620 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



plot, and of all the ambitious peo- 

 ple of Europe. His aim Is plainly 

 pointed out in tlie 18 articles of in- 

 structions with which Mr. Drake 

 furnishes his agents, and which form 

 the first of the pieces added to this 



report. Art. 2. The principal 



point in view being the overthrow 

 of the present government, one of 

 the principal means of accomplish- 

 ing this is, the obtaining a know- 

 ledge of the plans of the enemy; 

 for this purpose it is of the u(most 

 importance to begin by establishing 

 a correspondence with the different 

 bureaus, for the obtaining particular 

 iiiformalion of all the plans, botii 

 as to the exterior as well as to the 

 interior. The knowledge of these 

 plans suggests the best mode of 

 rendering them abortive, and the 

 want of success is the mo>it cifcctual 

 means of discrediting the govern- 

 ment, the first, and most important 

 step towards the end proposed. — 7. 

 To gain over those employed in the 

 powder-mills, so as to be able to 

 blow them up, as occasion may re- 

 quire. — 8. It is indispensibly neces- 

 pary to gain over a certain number 

 of printers and engravers, that may 

 be relied on, to priit and execute 

 every thing that the confederacy 

 may stand in need of. — C. It is very 

 much to be wished, tliat a perfect 

 knowledge may be gained of the si- 

 tuation of the ditlcrent parties in 

 France, and parficiilarly in Paris; 

 — 13. It is well understood, that 

 ejery means must be tried to disor- 

 ganize the armies, l.ofh in and out 

 of the republic. Tins you see that 

 the real objects of Mr. Drake's mis- 

 sion are to bring fire and Hames into 

 the republic, to blow up the pow- 

 der-mills, to procure trusty printers 

 and engravers for tlie puri)0ses of 

 forgery, to penetrate into the heart 



of every assembly, to arm one party 

 against the olhcr; and, in tine, to 

 disorganize the armies. But, hap- 

 pily, this eyil genius is not so pow- 

 erful in its means, as it is fertile in 

 illusions and sinister projects; were 

 it otlicrwise, there would be an end 

 of society. Hatred, craft, gold, 

 and a toial inclifl'erencc as to the 

 means employed, are neitln'r M'ant- 

 iug to x\Ir. Drake nor the immoral 

 policy of the government whose 

 agent he is. But they do not pos- 

 sess power enough to shake the or- 

 ganization of France, which is of 



the 



strongest 



nature, having its 



foundation in the ailections of thirty 

 millions of citizens, cemented toge- 

 ther by their joint strength and ia- 

 terest, and animated by the M'isdom 

 and genius of the government. — 

 Those who consider nothing of any 

 value besides gold, whose only abi- 

 lities consist in low intrigue, are not 

 able to conceive the strength and 

 power of a combination of circum- 

 stances, the result of ten years of 

 suli'erings, and ten years of victo- 

 ries, of a concurrence of events, and 

 of the establishment of a noble na- 

 tion, founded on the dangers and 

 ctforts of a glorious m ar, and a ter- 

 rible revolution. — In the midst of 

 these means, Mr. Drake sees nothing 

 but o])i)ortunitios for intrigue, and 

 the eltbrts of spies. " During my 

 stay in Italy," he says to one of his 

 correspondents, (Munich, Jan. '27.) 

 " I had connection with the inte- 

 rior of France: — I should continue 

 to have them, as I am at this mo- 

 ment, of all the English ministers, 

 the nearest to the frontiers." — This , 

 is his pretence for exercising his ut- 

 most endeavours for the overthrow 

 of France. But his means arc not 

 better than his right. — He has agents 

 in whom he dares not confide. His 



doubtful 



