton 
white cockades, displayed white 
colours, and every other token of 
royalism, and in this manner pro- 
ceeded in their enterprize: but they 
were quickly discovered, and their 
project entirely frustrated. 
Whether through negleét or con- 
nivance, no inquiry was made into 
this business, This induced the 
jacobins to meditate another plan, 
and to take what they hoped might 
prove more efficient means to suc- 
ceed. They collected as many of 
their most daring associates as could 
be procured in the capital and its 
vicinity. They tampered with the 
soldiery, some of whom they se- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
-two councils and the five tyrants. 
duced, by whose medium they vainly 
imagined the majority of the re- 
mainder would be brought over to 
them. When they thought they 
were sufficiently prepared, they em- 
bodied themselves, to the number 
of five or six hundred, and marched 
to the camp in the Plain of Gre- 
nelle, at a very small distance from | 
Paris. Theyseemed to entertain no 
doubt of being joined by the troops ; | 
there, and confidently entered the. 
camp, crying out, the constitution 
of ninety-three, and down with the 
At the bead of this desperate body 
of men were three members of the 
late convention, with as many ge- 
nerals who had been dismissed the 
service, and Drouet himself, it was 
said, not long escaped from his 
prison. They warmly exhorted the 
soldiers to join them, promising 
every remuneration that could be 
required ; but they were totally de- 
Ceived in their expeétations. The 
soldiers remained true to their offi- 
cers, and, at the word of command, 
fell upon the conspiraters, who, un- 
able to contend with such a force, 
betook themselves to flight. Num- 
bers were killed upon the spot, and 
about one hundred and thirty taken. 
They were tried as insurgents by a 
military commission. Sentence of 
death or banishment was passed 
upon the most notoriously guilty, 
and the others were discharged. 
The objeéts proposed by these 
rash and furious conspirators, were 
similar in every respeét to those of 
Babeuf and his associates. Blood 
and the extermination of all per- 
sons in power, those only excepted 
whom they considered as favourable 
to their designs. 
While the jacobins were intent © 
upen those destructive schemes, 
which, 
—_> —_— .e = S- os ee =e 
