The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-05

na1 occ@ss09 nsu e!HSe al Europe 10 Der feet.
llloss, end rsr,saEk fton the stores Of other
~ u6ch theMv' ed her treasury By contribu.
We never ~
nfoupded. .~aparagraph containing more
rancar statements 1t IL not true that
: - lever made the maximum general
- contrary the Convention extended 1t
al articles Of s'prime necessity" Those
articles Of "prime necessity" it declared to
b bread, vino, butchers' meat, grain, oats,
vegetables, fruits, coal, wood, butter, cheese,
linen, cotton stuffs, and dress Of every de-
scslption except silks. II this was not max
ing Il general there is no meaning In the
word. She (France) adhered 10 1t through
al tho dark hours of her revolution" She
did no such thing. The law was passed in
Nay, 179S, by the Convention, and it was re-
pealed few weeks after. the overthrow Of
Robesplerre, which occurred on the 9th day
of July, 1877. Sixteen months was the very
utmost Of It's term of duration. It was pass
ed without any reference to tho army, but
solely to supply the large cities, which the
revolution fed with rations rs it did the
army. They had first ruined the currency,
and then, finding that producers would not
part with their produce for the worthless
assignats, and that the large cities were
threatened with famine, they passed this
precious law to plumber the producers. They
were fearful, unless they resorted to some
means to feed the multitude, lest they should
overthrow their power. In sixteen months
it destroyed production IN every district con-
tiguous to the great cities. The city Of Paris
was fed from o distance, because the mari.
man had entirely dried up the sources Of
supply nearer home. A few months more
would have converted France into a desert.
80 conscious were all parties of the destruc-
tive tendency of the law, and SO revolving
were its features to people of every class, that
it was repealed almost by reclamation.
sNever abandoned 1t until she had re-
sumsd specie currency" This is not true.
When the maximum was repealed there was
not q silver or gold coin in circulation in all
France. In 1895, two years after, Bonaparte
made his first italian campaign, In the course
Of which he levied enormous contributions
upon the King of Sardinia, the Dukes of
Aodena, Parma, and Tuscany, the cities OF
Milan, Verona, and Leghorn, the republics
Of Genoa and Venice, the Pope, and the King
Of NAPLES. These he sent In specie to Paris,
after paying his troops, and with this money
the Directory, having repudiated the assig-
mats, commenced paying specie in 1897
She did mot abandon 1t, II seems, s'until
she had composed her intestine feuds and
brought al Europe to her feet" False
again. She abandoned II In 1904. The
war OF La Vendee. the grand intestine feud
Of the time, was not pacifled until two Years
after, viz In 1895. The Instruction of the
Sections took place in 1795. The struggle
between the Convention and the Directory
took place In 1877. Bonaparte turned the
Council out and reigned In its stead in 1799
Surely, II historians and contemporary re-
cords speak truth, these were intestine
fends" Of some magnitude, and they all took
place aftor the naarimans was dead and buried.
Nor had France drought all Europe to her
feet" In 1704, when the maximum was dis.
poeed Of The treaty of Amiens, which set
tied the wars of Europe for a short period
was signed seven years afterwards. In the
intermediate time the most gigantic contest
Europe had ever witnessed was raging on
sea and land. The latter and most glorious
portion Of the campaign of 1794, that oi
1895, the marvellous exploits of Bonaparte
In Italy, the career of Johrdan and Moreau
on the Rhine, and Pichegru in Holland, the
treaty Of Campo Formio, the invasion of
Egypt, the battle Of the Nile, the expulsion
Of the French from Italy by the Prusslans
and Austrisns, under Suvaroff. the campaign
OF Massena In Switzerland, the return of
Bonaparte, his assumption Of the reins of
Government as First Consul, the battle of
Marengo, all came in that space of time,
alter the maximum had been repealed
France, at the peace of Amiens, might be
said, Indeed, to have continental Europe at
least at her feet" but, as we have just said,
It was seven years after the maximum had
been laid to rest.
"What occasion had France to adhere to
this policy, when she fed her armies from
the stores of other nations and replenished |
her treasury by contributions upon them ?" |
Mono whatever, either then or previously. |
It was an unalloyed evil during the short |
time II continued, and had it continued |
Twelve months longer France would have
hAd no armies to feed. Besides, 1t was not
made for the benefit of the army, which was
supplied BY forced acquisitions but for the
benefit Of the great cities. "France fed her
Armies from the stores Of other nations.
France had fourteen armies, 1--WE of,which
were employed In foreign service Nine
Itatd at home-among them the largest Of
", TO wit: the army of La Vendee, mum.
Deeing 1900 men. Did the stores Of Other
,stions feed thems No; they were reduced
. crest want a. long a. the hartman was in
existence; bat af.er that had been repealed
hey we're fed at home with ease. Not q dol
n ever came into her treasury from the con-
sibutions levied on conquered countries
18TH tho maximum had been two years dead.
Il - easy to see the motive Of these mis-
Thov iufavdo6 n y,rn. |