The United States oracle of the day — Portsmouth, N.H., 1800-02-01 00:00:00, page 2

As Buonaparte was lately mounting with
difficulty, a spirited horse, a citizen came up and
assisted him. “ I ought to mount eafily,"ob
ferved the General as he thanked him, " for
Jam not weighty. " Pardon me; “ replied the
.itizen, " you are a counterpoise to all the hos
tile powers."
The Central Bureau ofParis is depofed. a "The
three new members are Dubofeq, who had been
in already ; Dubois, and Piis, eommiflioners of
the Dire^ory in the municipal administrations
of that city.
After most of our revolutionary movements the
Capitalists have shewn a difpofitioryto withdraw
their money from the public : but after the
affair of the 19th, government received nume-
Wus offers of money. Confidence is inspired,
not commanded.
It seems that the consuls are not to adept the
dress of the directors. The magistrates of
France, it is tho't, will wear the dress of French-
A board of admiralty Uto be formed after the
/ -nner of England;
In Italy, the Austrians pursue their
career with unvarying success. After
the battle of Genola on the 4th ult. th,
French army divided into two columns
one under Gen. Victor took a position
near Mondovi. From that position it
was driven with the+lofs of Mondovi,
and forced to withdraw to Safonna and
Finale. The second column under
Grenier was also forced to abandon the
post of Borgo St Dalmazzo, and to re
treat to Robilante. When the official
accounts came away, the Austrians
were hill in pursuit of the French.—
Gen. Bellegarde was on the 15th at
Bagnafco, from whence he proceeded
to Riviera, Coni is vigorously besieged,
and as Lemone and Ormena are taken,
the siege can be carried on without in
terruption. An unofficial article men
tions the capture of the Col di Tenda,
of which our readers have already been
informed from the Paris papers, It is
•added, that the French have been driv
en from the vallies of the Maria, and
that the Austrians have advanced be
yond the frontiers. Gen. Melas is to be
strongly reinforced. The troops that
besieged Ancona are on their march
to join him, and he is to receive 20,000
more men from the Austrian .States.
The exchange of couriers within this fortnight
between Petersburg and Vienna, has been more
frequent than ever. It is said that the objed
is an extraordinary reinforcement of Ruflian„aux
iliaries. Besides the Ruffians already on their
march! the ccurt of Petersburg has determined
to fend 150,000 men against Prance, a great
part of whom are to commence thpir march in
Jan. next.
Os a corpsof 60,000 men heretofore fpokenof,
14,000 have already arrived in Gallicia.
The states of Hungary havoagain determined
to fend further reinforcements into the field if
nece&ry.
To-day's Court Gazette contains a report of
General Melas, from Marozzo, of the 14th
foft. refpeding the events,nearCunco. The ene
my had the important village Brainette in posses
sion. Gen. Mitrowlky drove him out of it on the
13th and maintained his pofition,altho' the ene
my made two attempts to dislodge him. The
enemy's total loss is 1000 men—ours, 15 killed
116 wounded, and 54 miffing. A whole batta
lion of the enemy, consisting of 500 men was cut
off, and 450 men,befidcs 16 officers, were taken
prisoners.
The Vienna Court Gazette fays, that
no official accounts has yet been receiv
ed at Constantinople of any engage
ment having taken place between the
Grand Vizer's army and the French in
Egypt.
Yet midfl all these preparations for
war, the public mind at Vienna still
hopes for a speedy peace ; and the late
Revolution at Paris has, it is said, given
frefh confidence to these hopes. The
Consul Ducos's brother, who was sent
to Maffena's army, had, it is rumoured,
full powers to conclude an armistice.
No armistice however, has been con
cluded—though no very adive opera
tions have taken place lately,-either in
Switzerland or in Suabia. Gen. Sztar
ray's corps has been reinforced, and a
decisive attempt is expected to be made
to relieve Philipfbufg. Maffena's army
is drawing towards Suabia, into which
it is evidently their intention to pene
trate.
Duroc, Buonaparte's Aid-de Camp,
who was sent to Berlin, to notify the
change that has taken place at # Paris,
has had an audience of his Prussian
Majesty.—He has also had frequent
conferences with Gen. Mollendorff and
other Generals.
LINDAU, OCT 25.,
The united armies of field marshal Suwarrow
and Korfakow, are principally still inour neigh
borhood'; only several regiments having moved
byway of Bregentz, towards Rhejneck The
Ruffian head-quarters are still here. Provisions
in this city and whole neighborhood are daily
becoming scarcer and dearer.,
The army of the arch-duke is securely sta
tioned in the vicinity of Shaffaufen, without in
terruption.
LONDON, DECA J.
The Hamburg mail due on Wednes
day, arrived this morning.
The Ruffians have begun their march
homeward. On the 25th ult. the
head-quarters of Suwarrow were re
moved from Augfburg to Eiratfbufg, in
Bavaria, a distance of about eighteen
miles. The Ruffians cross the Lech
daily, in divisions of 4000 each. The
whole army, upon its arrival in Bava
ria, will be divided into two columns,
one of which is to take its route through
Bohemia to Cracow, the other is to
proceed through Moravia to Gallicia.
We fee less and less reason for suppos
ing that the difference between the
Imperial Courts will be Qljufted,or that
the orders for the return of the Ruffians
will be countermanded.
EngH/h Editorial Remarks.
VIENNA, OCT. 26.
PARIS, DEC. I.
I CONTINUATION OF
I French Affairs.
COUNCIL OF ANCIENTS.
PARIS, NOV. 10.
The President began by reading a
letter from Barras, for which fee the fit
ting of the Council of Five Hundred.
Cornudet : for the present the Coun
cil should only think of giving assent to
the decree of yesterday : the delibera
tion was here interrupted, and the Pre-'
fident said,
Representatives, General Buonapar
te has come among you to denounce
counter revolutionary confpiracics ;he
I was received with fraternal affedion ;
he went afterwards to the Council of
Five Hundred ;he was received with
daggers—(an emotion of horror.)
Lucien Buonaparte was escorted by
his guard to the Council of Elders.—
There he rendered an account of the af
flicting situation of the Council of Five
Hundred ; of the tyrannical influence
exercised by some members, and of the
gutter impracticability of all delibera
tion.
The Council had suspended business;
but the Members remained in their Hall
waiting a Meflage from the Five Hun
. dred.
At four o'clock, a considerable de-°
gree of emotion was manifeft in the
Council—all the members took their
feats. _
General Buonaparte was announc
ed ; he entered, followed by his Aid-de
Camps, and demanded leave to speak.
The President granted him permis
sion.
General Buonaparte.—“ Represen
tatives of the People, you are not no w
in an ordinary situation ; you are upon
a volcano : permit me to address you
with the freedom of a soldier, with that
of a citizen, zealous for the good of his
country, and suspend, I entreat you,
your judgment, till you have heard me
to the end.
“ I was tranquil at Paris, when I re
ceived the decreeof the Council of An
cients, stating its dangers and those of
the Republic. The instant I called,
them, I found my brethren in arms, and
we came to offer you our afliffance.—
We came to offer you the arms of the
nation, of which you are the head.—
Our intentions were pure and disinter
ested—yet, as a reward for that devo^
tion which we manifefteclye fterday, wot
are to day loaded witli calumny. They
talk of a new Casar, anew Cromwell.
They report that I wish to establish a
military government.
“ Representatives of the People ! if
I had willied to oppress the liberty of
my country —if I had wished to usurp
the supreme authority, I should not have
obeyed the q^dersyou give me. I should
have had no occgon to have received
my authority from the Senate. I have
been invited to aflame it more than
once, and under circumstances peculi
ary favourable. After our triumphs
in Italy, (was called to it by the withes
of the nation, by the wishes of my com
rades, by the wishes of my soldiers,
who have been so ill treated since I have -
had the honour of commanding them;
by those soldiers who are now under
the neccflity of waging a horrible war
in the departments of the weft, which
your wisdom, and the return to princi
ples, had calmed, and which incapaci
ty and treason could alone have rekind
led.
“ I swear to you Representatives of
the People, the country boasts not a
defender more zealous than myfelf.
I entirely devote myfelf to the execu
tion of your orders ; but it is in your
breads, the fafety of the country must
ultimately repofc, for there is no longer
any directory,—four of the Members,
who composed it, have given in their
resignation, arid the fifth has been put
under a guard for his personal fafety.
The dangers are pressing—the evil
encreafes—the Minister of Police has
just informed me that in La Vendee 1
many places have fallen into the hands
of the Chouans. Representatives of
the People, the Council of Antients is
invested with a mighty power, but it
is also animated by the greatest qvifdear;
Consult only its wisdom and the immi
nence of the danger that threatens; pre
vent diftradions among yourselves ; —
let us avoid losing fight of those two
objects for which we have made so ma
ny facrifices—Liberty and equality!"
Ringlet. —" And the Constitution ?"
General Buonaparte.—“ The Con
stitution ! you have violated it on the
, 18th Fru&idor; you have violated it
on the 22d Floreal ,• you have violated
it on the 30th Prairial. The Consti
tution ! it is invoked by all factions,
and it is, violated by all, it is despised
by all ; it can no longer afTure our fafe
ty, for it is no longer fefpefted' by any
one. Representatives of the People, you
do not behold in me a miserable intri
guer, who Conceals himfelf under the
mask of a hypocrite. I have proofs of
my devotion to the Republic, & there
fore all dissimulation is ufclefs. I only
hold forth this language to you,becaufe
I am desirous that so many facrifices
should not be thrown away. The Con
stitution, as well as the rights of the
people, have been often violated ; and
as it is not allowed to us to render to
that Constitution the r^fpe& it ought
to have, let us at lead pref&ve the ba
;that I have not accepted the authority
! which you have entrusted to me, but
;to support the cause of the Republic.
.I will not conceal from you, Represen
tatives of the people, that in taking the
command, I have depended chiefly up
on the Council of Antients. I have not
depended on the Council of Five
Hundred, which is divided, and where-
ral should be heard in public.
General Buonaparte.—“ I repeat to
you, Representatives of the People, the
Constitution once violated, no longer
affords any security to the citizens, it
cannot produce harmony, for its sys
tem without the diapason ; it cannot
save the country, for it does not refped
individuals. I repeat that, Ido not hold
this language in order to obtain a pow
er after the fall of the authorities ; that
power has been offered me since my re
turn to Paris. The different factions
have attended me, I have not listened
to them, because I am of no coterie or
party. My party is that of the French
nation.
" Many members of the Council of
Antients know that I have communi
cated to them what has been done, and
tion shall be regarded as a vile impos
tor ? I declare to you I have agreed in
the measure proposed for removing the
place of your fittings, because I knew
of the proportions which had been
made to Gen. Buonaparte. What qual
ification is necessary to silence the
doubts ofthofe who demand proofs ?"
Fargues- —" Since proofs are deman
ded, I propofe.that three copies of the
speech of Buonaparte be printed."
This proposition was adopted.
General Buonaparte —" If I must ex-
Cornudet —“ I demand that the Gen
eral may continue to explain in public;
and I will afterwards propose that the
Council of Five Hundred should be re
quired to adopt measures of public fafe
ty. When we are debating upon the
fafety of the country, every one is con
cerned, and the Representatives are on
ly those appointed to propose, in the
firft instance, measures of public fafety
Let us reflect, Representatives of the
People, that if liberty is loft to us, it is
loft to the whole universe. I demand
that' General Buonaparte may continue;
he can have nothing to conceal after
what he has said."
Duffan —" I perceive great agitation
in the Assembly; at a time when it
ought particularly to be calm. What
are we, if not Republicans and Repre
sentatives of the people ? A conspiracy
is talked of ; we ought to be informed
of it ; we ought to receive the details
from General Buonaparte, since our
Committee of Infpe&ors has not been
willing to give them."
The President.—" I will not puffer
our colleagues to be calumniated. The
Committee of Infpedors has never re
fufed to give details upon the cenfpira
cy : it has already given them ; audit
is not a moment since one of its mem
bers said, “ He would give the fulled
information."
Duffan. —" I demand that the Coun
cil forms itfelfinto a Secret Committee
ot hear General Buonaparte."
Many Voices. —" No ! No, publicly."
The Council decreed that the Gene-
to revive the Convention, Revolution
ary Committees, and the fcaffold where
^he chiefs of a party are at this moment
fitting, and from whence emissaries
are dispatched to organizea commotion
in Paris.
I will do so. I will fay, that the Di
re^ors Barras and Moulins proposed to
place me at the head of a party, whose
object was to destroy those men who
are poffefTed of liberal ideas.
Some voiceft —“ A general Committee."
Many others. —“ No, no, let every
thing be said publicly."
Lauffet —“ I oppose myfelf to the
formation of a general Committee.—
Since General Buonriparte has denoun
ced the confpiraty and the conspirators
let every thing be proclaimed in the face
of all France. We Should be the mod
unworthy of men, if we did not adopt
every measure which may preserve lib
erty and equality."
“ Let not those plots dismay you,
Representatives of the People ; sur
rounded by my brethren in arms, I shall
know how to protest you. I attest
their courage to you. Ypu, my brave
comrades, you in whose eyes they would
paint me as the enemy of liberty ; you
ns on which It reports —Equality-Lib
erty—Let us find th; means of aiTur
ing to every man that liberty which is
due to him, and which the Constitution
is not able to guarantee to him. I de
clare to you, that as soon as the danger,
in confluence of which I have been en
trdfted with such extraordinary powers
are puffed, I shall abdicate those pow
ers ; I shall be intirely at the disposal
of the Magistracy you shall appoint ; to
the arm that shall be entrusted with,Bc
shall execute your orders."
The Council demanded that the ris
ing of the fittings fhpuld be delayed,
which was agreed to.
The Council granted General Buon
aparte leave to take 'ajfeat.
Cornudet —“ You have just heard, Re
prefeutatives of the people, and who
on whom you have bellowed so 'many
honours ? he before whom Europe and
shall doubt, that a coufpiracy exists, he
the whole world bow in silent admira-
press myfelf fully, if I must name men,
in members are to be found who wish
“ Yes, yes ! No didlatorfhip," cried a num
ber of voices. " Down with the dictators ! to
the vote on the proposal for taking the oath.
These exclamations were followed by agita
tion, tumult, and threatening gesticulations.
The President put on hi? hat.
The cries of “ down nuitb the dilators—no die
tatorfei," continued.
The President. "I am too sensible of the dig
nity which belongs to the character of President
of the Council, to permit any of the insolent
menaces of some of the speakers, and I declare
grenadiers, whole caps I perceive § you
you, soldiers, whose bayonets, I observe
those Bayonets which I have so often
directed to the disgrace of the enemy,
the humiliation of kings, and have so
often employed in founding new repub
lics. If any Speaker in the pay of our
enemies, talks of placing me out of the
protection of the law, let him take care
that he is not himfelf the objed of such
advice. If he talks of putting me out
of the protection of the law, I will ap
peal to you, my brave companions in
arms, to you, my brave soldiers, whom
I have so often led on to victory ; to
you, brave defenders of the Republic,
with whom I have shared so many dan
gers in order to establish liberty and e
quality. I will my brave friends, place
my truth in your courage, and my own
fortune, I invift you, Representatives
of the People, to form yourselves into
a general committee, and to adopt sal
utary measures, which the urgency of
the dangers commands."
The President—“ General, the coun
cil has determined to invite yoif to de
velope in its full extent the plot with
which the Re, üblic is threatened."
~I The formation £ a committee of five mem
bers, who Ihall be charged to present a report on
the situation of the Republic.
ad. That this report shall be presented during
the present fitting.
3d That all prepositions on the fubjed be
referred to this committee.
4th That all deliberations be suspended till
the report be received.
Prefident —"It is Grandmaifon s turn to speak."
Barrel —" First of all let us take an oath of
fidelity to the constitution.".
" Yes, yes," exclaimed all the members at
once : and the cry of vine la Constitution, resound
ed from every part of the hall.
“ In spite of the bayonets that threaten us,"
continued Delbrel "in the midst of the tumult
we are free."
Tranquility was at length restored, & Grand
maifon aicended the tribune to speak.
Grandmaifon. " Representatives, all France
will doubtless hear with aftonifbnicnt, that the
Council of Five Hundred, in compliance with
the Constitutional Convocation of the Council
of Elders, has affembkd in this place without
being apprized of its real situation, and of the
extraordinary dangers on which this extraordi
nary measure is founded. Before then we ap
point a Committee to confider what tee are to
do, we ought to appoint a Committee to enquire
what bar been done. We are told of factions, and
unqueflionably they exifl. For a long time past
they have held us under a yoke of iron. True
it is, we have long exhibited it to view; but if
factious men are powerful, yet they must be
Gen. Buonaparte—“ I had the hon
our to inform the council, that the con-
Kitution cannot save the country, and
that we must h^ve recourse to an or
der of things which may enable us to
draw it from the abyss, where it at pre
sent is. The firft part of what I have
repeated to you was said by the mem
bers of the Directory, whom I have
named ; and who would not have been
more culpable than many others in
France, if they had confined themselves
to what all France admits. Since it is
known that the constitution cannot save
the Republic, hasten to adopt means to
avert the danger, if you do not wish to
receive the eternal reproaches of the
French nation, of your families, and of
yourselves."•
" Citizens Representatives," said he, "a de
cree of the Council of Elders has transferred your
fittings to this place. This extraordinary meas
ure has proceeded from the flatement of the
existence of extraordinary dangers. The Coun
cil of Elders have announced to the French
people that they have made use of the right
with which they are invested by the load arti
cle of the constitution, in order to repress fac
tion and give peace to the country.
" Recall to your recollection, citizens Repre
sentatives the epoch of the 30th Prairial. Your
object then was to put a flop to the tyranny of
the Directory, and to give to the French people
the enjoyment of that liberty they so much love.
Confider the events which followed that day in
which you have figured either as fpeCtators or
important aCtors Never were the dignity and
independence of the Legislative Body less ref
peCted, never was an utter oblivion of all liber
al and philosophic views more complete. Never
was there a more visible and rapid return to
the errors of servitude and monarchy.•
“ On one hand the royalists no longer thought
it necessary to conspire in secret.—They raised
the standard of revolt. On the other, the ex
travagant ideas of frantic demagogues excited
ferment and agitation. These factious dema
gogues brandilh the axe of terror over every head,
and hold it suspended, but by a single thread.
"It is titre to favqthe country. It is time to
revert to the principles of the revolution, and
to secure to the people the enjoyment of all the
blcffings they wished to obtain by so many facri
ficesr —lt is in your power. Be in the month of
Brumaire what you were in Frudidor.
" I move then—
The Council received the resolution concern
ing the suppression of the Directory, the exclu
sion of the 62 members, and the adjournment
of the Legislative Body. Some opposition was
made to the insertion of two names on the lift.
COUNCIL OF FIFE HUNDRED, Nov. 10.
Lucian Buonaparte, President.
Sittings at St. Cloud.
In pursuance of the decree parted yesterday
by the Council of Eiders, the fitting was held in
the green house of the ci-devant castle of St.
Cloud. The necessary preparations for the re
ception of the council, retarded the opening of
the fitting till two o'clock.
The minutes of the fitting of the 17th Bru
maire, (Nov. 8) were read.
Bodin afeended the tribune, to speak on a mo
tion of order.
The General retired.
EVENING SITTING OF loth NOV.
faiGble, fru:a the liberty with whfcft +? ; >-
clare our feotiments, that they cannot hme to -
reduce us to a fubraiffion to their defigrs.
“ I propose therefore to demand of the Cun
ci! of Elders, to be informed of the motives
which didated our removal to this place. (Mur,
raers.) It must surely have been to save the
Cogitation, and not merely to save the Republic,
for the latter is a word which every body un
derstands in his own way. Some will speak of
a Republic like that of the United States of A
merica ; and others perhaps will contend, that
the Constitution of England is a Epeeits of Re
public. But it is the Conftitational Republic
! which the people of France are entitled to have,
as the price of the facrifices which for ten years
have been made by every individual in the coun
try- I,ordia»y, therefore, fuppouthe proposal
for taking an oath: and however unacceptable it
may seem to be, I repeat my suggestion of a
message to the Council of Elders, to know ther
reasons for our removal to this place."
" Seconded," exclaimed a number of Mem
bers.
Duplaintier —“l move that the Coun
cil fix the hour rind moment for appoint
ing a successor to citizen Barras.'
" Crochon.^ :“ The appointment of
a successor to a Member of the higher
Magiftraqy in the Rate is an obje& of
too much Hliportance to be decided
without mature deliberation. As the
Constitution has allowed the Council
of Five Hundred 5 days for this purpose,
and 5 more to the Council of Elders,'it
has as it were forbidden the Legislative
Body to proceed in this matter ex abrt,- fr
to. I move the adjournment of the bal
lot till tomorrow at to o'clock.
Grandataifon^—" The Council must
recoiled a period when they thought
welfare might have formerly fumm@n
ed me, the perils of Liberty are now
surmounted, and the interests of the
Armies secured. I return with joy to
the rank )of a simple Citizen, happy, af
ter so many storms, to transfer, com
plete and more refpedable than ever,the,
destinies of the Republic, of which I
was one of the depofitaries.
I'ive la Republic ! Five la CGrpi^rfty !
The sense of the Assembly being taken, a
great number of members flood up in support
of this motion.
" Those against, rife /"exclaimed every voice.
Nobody rose at alt
Tbebnult wished to be heard.
“ The Oath !" exclaimed a number of voices.
'The Vote !'
The PrefiJent stated, that a proposal had been
made to inform the Council of Elders that the
Council of Five Hundred was constituted.
Several members proposed likewise to inform
the Directory.
Bertrand (of Calvados) observed, that the
Constitution required that a majority of the
whole members should be present to constitute
the Council, which would appear on calling
over the names for the vote.
The names were then called over, and the
members individually took the oath.
After the oaths had been taken, Begonnet as
cended the tribune to speak.
Begonnet —“ The oath, taken in the Green
boule of St. Cloud, will likewise be recorded in
the annals of the revolution. It cannot be com
pared to that of the Tennis Court at Paris, be
cause then the Representatives were surrounded
by bayonets, directed by a despot. Now the
boyonets are in the hands of the republicans,
who will employ them only in the defence of
liberty."
" Citizens Representatives,
1 engaged in public affairs, solely from a
pinion for Liberty, and consented to ac
cept the firft Magistracy of the State, in
order that I might support her in times
of peril, by my zeal to protest the Pat
riots who had exposed themselves in her
Cause, from the attempts of her ene
mies, and to ensure to.the Defenders of
the Country, those particular attentions
which could not have been more con
stantly paid to them, than by a Citizen
who had formerly been a witness of the
heroic Virtues, and who was ever affect
ed by their wants.
“ The glory which accompanies tha
return of the illustrious Warrior, to
whom I had the happiness to open the
career ot renown,the diftinguilhed marks
of confidence given to him by the Le
gislative Body, an'd the Decree of the
National Representation, have convinc
ed me that to whatever poll the Public
Health and Refeefl. "BARRAS."
Duplantier —“ You have just heard
read a Letter in which one of the Di
redors gives in his resignation."
“No! No!" exclaimed several voices.
“ Yes I Yes !" cried others.
" Bravo I Bravo ?" exclaimed a number of
voices. " Fivent the defenders of the country."
CrocLon —"l move that a proclamation be
issued to the French people, to declare that the
national representatives are regularly conttitut
ed in assembly at St. Cloud, and that a message
be sent to the Council of Elders, to inform them
that we are constituted here."
“ If so," continued Darracq, “ would they
not have written to you ? I,move the order of
the day on the proposal for a message to the Di
rectory.”
" And to the Directory !" exclaimed several
members.
^rena —“ I move that a lift of the members
who have taken the oath be signed individually
by each member, and transmitted officially to
all the Communes in the Republic. You know,
likewise, that it is customary to change the Pre
sident in timeef danger, and when circumstances
require it. I move you immediately adopt this
meafu re."
Others called for the order of the day.
Dat racq —" Several menibers have proposed
that a message be sent to the Direftory, to in
form them of our installation ; but before we
can fend this message, we must know firft where
the Directory are."— A loudlaugb.
Several members exclaimed, " They are here
in this Commune, agreeably to the Constitu
tion !"
Crecbon 7 ad the declaration he had moved.
It is conceived in the following terms:
"The Council of Five Hundred declare to
the Republic, that they are constituted to the
number of a majority at St. Cloud, and that
they are fitting in that Commune.
This declaration was adopted.
A Secretary read the following Letter from
Barras :
A number of members exclaimed, " I second
the motion !"
4