[ 1004 J 
[Jan. l, 
STATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, 
in December, 1799. 
FRANCE, 
W noticed in our la? the total over- 
throw of the French Conftituticn, 
of the third vear of «he republic. T is 
generally fuppofed that another conttitu- 
tion will be {peedily prefented to ‘he peo- 
‘ple for their acceptance; and if a late ce- 
lebrated writer* may be credited, there is 
an ample ftore ready provided fr that pur- 
pofe. ** Abbé Sieyes”’ fays he ** has whole 
nefts of pigeon-holes full of conftitutions 
ready made, ticketed, forted, and num- 
bered, fuited to every feafon and fancy; 
fome with the top of the pattern at the 
bottom, and fome with the bottom at the 
top; fome plain, fome flowered, fome dif- 
tinguifhed for their fimplicity ; others for 
their complexity; fome cf blood colour ; 
fome of boue de Paris; fome with directo- 
ries ; others without a dire€tion ; fome with 
councils of elders, and councils of young- 
fiers ; fome without any council at all.” 
The confuls {con after this violation of 
the conftitu'ion, proceeded to a violation 
of all Jaw and juftice by their fole autho- 
rity, without any communication with the 
fhapelefs fkeleton of the two councils; they 
ilued on the 17th of November a decree 
for the tranfportation of thirty-feven indi- 
‘viduals to Guiana, and twenty-two to be 
‘imprifoned in the commune of Rochelle. 
A few days after they had paffed this 
execrable decree, however, the confulate we 
find were induced either by a fenfe of po- 
hicy or of remorfe, to reconfider their un- 
juftifiable Rep, and at Jength to repeal ic. 
The minifter of juftice madea report to 
the confu!s on the accounts he had received 
of the promulgation of the law of the 18th 
Brumaire; and on the following day— 
He fiated ** tiat thofe two aéts of the le- 
giflative power had been received every 
where with that fatisfa€tion they were cal- 
eulated to infsire, and that, with the ex- 
ception of a few difsffected or prejudiced 
minds, the immenfe majority of the French 
people viewed in the changes which had 
been effected, nothing but the falvation of 
the republic, the happy prefage of the def- 
tintes which that gveat event prepared for 
it—that the faStion which was detirous to 
create an zmperium in imperio no longer ex- 
iied——the men who were mifled had vo- 
justarily abjured their errors and the 
public confidence furrounding the Confu- 

* Mr. Burke’s Letter on the Duke of Bed- 
fordiu 1796. Page 63. 
“prevented from «ifturbing it.” 
late with all the efficiency of its mestis, it 
was no longer neceffary for the p:efe:va- 
tion of public tranquility todo more than 
keep a vigilant eye over thofe individuals, 
who by more energetic meafures were 
In ac- 
cord with thefe fentiments, the minifter of 
juftice propoted the fo'lowing decree. 
*¢ Vhat the individuais, who agreeably 
to the arrete of the 26th of Brumaire, 
were called upon to quit the continental 
territory of the Repablic, and thofe who 
were ordered to repair to the department of 
Lower Charente, are placed under the vi- 
gilance of the miniiter of police. They 
fhall repair to the communes to be pointed 
out by that mimiter, where they hall re- 
main till otherwiie direéted.”” 
On the t7th of November, Arnculd 
(de la Seine) tn the committee of the 
Council of Five Hundred prefented a plan 
of a refolution upon the m:flige of the cone 
fuls, received the day before, rela‘ive to 
the renters. It imported that a loan fhould 
be opened for 39,500,000 franks for the 
national treafuly, to pay the rents and 
penfions for tne lait femeftre of the 7th 
year. On the next day he brought for. 
ward the detailed plan of i's refolution,. 
refpecting the payments of the annuities 
ofthe lat half year of the 7th year, and 
both thefe plans were adopted. 
On the 26:h of Nevember, Buonaparte 
had a meeting at his apartment of the 
bankers and principal merchants of Paris, 
to the number of about feventy. 
He addreffed them in an extemporaneous 
fpeech, in which he pointed cut the urgent 
wants under which the government las 
boured, and infilted on the claims which 
he ought to have, and which had already 
been cbtained on the public confidence: 
and threw out hints of the fpeedy reiurn 
of a glorious and equitable peace. He 
alfo aflured them that the reign of robbers 
and piunderers was no more; that thofe 
who had property fhould no longer be dif- 
poiled by thofe who had none; that intrigue 
fhould no longer fupply the place of talent 
and learning ; but that, in order to accom- 
plifh the falutary objets he had alluded to, 
tne public treafurywas under the neccflityof 
calling on commercial men for an advanceof 
money, til fuch atime as the new contribu- 
tions fhall come in. In confequence of th’s 
addrefs, the bankers and principal mef-~ 
chants immediately voted by acclamation 
a loan of twelve millions of livers, which 
was initantly filled up, anda comme 
Q 
