it was notorious that- many of the 
unfortunate individuals, thus tra- 
duced, were locked up in. prisons, 
where calumny and suspicion were 
at that tyrannical period sufficient 
reasons to confine and to treat them 
with the most unfeeling barbarity. 
But were it only out of respect for 
the rights of the people at. large, a 
Jaw should be abrogated, that took 
from them the constitutional right 
of chusing to places and dignities in 
the state, those whom they reputed 
worthy of their confidence. To 
deny them this right, was to abridge 
them of their liberties in a most 
essential point. To plead the safety 
of the nation was the language of 
tyranny, and would justify every 
species of despotism. What crimes 
had not been committed by the 
- Sanguinary tribunals, ereéted on the 
pretence of punishing the foes to 
the revolution? 
To these, and other arguments, in 
“favour of a repeal, it was replied, 
by the supporters of the law, that 
it passed ata time when it was 
deemed indispensible for the pre- 
servation of the national freedom, 
and the security of the constitution 
just established. Its numerous and 
a€tive enemies were every where 
in motion, and striving with all their 
might to set the people against it. 
Suspicions were warrantalle motives 
to exclude those on whom they fell, 
fat atime when so many were justly 
‘suspected, from stations of power 
and trust, wherein they might bave 
aéted so hostile a part to the com- 
Tonwealth. Would it have been 
prudent to expose it to such danger 
at home, while menaced by so many 
foes from abroad ? Allowing that a 
number of individuals suffered un- 
justly by this law, was not this a 
Much less inconvenience than to 
Vou. XXXVIII. 
HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
[161 
throw the whole nation at once into 
the bands of so many concealed 
enemies? But the suffering, so bit- 
terly complained of, amounted only 
to a temporary suspension of their 
rights, of which they would undergo 
the deprivation no longer than 
the short space that might elapse 
ull the restoration of general 
tranquillity. As soon as peace was 
re-established, both at home and 
abroad, the suspension of all privi- 
leges would cease, and every man 
be placed on the completest footing 
of equality, in respe¢t of pretensions 
to public employments. But till 
that period, it were the height of 
imprudence to place confidence in 
any but the tried friends to the 
commonwealth. The promotion of 
others would unavoidably excite 
fears and jealousies. With what 
prospect of impartial justice could 
the relations of emigrants be en- 
trusted with the execution of the 
severe, but necessary, laws enaéted 
against them? Instances might oc- 
cur, in the present situation of 
things, when not only the liberty 
and property, but the very life of 
the dearest relative would be at 
stake: was it to be expeéted that 
the ties of consanguinity would not 
bave their influence on these occa-_ 
sions, and that a man coolly and de- 
terminately would doom another to 
death, whose life was as dear to 
him as his own? In this light, the 
Jaw, so violently reprobated, was in 
faét bumane and merciful : it ex- 
empted individuals from those ter- 
rible confliéts between the feelings 
of nature, and the di¢tates of duty, 
wherein they could neither yield to 
the one nor to the other, without 
incurring the imputation of betray. 
ing their trust, or of wanting huma- 
nity. When these various circum. 
[M] stances 
