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livres； and orders a new trial in another form。 Next； after
Vendémiaire 13； a representative arrives at Blois and his first care
is to set the butchers free。 … About thirty knaves ruled the town
during the reign of Terror； all strangers； save four or five； 〃all
more or less befouled with crime。〃 At first； the principal
slaughterers：
* Hézine； Gidouin； and their accomplices of the neighboring districts；
* Simon and Bonneau the ex…mayor of Blois；
* Bézard； a former soldier； convicted of peculation and of robbing
cellars which he had put under sequestration；
* Berger； an ex…monk； and then dragoon who； with pistol in hand；
forced the superior of his old convent to give up the funds of the
community；
* Giot； formerly a chief…butler of Monsieur （the King's brother）；
next； a judge in the September massacres and then a quartermaster in
the Pyrenees army and a pillager in Spain； then secretary to the Melun
tribunal of which he stole the cash； along with other nomads and
outlaws of the same stamp； most of them sots and roisterers； one an
ex…schoolmaster； another an ex…ladies hair…dresser； another an ex…
chair…bearer； all of them a vile lot； chosen by the government for its
agents； and； under new titles； resuming their old positions。 At the
head of the armed force is Gen。 Bonnard； who is accompanied by a
prostitute and who passes his time in orgies； pilfering wherever he
can； and so shameless in his thievery as to be condemned； six months
later； to three months in irons。＇36＇ On arriving at Blois； he
organizes 〃a paid guard； composed of all the most abject Jacobins。〃 …
Elsewhere； as here；＇37＇ it is the full staff of the reign of Terror；
the petty potentates dethroned after Thermidor； the political
Bohemians restored to their functions。
IV。 Public Opinon。
Resistance of public opinion。 … Elections； year IV。 at Paris and in
the provinces。 … The Directory threatened by ultra Jacobins。 …
Forced amelioration of the Jacobin administration。
So； that after Vendémiaire 13； it looks as if the Jacobin band had
made the conquest of France a second time。 This； however not yet so；
for； if it has recovered its authority； it has not yet recovered the
dictatorship。 … In vain do Barras and Tallien； Dubois…Crancé； Merlin
de Douai and Marie Chénier； Delmas； Louvet； Siéyès and their corrupt
gang； the habitués of power； the despotic； unscrupulous theorists； try
to postpone indefinitely the opening of the legislative bodies； to
annul the elections； to purge the Convention； to restore for their own
advantage that total concentration of powers which； under the title of
revolutionary government； has converted France into a pachalic＇38＇ in
the hands of the old Committee of Public Safety。＇39＇ But the
Convention has become frightened for its own safety； at the last
moment the plot is exposed； and the blow frustrated。＇40＇ The
Constitution； decreed； is put in operation； and a system of the law
has replaced the system of arbitrariness。 The Jacobin invasion；
through that alone； is checked and then arrested。 The nation is in a
condition to defend itself and does defend itself。 It gradually
regains lost ground； even at the center。 … At Paris； the electoral
body；＇41＇ which is obliged to take two…thirds of its deputies from the
Convention； takes none of the regicide deputation representing Paris。
All who are chosen； Lanjuinais； Larivière； Fermon； Saladin； Boissy
d'Anglas； wished to save the King； and nearly all were proscribed
after the 31st May。 The departments show the same spirit。 The
members of the Convention for whom the provinces show a decided
preference are the most prominent of the anti…Jacobins： Thibaudeau is
re…elected by 32 electoral colleges； Pelet de la Lozére by 71； Boissy
d'Anglas by 72； Lanjuinais by 73。 As to the 250 of the new third；
these are liberals of 1789 or moderates of 1791；＇42＇ most of them
honorable men and many of them well…informed and of real merit；
jurisconsults； officers； administrators； members of the Constitutional
Assembly or Feuillants in the Legislative Assembly； Mathieu Dumas；
Vaublanc； Dupont de Nemours； Siméon； Barbé…Marbois and Tron？on…
Ducoudray。 The capital； especially； chose Dambray； former general…
advocate to the Paris parliament； and Pastoret； former minister of
Louis XVI。。 Versailles sends the two celebrated lawyers who defended
the King before the Convention； Tronchet and De Séze。 … Now； previous
to the 13th Vendémiaire； two hundred members of the Convention had
already heartily sided with the Parisian electors＇43＇ against the
terrorists。 This creates a strong opposition minority inside the
Legislative Corps which function protected by the Constitution。
Hidden behind it and behind them； the élite and the plurality of
Frenchmen wait for better days。 The Directory is obliged to act
cautiously with this large group； so well supported by public opinion；
and； accordingly； not to govern à la Turk。 So they respect； if not
the spirit； at least the letter of the law； and not to exercise a too
barefaced influence on local elections。 Hence most of the local
elections remain free； so that the nation；
* in spite of the decree excluding every relation of an émigré and
every notorious opponent of the government from present and future
offices；
* in spite of fear； lassitude and disgust；
* in spite of the small number of votes； the rarity of candidates and
the frequent refusal of the elected to serve；＇44＇
substantially exercises its privilege of electing its administrators
and judges according to its preferences。 Consequently； the very large
majority of new administrators in the departments； cantons and
municipalities； and the very large majority of new civil and criminal
judges and justices of the peace are； like the new third of the
Convention； highly esteemed or estimable men。 They are untainted with
excesses； still preserving their hopes of 1789； but preserved from the
outset against； or soon cured of； the revolutionary fever。 Every
decree of spoliation or persecution loses some of its force in their
hands。 Supported by the steady and manifest will of their present
constituents； we see them resisting the commissioners of the
Directory； at least protesting against their exactions and brutality；
gaining time in favor of the proscribed； dulling the point of； or
turning aside； the Jacobin sword。
Again； on the other hand； the government which holds this sword dare
not； like the Committee of Public Safety； thrust it in up to the hilt。
If wielded as before it might slip from its grasp。 The furious in its
own camp are ready to wrest it away and turn the blade against it。 It
must defend itself against the reviving clubs； against Babeuf and his
accomplices； against the desperadoes who； through a nocturnal attempt；
try to stir up the Grenelle camp： in Paris； there are four or five
thousand now ready to undertake a 〃civic St。