firmed in this perfuafion, by the negative put on a motion, made on the fifteenth of July, to exact a declaration of fidelity, to the confitution, from the clergy, as a condition whereon they should be permitted to exercife their functions. The refufal to comply with a requifition that appeared reafonable, to the moderate of both parties. excited a violent difpute in the council. It was not till the next. day, that those who fupported the motion were able to carry it, by an immediate call of all the members on their fide that could be procured. CHAP CHAP. V. Political Parties in France. Decree against Clubs.-Buonaparte declares his Attachment and Refolution to abide by the Republican Party.-Addreffes to the Directory from the Armies. -The Directory Split into two Parties.--The one violently Republican, the other inclined to moderate and confiliatory Measures.--Feuds between the Directory and the Councils.-A large Body of Troops, in Violation of the Conftitution, called to Paris.-Remarkable Address to the Directory, by the Army of the Sambre and Meufe.- Effect of this on the Councils.-Caufes affigned, by the Directory, for Fermentations that had taken place in the Army.-Concert between the Directory and the Army.The Councils alarmed.---Resolutions of the Councils for the Purpose of restraining within due Bounds the Authority of the Directory. T HE conduct of oppofition began now to meet with general difapprobation. Their defigns were viewed as intirely hoftile to the republic; and the directory, which had loft ground in the esteem and attachment of the public, regained it fo effectually, that, notwithftanding the boldness and ftrength of numbers they had to encounter, they clearly perceived, that a majority of the people was ready to befriend them, fhould matters be carried to extremity. The royalifts had, in the mean time, indulged in the most fanguine -hope, that they were on the eve of a counter-revolution. Relying upon the protection of their numerous partifans, in the legislative body, they affumed a freedom of fpeech and behaviour extremely offenfive to the republicans, whom they fcrupled not to revile and abuse in a very daring, and outrageous manner. Alarmed at this fudden au dacity, the friends to the commonwealth judged it necessary to unite, as heretofore, in clubs and affociations. Their antagonists did the fame, and their mutual rancour broke out in frequent quarrels. But the enemies to the oppofition fo powerfully outnumbered their friends, that these found it neceffary to have recourse to a decree of the councils, to prevent the increase of the republican clubs, by formally prohibiting all meetings for political difcuffions, under heavy penalties. The paffing of this decree, which was effected on the twenty-fourth of July, proved the influence still retained by the oppofition; but it alfo evinced and augmented their unpopularity, as it fhewed how little difpofed they were to place any dependence on the people at large: but they had enemies ftill more dangerous. The military were decidedly in the intereft of the commonwealth, and openly resolved to fupport it. The directory were deeply connected with the general officers, of whom they were conftitutionly invested with the appointment. Through thefe it was fecure of the army, and felt no difquietude at the attempts of the oppofition, fure of crushing them, fhould it become neceflary to employ force. Buonaparte, the favourite of the republican part of the French nation, had openly declared his determination to abide by the republic. On the fourteenth of July, the anniversary day of the revolution, he thence took occafion to inform his army, that counter-revolutionary defigns were in agitation, and to exhort them to remain true to the cause for which they had fhed fo much of their blood. His addrefs produced its intended effect, by preparing the officers and foldiers, under his command, to fecond him in all the measures he might propofe for the service of his party. The fecuring of a man, who was the terror of his enemies, and the admiration of all Europe, placed the directory at once above all apprehenfions. They now affumed a firmer tone, and refolved to exert all the powers they poffeffed, in deftroying, at one ftroke, the hopes of all their enemies. The first step which they took, on this critical emergency, was to difmifs the prefent minifters, and appoint others in their room, in whofe fidelity they could better confide. This was not done without occafioning violent complaints from oppofition. The right of the directory to act in this manner could not conftitutionally be controverted; but they were called upon, by a formal notice, to lay an account of the state of the nation before the two councils. The conduct of the directory met with the fullest approbation of all the armies. The various addreffes from each of these were calculated to infpire government with the highest confidence, and oppofition with the moft ferious apprehenfions. The first divifions that led the way were thofe of Joubert and Massena, belonging to the army of Italy: in the addrefs of Joubert, severe notice was taken of the ftrictures, paffed in the council of five hundred, on the conduct of Buonaparte; and the priesthood, to ufe the words of the addrefs, was accused of heating the heads, and fharpening the daggers, of the enemies to the republic. The addrefs of Maffena's divifion was penned with still more afperity: "The conftitution violated, emigrants returning, priests, rebels to the laws protected, republicans murdered." Such was the picture it drew of France. It threatened confpirators against the republic with extermination, telling them, that, the fwords which had destroyed the armies of kings were ftill in the hands of their conquerors, and that the road to Paris would not present more obftacles than that to Vienna. The divifions, commanded by generals Augereau, Bernardotte, and Vignolle, forming also part of the army in Italy, followed the example of the former; and expreffed no lefs zeal for the directory, and enmity to the royalists. In addition to these military addreffes to the directory, the ministers newly appointed by them were not wanting in their endeavours to ferve the republican caufe. Schrer, the new minifter of war, a veteran of ficer of diftinguifhed merit, published a declaration to the armies, inviting every officer and foldier to confide in him, as their ancient companion in the perils and hardships attached to their profeffion, and to lay their complaints and grievances before him with candour and freedom, promifing, on the part of government, a faithful and equitable attention to all their juft demands; exhorting them to continue true to the prefent conftitution, and reminding them of the folemn oath they had taken to maintain it. The minifter of police, Lenvir Laroche, iffued an addrefs to the citizens of Paris, wherein he warned them to beware of the calamities that must attend a new revolution, and ftrenuously to act in defence of the established conftitution. He fpoke to people who had deeply experienced the miferies that had afflicted France, and that were generally well affected to the republican fyftem. Such, however, was the dread entertained by the directory, and their adherents, of the intrigues and resolution of the royalifts, that, notwithstanding the fupport they derived from their official fituations, and the attachment of the generality of people, they came to a determination to call in the farther affiftance of the military. This they did with the more readiness, that unless they took preventive measures they were confcious, that, the numbers of royalifts, daily repairing to Paris, would become fo confiderable, that, added to those who abetted the oppofition, they would altogether form fo powerful a body, as not to be overcome without much difficulty. Intending, if it were poffible, to avoid bloodshed, they were convinced, that the moft effectual method of preventing it, would be to take oppofition by furprife, and, before they had made fufficient preparations, to repel force with force; not doubting, that, by previously striking a fuccefsful blow, they would compel oppofition to fubmit, and, at once, defeat all their plans. In this determination, however, only three of the directory concurred. These were, Barras, Reubel, and Lareveillere. They had always profeffed republican principles, and had been long confidered as the heads of that party: their colleagues, Carnot and Barthelemi, the latter efpecially, were reputed lefs firm in their adherence to it, and more inclined to conciliation with the oppofition. What the precife views of this party were, were rather conjectured than afcertained: but the general opinion was, that their intentions were too friendly, to the royalifts, to permit thofe who harboured them to enjoy any fhare of authority in the republic; and that the fooner they were expelled from their feats in the councils, the greater would be the fecurity of the commonwealth. This party was headed by men of tried abilities, who perceiving the neceffity of acting with determination and promptitude in the prefent conjecture, refolved immediately to aim a blow at that member of the directory, whom they confidered as the most dangerous of their enemies. Reubel and Lareveillere, though resolute and steady republicans, were much lefs perfonally formidable than Barras, who had been bred a foldier, and had gone through many of the perils attending a military life with fingular fuccels and intrepidity. To him, in a great measure, was due the triumph of the late convention over thofe who oppofed the re-election of two-thirds of that body, on the establishment of the prefent conftitution. To ouft a man of this character, from the directory, would certainly have proved a leading ftep to the execution of the defigns entertained by the oppofition: but the only method, whereby to effect fuch an attempt, was to prove him of years infufficient for fo high a promotion. Every kind of exertion was employed for the purpose of a fcertaining the reality of this difqualification but they all failed, and he remained in the poffeffion of his feat. Thefe feuds, between the councils and the directory, were viewed with much difapprobation by the moderate part of both. That of the ancients, which had, fince its inftitution, been remarkable for interpofing its weight, either in obviating or fupprefling differences, acted, on this occafion, with its ufual impartiality and difcretion. It negatived the motions that had been carried, for abolishing feveral of the powers hitherto exercifed by the directory, and fufpended its affent >to fome decrees that appeared too -favourable to the nonjuring clergy. -But the die was caft, and all endeavours at reconciliation were loft in the inveteracy now daily encreafing between the contending parties. There were in the oppofition feveral individuals of noted courage. The most confpicuous of these were Pichegru and Willot, who, being both military men, were, conformably to the fpirit of their profeffion, earneft in promoting active meafures. To thefe two were entrufted the charge of new-modelling the national guard. This numerous bo dy of men had, by the conftitution, been placed under the immediate management of the directory, which had the appointment of all the officers. The alteration proposed by Pichegru and Wiliot was, that in each department a felect number of reputable perfons, elected for that purpofe, fhould make out a lift, to which the nomination of officers, by the directory, fhould be confined. This fcheme was much applauded, as neither depriving that body of the elective privilege, vefted in it, nor giving them too much power in its exercife. The proposal, therefore, was readily accepted, and paffed, on a motion, in the affirmative. The directory, on the other hand, acting with the expedition of men confcious of being beforehand with their adverfaries, purfued, with equal fecrecy and vigour, the meafures it had adopted against the oppofition. The arrival of a body of troops, within feven leagues of Paris, was announced in that city, on the twentieth of July, to the great furprize and anxiety of the council of five hundred, who could not mistake the cause of their approach to the capital fo much nearer than the laws permitted. Ten years imprifonment was the fentence incurred by the directory, for bringing a military force within fuch a diftance of any place where the legislative held its meetings. Convinced that fuch an infraction of the constitution could not have taken place without the orders, either pofitive or implied, of the directory, the council inftantly laid a formal complaint of it before that body. But the answer was, that the moment the directors were apprifed of it, they ordered the troops to remove to |