74 Charles Kulilinann 



enemies of France with the object of burning the ports 

 of Brest and Lorient.^ This gave rise to various con- 

 jectures, with the feeling that the Nobility was involved 

 in the conspiracy and that perhaps this was only a local 

 manifestation of a general plot against France — that is, 

 against the Ivevolution. At the receipt of this communi- 

 cation, the Breton deputation met and, at the advice of 

 the ministers, sent a common letter to the municipality 

 of Brest exhorting it to assemble its militia and "jeunes 

 gens" and unite with the regular troops in the port of 

 Brest, "to watch the mouth of the port and repulse the 

 enemy of the state." ^ At the same time they resolved that 

 each deputy should write to his constituents asking that 

 the "jeunes gens" should hold themselves in readiness 

 for immediate service.^ 



An episode of this nature could only strengthen the 

 feeling of the Breton deputies that the assembly could 

 not 3'et with safety frighten the people from their attack 

 upon all that seemed still to stand in contradiction or in 

 opposition to the Revolution, The primary motive for 

 resisting repressive measures had been expressed by Robes- 

 pierre on July 20 in the words: "Who has told us that 

 the enemies of the state have tired of intrigue?" Now, 

 as if to justify the distrust contained in these words, a 

 conspiracy involving open violence and treason was an- 

 nounced to be charged to "the enemies of state." When, 

 therefore, the committee on reports on August 3, after 



^Letter of the deputies of Saint-Brieuc, July 25. Socictc d' Emula- 

 tion, XXVI, 242. 



■'Ibid., and the letters of Legendre and Moyot, August 12, of Le 

 Roulx, July 25 and 26. Also Arcliives de la villc de Brest covering 

 this period, and the collection of documents in the library of Brest, 

 No. 2.334, containing, among other information upon this affair, a 

 manuscript letter of the Breton deputies sent to Brest upon this occa- 

 sion, signed by twenty-two deputies, nearly all in the same hand. 



^Letter of the deputies of Saint-Brieuc, July 25. 



280 



