FRANCE 
81 t 
was indeed fomething extremely atikward in the decree 
about the re-elebtion of two-thirds of the convention. 
That body might, if neceflary, have continued its own 
exillence for fome time longer, or it might have difmifTed 
one-third of its number by ballot or otherwife, and allow¬ 
ed a new election only to that extent; but a compulfory 
eleblion was an abfurdity fo glaring, that it gave their an- 
tagonifls every advantage againlt them. Accordingly, at 
the meetings of the feblions of Paris, the law for the re- 
elebtion w'as rejebted with contempt, and its abfurdity de¬ 
monitrated with much acrimony. In confequence of the 
debates which now' took place, the minds of men were 
gradually inflamed, and it became obvious that a political 
convulfion was at hand. On one fide, the convention took 
care to publilh daily the approbation of the decrees, along 
with the conftitution, by the majority of the primary af- 
femblies, by molt of which the two had been confounded 
and accepted in the grofs. Its committees alfo called in 
the aid of the troops for its proteblion. On the other 
hand, the language of the febtions became every day 
more violent and inflammatory. 
For fome time much anxiety prevailed on both fides. 
Numerous deputations were fent from the febtions to the 
convention to remonftrate againlt the obnoxious decrees. 
But the eagernefs with which thefe vemonltrances were 
made, ferved only toconvince more ftrongly the members 
of the convention of the danger to themfelves as indivi. 
duals which would attend a relignation of their power, and 
confirmed the refolution they had taken to retain it. The 
febtions, indignant at this new alfumption of felf-created 
power, prepared to decide thedifpute by arms. The firlt 
ftep taken by them, however, was ill concerted. A no¬ 
tion was propagated, that as foon as the primary alfemblies 
or febtions had chofen the elebtors who were to choofe the 
members of the new legillature, the national fovereignty 
became veiled in thefe eledtors, and that they had a right 
to afiume the government in their various difiridts. Ac¬ 
cordingly, about one hundred of the eledtors of Paris af- 
fembled in the hall of the French theatre in the fuburb 
St. Germain, previous to the day of meeting appointed by 
the convention. Having chofen De Nivernois (formerly 
the duke de Nivernois) their prefident, they began their 
debates. The convention was alarmed, and inflantly fent 
a body of the military to difmifs the meeting as illegal. 
This was eafily accomplifhed, as the citizens had not been 
unanimous with regard to it, and no meafures were taken 
for its protedlion. 
Notwithstanding this fir ft advantage on the fide of the 
convention, the febtions regarded its power with con¬ 
tempt, and imagined themfelves fecure of ultimate fuc- 
cefs. In every political contelt that had occurred fince 
the commencement of the revolution, the immeafe popu¬ 
lation of the capital had given a decifive fuperiority to the 
fadtion whofe fide it efpoufed. The citizens alfo regard¬ 
ed with indifference the armed force with which the con¬ 
vention had l'urrounded itfelf, from a notion, which they 
fondly entertained, that the military would in no cafe be 
brought to adl againli the people. The convention itfelf 
entertained fome jealoufv upon this head, and did not ac¬ 
count itfelf entirely fafc under the protedlion of the fol- 
diers. On this occafion, therefore, it had recourfe to a 
new ally, and called in the aid of thofe very Jacobins 
whom it had almod crulhed on the 24th of May. Several 
hundreds of them were difmified from the prifons, where 
they had been confined fince the two lad infurrebtions, 
and they were now put in requilition to defend the legif- 
latiye body. 
When the febtions of Paris beheld the convention fur- 
roundbd by thefe fragments of the Mountain party, and 
by men who had been the unrelenting agents of the go¬ 
vernment of Robefpierre, now denominated terrorifts, or 
men of blood, their ardour for action became unbounded. 
They alfembled in arms at their different febtions on the 
12th Vendemaire (Obi. 4, 1795) ; and the defign of their 
leaders was to ieize the members of the convention, and 
imprifon them in the church of the Quatre Nations till 
they could be brought to trial. As this would occafion 
a vacancy in the government, it was refolved that all af¬ 
fairs fliould be condubled by committees of the febtions,, 
till a new legiflature could be appointed. General Mi¬ 
randa, a Spaniard, a native of the Carraccas in South Ame¬ 
rica, w ho had ferved in the republican armies, was to be 
named to the chief command of the armed force after 
the overthrow of the convention. As he entertained fome 
doubts of their fuccefs, however, he adopted the timid 
policy of avoiding the (form, by retiring from the city till 
the combat fhould be finifhed, refolving to return imme¬ 
diately on its conclufion, to lhare the rewards and the 
triumph of viblory. The convention, in the mean time, 
refolved to ftrike the firft blow. For this purpofe they 
fent Menou to the feblion of Le Pelletier to difperfe the 
citizens, whofe greatefl force was alfembled there. But 
Menou, did iking the fervice which he was. employed to 
perform, inftead of proceeding to ablion, began to nego- 
ciate with the leaders of the febtions, and fpent the whole 
day in fruitlefs conferences. 
The febtions on their fide appointed general Danican, 
who had diftinguiflied himfelf in the war againfl the 
royalifls of La Vendee, to abt as their military leader. 
The convention, on being informed of thefe preparations 
for immediate hodility, difmilfed Menou, Raffet, and 
fome others, from their fiations, and gave the chief com¬ 
mand of the troops to Barras. He immediately felebted 
a variety of able officers to afiifl him ; among whom we 
find the name of a then obfcure individual, Napoleon Bo¬ 
naparte, who was now recommended to the notice of 
Barras, to be employed in murdering and fubjugating the 
people of Paris. 
On the 13th Vendemaire, (Oblober 5,) from which the 
infurreblion was afterwards named, both parties remained 
for many hours upon the defenfive. At lad, general Da¬ 
nican made advances towards an accommodation, by a 
letter to the committee of public fafety; in which he 
dated, that the only caufe on account of which the citi¬ 
zens had taken arms, was the dread of a madacre being 
intended by the armed terrorids who furrounded the con¬ 
vention, and that if thefe men were removed, tranquil¬ 
lity would immediately be re-edablirtied. A civil mef- 
fage was returned ; but the convention, now confident of 
viblory, and widiing to drengthen themfelves by the de¬ 
feat and punifhmentof their antagonids, refolved that the 
difpute flrould be decided by arms. It is not correblly 
known how the conted commenced ; but the Jacobins 
jud before releafed from prifon are mod generally under- 
dood to have begun the attack. The citizens on the 
fouthern fide of the river attempted to reach the conven¬ 
tion by the Quay de Voltaire, but were fpeedily repulfed 
by the conventional cannon ; but on the northern fide of 
the river the combat was extremely obdinate. The can¬ 
non were repeatedly feized by the citizens, and repeatedly 
retaken by the troops under Barras. It was not till after 
a bloody conted of four hours, that the febtions were re¬ 
pulfed and driven to the pod of St. Roch. This pod was 
alfo taken after great daughter, and the febtions were 
driven to their head quarters at the department of Le 
Pelletier. After a diort interval they were purfued thi¬ 
ther by the troops of the convention, who by midnight 
were maders of the whole city. Thus the legiflutive af- 
fembly became once more triumphant, and proceeded, 
without further moledation, to enter upon the new plan 
of government. 
On the 27th of Oblober, the convention finally terminated 
its fittings, and by its lad decrees, a general amnedy 
was granted for all revolutionary crimes and proceedings. 
From this amnedy, however, were excepted the emigrants, 
the tranfported prieds, and all perfons concerned in the 
laft infurreblion. The members of the convention, who 
had been imprifoned in the callle of Ham fince the Jacobin 
infurreblion in May, were now let at liberty. The mem¬ 
bers of the revolutionary committees, and other agents of 
2 Robefpierre 
