| 1797-] 
riod when all the feeds of difcord would 
be deftroyed—when all prejudice and 
hatred would difappear—when all fac- 
tions being crufhed, would fuffer reafon 
again to refume her empire, and to fecure 
that of the laws—-when peace would 
produce: general profperity—when the- 
danger of extremes would be acknow- 
ledged, and wifdom would be the guide 
and ruling ftar of Government. He then 
expreffed the ftrongeft hope and defire to 
fee the National Reprefentatives united, 
and rallying round the Conftitution, and 
rivalling the executive authority only in 
its refpect and obedience to the Con- 
ftitution accepted by the people—without 
it, nothing but confufion, anarchy, and 
deftruétion could arife : with it, all the 
channels of profperity would be opened. 
‘The Prefident contradicted, in the name 
of the nation, the infamous falfehood of 
thofe who withed to ftain the memory of 
the firft friends of Liberty, and the foun- 
ders of the Republic. He mentioned, 
with enthufafm, the names of Mrra- 
BEAU, VERGNIAUD, and CONDORCET, 
men whofe names, he contended, would 
be ever dear to their country. He con- 
_ Cluded, by expreffing fentiments of the 
moft lively gratitude and affection for the 
members, who, by lot, were excluded 
from the affembly, and of high confi- 
deration for thote alfo who had been 
lately elevated by the people. 
On the fame day in the fame Council, 
after the requifite forms had been gone 
through, the names of the newly elected 
members were called over. On that of 
Bertrand BARRERE being read, burfts of 
jaughter and loud murmurs took place ; 
but when the name of PICHEGRU was 
pronounced, moft of the members arofe, 
and refpeétfully contemplated that illuf- 
trious General, thus diftinguifhed by -his 
fellow-citizens. Then procee@ng to the 
appointment of its different eee, the 
Council chofe Pichegru for Prefident, 
and $Suneon, Vaublanc, Henry Lart- 
yiere, and Parifot, Secretaries. It was 
afterwards refolved to fend a meffage to 
the Council of Elders to inform them 
that the Council was conftituted.. Bar- 
rere’s eleCtion was afterwards declared 
null and void. 
On the 4th of June, Efchofferiaux the 
‘Elder, on a queftion concerning the 
colonies, propofed to enforce the Conifti- 
tution in them, and to grant an aimnefty 
for all revolutionary crimes. General 
Jourdan rofe, and, after fome prelimi- 
nary obfervations, faid, that it was tq be 
feared left Santhonax, declaring opea re- 
State of Public Afairs— Italy. 
475 
bellion;, fhould furrender St. Domingo to 
the Englifh. He therefore thought that 
a general fhould carry out their recal to 
the Commiffioners, and force them to 
obedience. It was alfo his opinion, that 
the repeal of the law of she 5th Pluviofe 
would be dangerous ; he therefore moved _ 
the order of the day upon that repeal; 
and propofed, ‘‘ that a meffage be fent to 
the Directory, to inveftigate the papers 
againft itsagents, and that it be called 
on to adopt the meafures neceffary for 
the pacification of the colonies.” This 
was the maiden {peech of the conqueror 
of Fleurus, it was well conceived, framed 
with all the franknefs and fimplicity of a 
foldier, delivered in a dignified tone, and 
liftened to with attention. The Council 
adopted the plan of the committee, name 
ly, to refcind the decree of the sth Plu- 
viofe, as to St. Domingo. By that de- 
cree, the Directory was authorifed to 
fend Commiffioners to the colonies. The 
Direétory was alfo charged to take the 
neceffary meafures to reftore peace in St. 
Domingo. : 
On the 6th of June, at one o’clock, 
the Members of the Direétory, with 
their Secretaries, aflembled ex coffume, in 
order to receive BARTHELEMY, the new 
Member of the Direétory, eleéted to fuc- 
ceed Letourneur, who went out by lor; 
and the new Direétor was received with 
the prefcribed forms and folemnity. 
iT aoe 
The oppreffion exercifed by the State 
Inguifitors, the Nobles, and thofe im- 
mediately under their influence, in the 
Republic of Venice, upon fome unfortu- 
nate individuals of the celebrated army 
of Italy, have at leaft accelerated, if not 
cauled a total change in their form of 
overnment. ; 
Whilft the French army was engaged 
ju the defiles of Styria, the government 
of Venice took the opportunity, in the 
pation week, to arm 40,000 peafants, 
uniting them with ten regiments of Scla- 
vonians, to intercept all kind of com- 
munication between the army and the 
places inthe rear. All perfons in the 
Terra Firma, who had received the 
French faveyrably, were arrefted.. In 
the fquares, cofféeMhoufes, and other 
public places in Venice, all Frenchmen 
were infulted and reviled as regicides, 
and atheifis. The priefts, in their pul- 
pits, encouraged the affaffination of the 
French. At Caftiglione de Mori, their 
foldiers were difarmed and then killed; 
and on the great roads from Mantua to 
Legnano, from Caffano to Verona more 
than 
