36] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



men, to be distinguished by the 

 name of consuls, and who, by the 

 purity of their morals, their talents, 

 and the glory of their name, will 

 revive public confidence, give 

 energy and promptitude to all parts 

 of the executive government, and 

 by success, prepare the way for a 

 solid and honourable peace. The 

 two legislative bodies are adjourn- 

 ed, and leave two commissions for 

 supplying their place, on any ur- 

 gent occasion of police, legislation, 

 or finance. Such are the leading 

 principles of the project for an in- 

 termediary government now sub- 

 mitted to your consideration. It 

 seemed necessarj'^ to the great end 

 of the great political movement that 

 has just taken place. At this crisis, 

 representatives of the people, you 

 will form a correct judgment of the 



actual position of the republic ■ 



You will elevate your minds to the 

 grand views of a sound and en- 

 larged policy. There is an end of 

 libertvif you have not coui'asetoact 

 a generous and magnanunous part. 



This speecli, by Boulay de la 

 Meurthe, who had so much si gnaliz- 

 ed his zeal and talents, in opposition 

 to tyranny and oppression, and who 

 was a man not only of fine parts, 

 but of unblemished character, and 

 which was a kind of preamble to 

 tlie new government, drew universal 

 attention not only in France but the 

 neighbouring nations : as it seemed 

 not only to give a prospectus of the 

 constitution to be established, but 

 also of the spirit in which it was to 

 be conducted : a spirit of peace, 

 moderation, justice, and a respect 

 for the rightst>f nations. It wasno 

 doubt intended to bespeak favour 

 for the consuls, both with, the French 

 and other nations. The project 

 being formally presented by ano- 

 ther niemberof the commission, and 



read over twice, was adopted and 

 carried to the council of elders, by 

 whom also, after some slight op- 

 position, it was adopted and sanc- 

 tioned. The project was detailed 

 in the following articles : 



Art. 1. There is no longer any 

 executive directory, and the fol- 

 lowing persons are no longer mem- 

 bers of the national representation, 

 on account of the excesses and the 

 violent attempts which they have 

 uniformly made, and particularly 

 the greater part of them in the sit- 

 ting of this morning : [^Here the 

 names of the members, to the num- 

 ber of sixty-one were mentioned.] 

 Art. 2. The legislative body create 

 provisionally an executive consular 

 commission, composed of citizens 

 Sieyes and Roger Ducos, late di- 

 rectors, and Buonaparte, general. 

 They shall bear the name of Con- 

 suls of theFrench Republic. — Art.3. 

 This commission is invested with 

 the full ]30wers of the directory, 

 and especially commissioned to or- 

 ganize order in all parts of the ad- 

 ministration, to re-establish internal 

 tranquillity, and to procure an ho- 

 nourable and solid peace. — Art. 4. 

 It is authorized to send delegates, 

 with a power limited according to 

 its own power. — Art. 5. The le- 

 gislative body is adjourned to the 

 twentieth of February. It is to 

 meet at that period in full power at 

 Paris. — Art. 6. Duringtheadjourn- 

 ment of the legislative body, the 

 members shall preserve their indem- 

 nity and their constitutional secu- 

 rity — Art. 7- They may without 

 losing their quality as representa- 

 tives of the people, be employed 

 as ministers, diplomatic agents, de- 

 legates of the executive consular 

 commission, and in all other civil 

 functions. They are even invited 

 in the name of the public good to 



