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Colomès； Pichegru； Willot； Delarne … who may be in correspondence with
Louis XVIII。 and disposed to raise the royal flag。 For the other
five hundred； the restoration of the legitimate King； or the
establishment of any royalty whatever； is only in the background； they
regard it only at a distance； as a possible accompaniment and remote
consequence of their present undertaking。 In any event； they would
accept only 〃the mitigated monarchy；〃＇53＇ that which the Liberals of
1788 hoped for； that which Mounier demanded after the days of October
5 and 6； that advocated by Barnave after the return from Varennes；
that which Malouet； Gouverneur Morris； Mallet…Dupan and all good
observers and wise councillors of France； always recommended。 None of
them propose to proclaim divine right and return to aristocratic
feudalism； each proposes to abrogate revolutionary right and destroy
Jacobin feudalism。 The principle condemned by them is that which
sustains the theory of anarchy and despotism；
* the application of the Contrat Social；＇54＇
* a dictatorship established by coups détat； carried on arbitrarily
and supported by terror；
* the systematic and dogmatic persistence of assaults on persons；
property and consciences；
* the usurpation of a vicious； fanatical minority which has devastated
France for five years and； under the pretext of everywhere setting up
the rights of man； purposely maintaining a war to propagate its system
abroad。
That which they are really averse to is the Directory and its clique；
Barras with his court of gorged contractors and kept women； Reubell
with his family of extortioners； stamp of a parvenu and ways of a
tavern keeper； La Révellière…Lepaux with his hunchback vanity；
philosophic pretensions； sectarian intolerance and silly airs of a
pedantic dupe。 What they demand in the tribune；＇55＇ is the
purification of the administration； the suppression of jobbery； an end
to persecution and； according as they are more or less excited or
circumspect； they demand legal sentences or simply the removal of
Jacobins in office； the immediate and entire suppression or partial
and careful reform of the laws against priests and worship； against
émigrés and the nobles。＇56＇ Nobody has any idea of innovation with
respect to the distribution of public powers； or to the way of
appointing central or local authorities。 〃 I swear on my honor；〃
writes Mathieu Dumas； 〃that it has always been my intention to
maintain the Republican Constitution； persuaded as I am that； with a
temperate and equitable administration； it might give repose to
France； make liberty known and cherished； and repair in time the evils
of the Revolution。 I swear that no proposals； direct or indirect；
have ever been made to me to serve； either by my actions； speech or
silence； or cause to prevail in any near or remote manner； any other
interest than that of the Republic and the Constitution。〃 〃Among
the deputies；〃 says Camille Jordan； 〃several might prefer royalty； but
they did not conspire； regarding the Constitution as a deposit
entrusted to their honor 。 。 They kept their most cherished plans
subordinate to the national will； they comprehended that royalty could
not be re…established without blows and through the development of
this bill。〃 〃 Between ourselves；〃 says again Barbé…Marbois； 〃there
were disagreements as to the way of getting along with the Directory；
but none at all as to the maintenance of the Constitution。〃＇57＇
Almost up to the last moment they confined themselves strictly to
their legal rights； and when； towards the end； they were disposed to
set these aside； it was simply to defend themselves against the
uplifted saber above their heads。＇58＇ It is incontestable that their
leaders are 〃the most estimable and the ablest men in the
Republic；〃＇59＇ the only representatives of free suffrage； mature
opinions and long experience； the only ones at least in whose hands
the Republic； restored to order and justice； would have any chance of
becoming viable； in fact； the only liberals。 And this is the reason
why the merely nominal Republicans were bound to crush them。
In effect； under a government which disavows attacks on persons and on
public or private property； not only is the Jacobin theory impossible；
but Jacobin wrongs are condemned。 Now； the Jacobins； even if they
have abjured their principles； remember their acts。 They become
alarmed on the arrival of the first Third； in October； 1795： 〃The
Conventionalists；〃 writes one of the new deputies；＇60＇ 〃look upon us
as men who will one day give them up to justice。〃 After the entry of
the second Third； in May； 1797； their fright increased； the regicides；
especially； feel that 〃their safety depends only on an exclusive and
absolute dominion。〃＇61＇ One day； Treilhard； one of their notables；
alone with Mathieu Dumas； says to this old Feuillant and friend of
Lafayette； of well known loyalty and moderation： 〃You are very honest
and very able men； and I believe that you really desire to maintain
the government as it is； because neither for you nor for us is there
any sure way of substituting another for it。 But we Conventionalists
cannot allow you to go on； whether you mean it or not； you are
gradually leading us to our certain ruin； there is nothing in common
between us。〃 〃What guarantee do you then require？〃 〃Only one。
After that； we'll do all you want … we'll let you relax the springs …
give us this guarantee and we'll follow you blindly！ 〃Well； what do
you mean by that？〃 …
〃Enter the tribune and declare that if you had been a member of the
Convention； you would have voted the death of Louis XVI。 as we did！〃
…
〃You demand an impossibility。 You would not do this in our place。
You sacrifice France to vain terrors。〃 …
〃No； the risk is not equal； our heads are at stake！〃
Their heads； perhaps； … but certainly their power； places； fortunes；
comforts and pleasures； all that in their eyes makes it worth while to
live。 … Every morning； seventy Paris newspapers and as many local
gazettes in the large towns of the provinces expose； with supporting
documents； details and figures； not merely their former crimes； but；
again； their actual corruption； their sudden opulence founded on
prevarication and rapine； their bribes and peculations …
* one； rewarded with a sumptuously furnished mansion by a company of
grateful contractors；
* another； son of a bailiwick attorney and a would…be Carthusian； now
possessor of ecclesiastical property； restored by him at a great
outlay for hunting…grounds； another also monopolizes the finest land
in Seine…et…Oise；
* another； the improvised owner of four chateaux；
* another； who has feathered his nest with fifteen or eighteen
millions；＇62＇
With their loose or arbitrary ways of doing things； their habits as
hoarders or spendthrifts； their display and effrontery； their
dissipations； their courtiers