HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



[21 



rance that victory and peace would 

 soon restore to their enibraces their 

 husbands and their children. 



Courtois declared that there 

 were, at that instant, commotions 

 in Paris, and that emissaries had 

 been sent on purpose to excite 

 them. 



Dalphonse did not deny the ex- 

 istence of public dangers. The con- 

 stitution, at different times, had suf- 

 fered violation. " But I must de- 

 clare at this moment, to the French 

 nation, whatever be my fate, that 

 my intentions have always been 

 pure and simple. The remedy for 

 the existing evils will, no doubt, 

 consist in the wise measures that 

 shall be taken by the legislative bo- 

 dies ; but there is no remedy with- 

 out the constitution. A new di- 

 rectory may be chosen, such as is 

 worthy of France. But I protest 

 against any that may be resorted 

 to, to the detriment of the consti- 

 tution. I demand that an oath may 

 be taken for the maintenance of 

 the constitution." " The constitu- 

 tion ," said Comu det, " I respect, if by 

 this be understood the sovereignty 

 and the sacred rights of the people. 

 But, can that monstrous power be 

 suffered to exist, which, on the 

 eighteenth of Fructidor, destroyed 

 thenational representation, and was 

 daring enough, by its ov/n author- 

 ity, to form a legislature ? Is this a 

 conservative power? this thatnialces 

 continual additions to the weight 

 of that yoke which is already too 

 heavy and hard to be borne by the 

 P'rcnch people .-* Away, away with 

 those abstractions that have ruined 

 us ! Return to the dictates of rea- 

 son and sound sense. Learn wis- 

 dom from your own experience. 

 Frame an executive government, 

 that shall have power to protect 



the peojile, without the power of 

 oppressing them. I demand that 

 the proposition of Dalphonse be 

 taken now into consideration, and 

 put to the vote. I demand also, 

 that a message be sent to the coun- 

 cil of five hundred, to inform them 

 of the discoveries made by Buona- 

 parte." — But it was observed by 

 Furgues that Buonaparte himself 

 had gone to the council of five hun- 

 dred, carrying with him disposi- 

 tions of peace and public safety. 

 " Would you believe it," he conti- 

 nued, "he has been aimed at by 

 daggers, pointed against him by 

 Arena, whose malpractices in Italy 

 had been detected by the general, 

 and who hada mind, by his blood, to 

 deface the knowledge and remem- 

 brance of his own crimes. At thisin- 

 staut some attempt is in agitation. 

 The faction prepare to strike some 

 blow. The general calls on you to 

 unite with him more pressingly than 

 ever. I demand a committee of the 

 whole house." 



Lemercier, the president of the 

 council said, " It is I, it is on my 

 motion, that an altar is now raised 

 to our country. I am for the abo- 

 lition of the incoherent charter, 

 the tyrannical code of 1793. But 

 I am far from thinking that we 

 ought to confine ourselves to some 

 decrees of regulation. The con- 

 stitution is founded on the sove- 

 reignty of the people, the division 

 of powers, and the freedom of dis- 

 cussion. While these principles 

 are held sacred, is notrespect shewn 

 to the constitution I'" 



At four o'clock the council was 

 resolved into a committee. At five 

 it adjourned till nine the same 

 evening. Let us now follow Buo- 

 naparte to the council of five hun- 

 dred, fitting in the Orangery, whicI^ 



