FRANCE. 389 



and enterprising spirit of Bonaparte enabled him to carry into exe- 

 cution. 



The first step towards this revolution was taken by the council of 

 ancients ; which, on the 9th of November, passed a decree consist- 

 ing of five articles, the chief of which were, that the legislative body 

 should, on the next day, be removed to St. Cloud ; that Bonaparte 

 should be commissioned to carry into execution this decree ; and, for 

 this purpose, should be appointed commandant of all the troops in Paris 

 or its ne:ghbourhood, of the guard, of the legislative body, of that of 

 the directory, and of the stationary national guard; that this decree 

 should be communicated by message to the council of five hundred, 

 and to the executive directory, and transmitted to all the communes 

 of the republic by extraordinary couriers. After this decree had 

 been passed, the council of ancients proceeded to publish an address 

 to the French nation, justificatory of their own conduct, and assert- 

 ing, " that the common safety, and common prosperity, were the 

 objects of this constitutional measure: the inhabitants of Paris were 

 desired to remain tranquil, since the presence of the legislative body 

 would soon be restored to them, and the result would show whether 

 the legislative body was worthy and capable of preparing the means 

 of happiness." General Bonaparte soon after appeared at the bar, 

 accompanied by several officers of his staff, and addressed the coun- 

 cil in a short speech, in which he represented that the republic was 

 perishing, and they knew it, but that the decree they had just passed 

 had saved it : — " Yes," said he, " we will have a republic founded on 

 true liberty, and national representation. I swear it in my name, and 

 that of my companions in arms." Most of the members present 

 received these exclamations with applauses : and the assembly broke 

 up with shouts of " Live the republic 1" 



On the same day the council of five hundred, having been inform- 

 ed, by a message from the council of ancients, of the decree passed 

 by the latter, adjourned, in consequence, to the following day, when 

 they were to meet at St. Cloud. In the sitting which was held there 

 on the 10th, they appointed a committee of seven members, commis- 

 sioned to make a report on the situation of affairs. The sitting was 

 very tumultuous, many members exclaiming — <: No dictator ! No dic- 

 tatorship 1" The secretary read a letter from the director Barras, 

 stating that " the glory which accompanied the return of the illustri- 

 ous warrior, to whom he had had the happiness to open the career 

 of renown, the distinguished marks of confidence shown him by the 

 legislative body, and the decree of the national representation, had 

 convinced him that the perils of liberty were then surmounted, and 

 the interest of the armies secured ; and that he returned with joy to 

 the rank of a simple citizen, happy to transfer, complete, and render 

 more respectable than ever, the destinies of the republic, of which he 

 had been one of the depositaries." 



While some of the members were urging the propriety of choosing 

 another director in the room of Barras, general Bonaparte entered 

 the hall, attended by some officers and grenadiers, and walked up 

 towards the president. A violent agitation immediately ensued among 

 the members, some of whom rushed precipitately from their seats, 

 and endeavoured to seize him by the collar ; others cried, " Outlaw 

 him !" and one attempted to stab him with a dagger, but the blow 

 was warded off by a grenadier. The tumult increased to a most 

 violent degree. All the members quitted their seats ; the president, 



