HISTORY OF EUROPE. [15 



it had held in Europe, and wliich 

 incapacity and treason had brouglit 

 to the verge of destruction. I'o 

 the officers of the national seden- 

 tary guard, at Paris, he declared, in 

 a third, that a new order of things 

 was on the point of being settled, 

 that the council of ciders was going 

 to save the state, and that who- 

 ever should o]ipose their design, 

 should perish by the bayonet of the 

 soldier. At the same time care 

 was taken that these proclamations 

 should be supported by a due 

 military force. But still every 

 attempt was made to colour tlie 

 enterprize as much as possible, not 

 only with patriotic professions but 

 legal appearances. For this end, 

 a pamphlet, on the same day, No- 

 vember 9, was distributed at the 

 doors of the two councils, and 

 throughout all Paris, entitled "A 

 Dialogue between a Member of the 

 Council of Elders, and a Member of 

 theCouncilof Five Hundi'cd." The 

 former endeavours to overcome the 

 objections, and to allay the fears of 

 tlie latter, respecting tlie transla- 

 tions of the council.s, by observing 

 that it was a constitutional measure; 

 that in the present circumstances, 

 it was necessai-y to the freedom of 

 deliberation and debate ; that, as 

 to insuring the execution of this 

 measure, by an armed force, tliis 

 al.so must be considered as a tiling 

 constitutional, or clearly within 

 tlie powers of the council of ciders, 

 who, if they would change the re- 

 sidence of the legislature must also 

 be sujjposed to possess the means of 

 changing it in peace and safety ; 

 that the Parisians would have no 

 reas<m to complain of it, as the 

 councils would remain at St. ('loud, 

 only for a few days ; that jnotec- 

 tiou was going to be aflbrded to lir 



berty and property, the constitution 

 restored, the reign of terror and 

 factious intrigue overthrown ; and 

 a basis established,on which foreign 

 jjowers would treat with confidence 

 for peace, which was the grand ob- 

 ject of the present measure. To tliis 

 reasoning the member of the council 

 of five hundred made little objec- 

 tion. "But," said he, "between 

 ourselves, my friend, I dread, in this 

 aiFair, the interference of Buona- 

 parte. His renown, his authority, 

 the just confidence that the army 

 place in his talents, and, above all, 

 his talents themselves, may place in 

 his hands the most formidable as- 

 cendancy over the destinies of the 

 republic. What, if he should prove 

 a Cfesar or a Cromwell ? [Here the 

 elder quoted the words of Buona- 

 parte, that] " He would be a fool 

 who should sport the glory of hav- 

 ing contributed to the establishment 

 of liberty and a republic against tlic 

 sovereignty of Europe." He went 

 still farther and affirmed that Buo- 

 naparte's ready acceptance of the 

 commission which he had been call- 

 ed on to execute, by tlie elders, was 

 a most unequivocal proof of his 

 moderation and .submission to his 

 country. " If he had refused to ac- 

 cept it what would have been said 

 of him by any man of judgement 

 and penetration ? Why nothing 

 else, but that his refusal was the 

 result of profound ambition. Every 

 thing tends fast to anarchy and 

 confusion. The republic is on the 

 point of dissolution. Buonaparte, 

 amidst a tliousand excesses and hor- 

 rors, will ask the command of the 

 army and will obtain it. Every 

 citizen, wearied with fruitless at- 

 tcmjits to bring the guilty to justice 

 or to find an asylum for himself, 

 will turn his eyes to the general. 



