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you, burghers reprefentatives, the too certain proof that an unequal combination of particular powers never form a bulwark of national ftrength.

Let the burghers, then, who are animated by a fincere with to fee the cause of liberty triumph, receive this moft pofitive affurance, that the French government will applaud and encourage their endeavours; and will confider itfelf indebted to them, as it were, for a new ally, whenever it fhall feel the auxiliary aid of a state conftituted on the immoveable bafis of harmony and indivifibility -of a ftate, which the can, with more confidence, prefent to her friends and her enemies; particularly to the treacherous English, with whom we must quickly contend; who, viewing with indifference the miferies of Europe, under shelter of the advantages of their commerce, for these latt four years, have, by their dealings with rage-blinded Auftria, rather confpired their own deftruction than our's.

Place yourselves, then, in a condition, burghers reprefentatives, from this time henceforward, to defeat the chance computations of their infamous politics; and introduce a conftitution which will develope your national strength, and fucceed federal anarchy, which deftroys power by dividing it: a form of government the moft defective and calamitous which your greatest enemy could with to impofe on you.

E NOEL.

Mage from the Executive Directory to the Council of Five Hundred, on the 6th Fructider, (August 23d.) Read in a Secret Committee.

CITIZENS LEGISLATORS, THE Directory can no longer leave you ignorant of the afflicting details which they receive from all parts relative to the fituation of the troops ftationed in the interior of the republic. For feveral months has their conftancy been put to the teft by the moft painful privations; and bewailing their diftrefs, the directory have admitted more than once that refignation with which French foldiers forget their wants, when thofe of their country are put before their eyes. As long as the directory could flatter themfelves with feeing the end of fo critical a fituation in the amelioration of the finances, they propped up the courage of the troops by hopes, and shut up in their own bofom all uneasiness; but the evils are too great to be any longer concealed; and however painful fuch a difclofure may be, it is impoffible any longer to deny it to the alarmning circumftances by which it is exacted. Pay, that facred debt of the republic to thofe who devote them felves for her, has not been made for feveral months regardless of the urgent requests of government: the treafury could not fecure that part fo interefting to its fervice, and the penury of its means ought alone to be reproached. All the bargains are fufpended by the impoflibility under which the treatury labours to fulfil the engagements made with contractors: provifions begin to be exhaufted, and there remains no hope of renewing them: every where almost it has been forced to have recourfe to requifitions; but this treature, the vie of which is fatal, furnished Lut infuficient refources, and to execute them is dangerous above all in thofe depart

ments,

ments, where civil war has only left to agriculture great ravages to repair. In feveral parts of the republic, the fubfiftence of the troops was compromifed; the diftributions were rarely made in the proportions determined by the law, and often were they fuppreffed for feveral days; the fervice of the magazines, which has only been fupported till now by the' officers of that branch, is on the point of failing in all the departments. In thort, this is the confeffion most painful to the directory. There are hofpitals where it has been found neceflary to deny the fick foldiers the nutriment neceffary for the recovery of their health. Difcouraged by the diforganization of all branches of the fervice, the officers abandon their posts, to fly from the complaints which perfecute them, and which they are unable to answer. In feveral places, funds defigned for other purpofes were carried off by force from the public treafury, to fupply the wants of the troops, and thofe illegal meafures found an excufe in the imperious law of neceffity. Every day courier follows courier, to bring to the directory and to the minilter at war the intelligence of fome misfortune, or the fear of fome new danger. The directory conjure you, citizens reprefentatives, to beflow the whole of your attention upon the afflicting picture which they prefent to you, and to occupy yourfelves refpecting the fources for fupplying the public treatury with the means neceffary for the fubfittence of the troops in the interior; the exacteft economy thall direct the ufe of thofe funds, and fome reforms which the directory prepare, will foon diminish

the confumption and the wants.
The armies, fupported by victory,
engage no longer the attention of
the government but by the ac-
counts of their fuccefs: all their
folicitude ought therefore to be
confined to the troops in the inte-
rior, who are not lefs entitled to the
gratitude of the country, and who
may expect from it the fuccours
which it owes to its defenders.
(Signed)

REVELLIERE LEPAUX, prefi.
LAGARLE, fecretary general.

Proclamation of the Executive Direc
tory relative to the Events that
occurred during the Night of the
11th and 12th Fructidor, (ug. 28,
and 29.)

(12 Fructidor, August 29). LET true patriots, let the friends of order rejoice! It is in vain that anarchy and royalifm unite their efforts to thake the firebrands of difcord, and to diffolve the republican government. Their endeavours fhall be fruitless.

Some hundred villains, tranf ported with rage at being prevented from exerciting their robbery and their domination, no longer hoping to excite the people to infurrection, but by alarming them for liberty, have laft night spread through the streets badges of ariftocracy, and ftuck up royaliti proclamations. Armed with fabres, guns, and piftols, they meanwhile coured the various parts of this great commune. They attempted to excite alarms by the found of fire-arms. They every where ex claimed that the royalis had rallied to maffacre all the patriots. They invited the people to their afiftance. They imagined that, in the midft of this diforder, they

hould

fhould fave their guilty accomcomplices, who had all departed at this very moment to the place where the legislative body had convoked the high court of juftice; they were then to have indulged themfelves in all the horrors which they had conceived in devising the confpiracy of Baboeuf.

But the people, acquainted with their true interefts, thewed only their attachment to the republic, and the conftitution by which it is fecured. They deftroyed all the badges of defpotifm, which the molt perfidious cunning had dinleminated. They heftowed upon the monsters, who again withed to open the career of guilt, all the horror and contempt which they deferved. Confiding in a government with the real and fincere intention of which they are acquainted, all the citizens remained in the moft profound tranquillity. Thanks to the wifdom of the people, and to the courage and good conduct of the troops, to the indefatigable zeal of the magiftrates appointed to watch over the public fecurity, and to that of the brave republican generals, the tranquillity of Paris was preferved, and the defigns of anarchy fuppreffed. They all have a right to the public gratitude.

Let the enemies of France at length difcover the inutility of their efforts to miflead the mafs of the people. Let its friends rally round the conftitution, which fecures at once our repofe and our liberty, and let them fecond the efforts of a government refolved to maintain it with equal firmness against the attempts of all parties. (Signed)

REVELLIERE LEPAUX, prefi. By order of the Directory,

LAGARDE, fecretary.

General Buonaparte to the Executive Directory.

Head Quarters at Modena,

26 Vendemiare, (Od. 17). YOU will find fubjoined, citizens directors, the letter I have received from General Gentili. According to it, the Mediterranean is now free. Corfica, restored to the republic, will afford resources for our marine, and even the means of recruiting our light infantry. The commiffioner Salicetti departs this night for Leghorn, to fail from thence to Corfica. General Gentil is to command provitionally the troops. I have provifionally authorized him to put in reqfinition feveral columns, in order to enable the government commiflioner to occupy the fortreffes till the arrival of French troops.

I fhall fead thither an officer of artillery, and one of engineers, for organizing affairs. The expulfion of the English from the Mediterranean will have great influence on the fuccefs of our military operations in Italy.

(Signed) BUONAPARTE.

Leghorn, 24h lendemiare, (08.15.) A. Gentili, General of Divifion, commanding the Expedition, to General Buonaparte.

Long live the republic!-our country is rendered free!

THE Viceroy having announced that he was going to evacuate Corfica, the commune at Baftia formed in confequence a committee, which fet at liberty all the republican prifoners, and has formed a deputation, which has arrived with that of Corfica, and other cantons, to renew, in the name of all the citizens, the oath of fidelity to the republic. I only wait a favourable wind to put to fea, and fecure

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Gentili to the French Commiffioners. Leghorn, 24 Vendemiaire,(Oct. 15). THE plan long ago fettled by our compatriots to deliver Corfica from the tyranny of the English, the movements of the interior prepared by the republicans, the difpofitions taken here by the patriots for fupporting them, the debarkation already effected on the island of a great many of our fellow citizens, and the numbers preparing here to follow them, have ftruck terror into the hearts of the English. They were fenfible that they could not long maintain themselves in a country conquered by treafon : Elliot is therefore evacuating Corfica, and re-embarking all the English troops.

At this moment, when we are about to put to fea, a numerous deputation of the communes of Baftia, and other places, have arrived, and to give to us this happy news, which we are defirous of communicating to you.

The town of Battia, faithful to its vows and attachment to France, has formed a provifional committee, which has named a deputation to come and offer the oath of fidelity to the French republic. Baftia, and its forts, as well as St. Fiorenzo, are guarded by the citizens. We are affured that in three days there will be no more English in the country. Haften to give the

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Meffage of the Executive Directory
to the Council of Five Hundred,
Vendemiaire 25, (Oa. 16.) Fifth
Year.

Citizen reprefentatives,

THE British cabinet, for the purpofe of inducing the parliament to grant the neceffary fupplies for the enfaing campaign, has adopted two meafures:-the one has for its object to open the way for an immediate and direct negociation with the republic; and the other, to reftore the courfe of exchange between Holland and London, and to authorize the exportation of English merchandize to the ports of the United Provinces, and the country which it ftill affects to defcribe as Auftrian Flanders.

The Batavian government, fenfible of its real interefts, has already feen the latter measure in its true light. It has rejected the pretended favour, and by an energetic proclamation has taken the neceffary precautions to prevent the introduction of English merchandize, and to look upon those who fhall purchase or use them as enemies to their country, a cir cumftance which has fpread confternation over the English commerce and manufactories.

The executive directory, on its part, has published in the nine united departments, the 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6th articles of the 18th of the 2d year, and has roused, by particular orders, the attention of the officers of the cuftoms in every part of the republic, who have already made many feizures and con

fifcations,

fifcations. But it is in vain that every effort is made to hinder the introduction of English merchandize, if no steps are taken to prevent their confumption in the interior of the republic.

The fourth article of the abovementioned law fpecified, that every perfon who introduced or fold fuch merchandize, should be deemed fufpected perfons, and punished accordingly, purfuant to the decree of the 17th September. This law can no longer be in force; it is for your wildom, citizens reprefentatives, to fubftitute fome others in its stead.

In England, the public execute fevere justice on thofe who affect to prefer the produce of foreign to their own national manufactories. Can there be found in France, men, who are so far the enemies of their own country, as to oppofe a measure so effentially neceffary to the industry and profperity of the nation, and which tends to leffen thofe refources we furnish

our enemies for prolonging the war they have excited against us? You have ftill, citizens reprefentatives, legiflative acts to form against those, who, in defpite of the law, have, by their speculation of mercantile avidity, obtained ftores of English merchandize. If you do not think it proper they should incur the penalty of confifcation, and the other punishments prefcribed by the law, you may at least appoint a fhort period for their reexporting the goods, which they ought not to have introduced, and that under fuch penalties as you may dictate. Yes, citizens reprefentatives, the fafety of the republic, perhaps, depends on the rigour

and promptitude of the measures you thall take on this occafion. Do you defire to re-animate your commerce, to relieve your manu- ' factories, and to re-establish your trade? Would you deprive our enemies of their great refources for carrying on war against us? Would you force the Britith government to treat fincerely for peace, and would you have it brought to a conclufion? One of the most powerful means of promoting this great end of public profperity, would be to take the moft efficacious measures for prohibiting, until the return of peace, the fale or confumption of English merchandize in every part of the republic.

The executive directory invites you to take this object into immediate confideration.

(Signed) REVELLIFRE LEPEAUX, prefident.

LAGARDE, fec. general.

On the 26th of October, the Executive Directory of the French Republic prefented a fecond Meffage upon the Subject to the Council of Five Hun

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