XXVI. 1798. adopted; and the first levy of 200,000 men from CHAP. France ordered to be immediately enforced,' while 18,000 men were required from the affiliated republic of Switzerland, and the like number from that of Holland. 1 Jom. xi. 23, 24. Th. x. 183, 184. on this event. Thus, the justice of Heaven made the revolutionary passions of France the means of working out Reflections their own punishment. The atrocious aggression on Switzerland, the flames of Underwalden, the subjugation of Italy, were registered in the book of fate, and brought about a dreadful and lasting retribution. Not the bayonets of the allies, not the defence of their country, occasioned this lasting scourge; the invasion of other states, the cries of injured innocence, first brought it into existence. They fixed upon its infatuated people that terrible law, which soon carried misery into every cottage, and bathed with tears every mother in France. Wide as had been the spread of the national sin, as wide was the lash of national punishment. By furnishing an almost inexhaustible supply of military population, it fanned the spirit of universal conquest, and precipitated its people into the bloody career of Napoleon. It produced that terrible contest which, after exhausting the resources, brought about the subjugation of that great kingdom, and wrung from its infuriated but not repentant inhabitants what they themselves have styled tears of blood.' It is thus that Provi- 1Sav. iv. dence vindicates its superintendence of the moral world, that the guilty career of nations, equally as that of individuals, brings down upon itself a righteous punishment; and that we feel, amidst all the sins of rulers, or madness of the people, the truth of the sublime words of Scripture: "Ephraim has gone to his idols; let him alone." 382. СНАР. XXVII. 1798. CHAPTER XXVII. CIVIL HISTORY OF FRANCE FROM THE REVOLUTION OF 18TH SEPTEMBER, 1797-NOVEMBER, 1799. ARGUMENT. Apathy of the public mind after the Revolution of 18th Fructidor-Extreme difficulties of Government since that event-Universal dissatisfaction after the new elections in Spring, 1799-Restoration of the Liberty of the Press-Formation of a league against the Government-Measures of the Opposition-Revolution of 30th Prairial-Character of the New Directory-Fresh ministerial appointmentsEfforts of the Jacobins to revive the Revolutionary spirit, which totally fail— Forced Loan and Levy of 200,000 men decreed by the Councils-Anarchy of the Provinces-Cruel law of the Hostages-Insurrection in Brittany and La Vendée Great severity in the collection of the forced Loan-Success of the military conscription-Increased violence of the Jacobins-Fouché is appointed Minister of Police His Character and Conservative designs-He closes the Jacobin Club -Violence of the Daily Press-Attack on the Journalists by the Directory— Their continued vigorous Measures against the Jacobins-Deplorable state of France at this period-Arrival of Napoleon at Frejus-Universal enthusiasm which it excites-His journey and arrival at Paris-Reception there by the Directory-Previous Intrigues of Barras and Siêyes with Louis XVIII.-Junction of the Malecontents of all Parties to support Napoleon-Profound Dissimulation of his Conduct-His. Efforts to gain Gohier and Moulins, who refuse-After much hesitation, he resolves to join Siêyes-Measures resolved on-He tries in vain to gain Bernadotte-Progress of the Conspiracy-Great Banquet at the Hall of the Ancients-Preparations of the Conspirators at the Council of the Ancients— Efforts of Napoleon with all Parties-The 18th Brumaire-Meeting of all the Conspirators in the Rue Chantereine-Napoleon's Address to the AncientsResignation of some of the Directory, arrest of others-Napoleon, Siêyes, and Roger Ducos are appointed Consuls-The 19th Brumaire at St Cloud-Excessive vehemence in the Council of Five Hundred-Imminent danger of Napoleon, who enters the Hall of the Ancients-His Speech there- He enters the Hall of the Five Hundred-Frightful disorder there-Intrepid conduct of Lucien-Dissolution of the Five Hundred by an armed Force-Nocturnal meeting of the Conspirators in the Orangery-Their decrees-Joy in Paris at these events-General satisfaction which they diffused through the Country-Clemency of Napoleon after his Victory-Formation of a Constitution-Napoleon is appointed First ConsulOutlines of the new Constitution-Appointments in Administration made by Napoleon-Venality of Siêyes-Immense majority of the People who approved of the new Constitution-Reflections on the accession of Napoleon to the Consular Throne-Durable Liberty had been rendered impossible in France by the destruction of the Aristocracy and Clergy-Disastrous effects of the irreligion of that country-Prodigious effects of the centralization of Power introduced by the Revolution-Distinction between the safe and dangerous Spirit of Freedom-Immense impulse which the changes resulting from the Revolution have given to the spread of Christianity over the World. THE Revolution of France had run through the usual course of universal enthusiasm, general suffering, plebeian revolt, bloody anarchy, democratic cruelty, and military despotism. There remained a last stage to which it had not yet arrived, but which, nevertheless, was necessary to tame the passions of the people, and reconstruct the fabric of society out of the ruined fragments of former civilisation. This stage was that of a SINGLE DESPOT, and to this final result the weakness consequent on exhausted passion was speedily bringing the country. CHAP. XXVII. 1798. tion of 18th To the fervour of democratic license there invariably succeeds in a few years a period of languor Apathy of the public and listlessness, of blighted hope and disappointed mind after ambition, of despair at the calamitous results of pre- the Revolu vious changes, and heedlessness to every thing but Fructidor. the gratification of selfish passion. The energetic, the ardent, the enthusiastic have for the most part sunk under the contests of former faction, few remain but the base and calculating, who, by stooping before the storms under which their more elevated rivals perished, have contrived to survive their fall. This era is that of public degradation, of external disaster, and internal suffering, and in the despair of all classes, it prepares the way for the return to a more stable order of things. The external disasters, which had accumulated XXVII. 1798. difficulties of that event. CHAP. upon the Republic rapidly since the commencement of hostilities, of which an account will be given in the next Chapter, could hardly have failed to overExtreme turn a government so dependent on the fleeting gales Govern- of popular favour as that of the Directory, even if it ment since had not been tainted by the inherent vice of having been established by the force of military power, in opposition to the wishes of the nation and the forms of the constitution. But this cause had for long been preparing its downfall; and the removal of the armies to the frontier, upon the resumption of hostilities, rendered it impossible any longer to stifle the public voice. That inevitable scourge of all revolutionary states, embarrassment of finance, had, since the Revolution of the 18th Fructidor, impeded all their operations. Notwithstanding the confiscation of two-thirds of the public debt, it was found impossible, in the succeeding season, to pay the interest on the third which remained, without recurring to fresh expedients. The deficit on the year was announced by the minister of finance as amounting to at least 63,000,000 francs, or L.2,520,000 ; it was known to amount to nearly 100,000,000; and the taxes were levied slowly, and with extreme difficulty. To meet the deficiency, the duty on doors and windows was doubled; that on carriages raised tenfold, and the effects of the Protestant clergy were confiscated, putting them, like the Catholics, on the footing of payment from government. Thus the Revolution, as it advanced, was successively swal214, 215. lowing up the property even of the humblest in the community.' 1798. 'Th. x. Mig. ii. 442. The new elections of a third of the legislature, in March 1799, were conducted with greater order and freedom than any which had preceded them, because CHAP. XXVII. 1798. the army, the great support of the Directory, was for the most part removed, and the violence used on previous occasions to secure the return could not so easily be put in force. A large proportion of representatives, accordingly, were returned adverse to the government established by the bayonets of Augereau, and waited only for an opportunity to displace it from the helm. It fell to Rewbell's lot to retire from the Directory, and Siêyes was chosen by the two Councils in his stead. The people were already dissatisfied with the administration of affairs, ' Lac. xiv. when the disasters at the commencement of the cam- Th. x. 260. paign came to blow the flame into a conflagration.' 351, 352. dissatisfac elections. After these events, the public indignation could no longer be restrained. Complaints broke out on Universal all sides; the conduct of the war, the management tion after of the finances, the tyranny exercised over the elec- the new tions, the arbitrary dispersion of the Chambers, the iniquitous removal of nearly one-half of the deputies, the choice of the generals, the direction of the armies, all were made the subject of vehement and impassioned invective. The old battalions, it was said, had been left in the interior to overawe the elections; the best generals were in irons; Championet, the conqueror of Naples, had been dismissed for striving to repress the rapacity of the inferior agents of the Directory; Moreau, the commander in so glorious a retreat, was reduced to the rank of a general of division, and Scherer, unknown to fame, had been invested with the command of the army of Italy. Even measures which had formerly been the object of general praise, were now condemned in no measured terms; the expedition to Egypt, it was discovered, had given an eccentric direction to the best general and bravest army of the Republic, and |