The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-28
Bonaparte's Opportunity.

All night long, from the 10 to II
Brumaire, a committee of the Anoients
was in session. infinitely perfecting their
plans. Next morning at the faithful
majority, having been summoned 40
cording to form, convened as the coun-
Gil, for the doubtful members had Ell
ther not been summoned at all or had
received notice of q later hour. AS soon
as quorum was present, Cornet, we'll
known butt for the wits, rose and de-
nounced the terrible conspiracy which
was menacing them. Regnier then
moved that, according to articles 102,
1903 and 104 Of the constitution, both
branches Of the legislature should meet
next day at ifoon and not before, in the
palace Of st. Cloud that General Bona
parte should be intrusted with the exc
cution of their decree, and mat to that
end he be appointed commander of the
Paris garrison, of their own special
guard and Of the National guard that
he therefore appear and take the oath.
and that these resolutions be duly COM
municated to the directory, to the five
| hundred, and also to the public by
| printed proclamation. The motion was
| carried unanimously.
During these proceedings all the gen.
erals present in Paris except Jourdan
and Augereau. who had not been invit-
cd, but including tho stanch republican
Lefebre, commander of the garrison, had
gathered in and before Bonaparte's
house. They had been requested to come
| L., ~. 70 ffr
view 1t was noticed that Bernadotte,
though present, was not in uniform. He
had SO far yielded to the Establishments
Of his brother in law as to come, but de-
clared that be would obey only what
was at that moment the chief authority
in the state Lefebre was in uniform,
but having met on the way bodies Of
troops moving without his orders, and
not being initiated, he was naturally
startled. But BonapaIte knew his man
Would you. a supporter Of the re-
public, leave it to perish in the hands
of these lawyers?" was his greeting.
"See, here is the sword carried at the
Pyramids. l give it to you as a mark Of
my esteem and confidence
"Let US throw the lawyers into the
river" came the expected answer.
A few moments later arrived the au-
thoritative summons from the Ancients
Bonaparte stepped out on the porch and
read their proceedings aloud By unit
cd impulse the officers fourished their
swords in response 1t was but an in
slant before they were mounted, and
with Bonaparte in front the oavalcade,
headed by men either already famous or
destined to become so-Maodonald, Sc
rurier, Murat. Lannes, Andreossy. Ber-
thier and Lefebre-prooeeded to the
council chamber. 1t needed but hasty
glance, as they passed through the city,
to see that preooncerted orders had al
ready been carefully executed The
troops were all under arms and at their
stations in commanding places through
out the town Arrived at the Tuileries,
the general and his glitterin9 escort en-
tered the chamber.
"Citizen delegates, he said, 1.-THE re-
public was falling. You understood the
situation; your course has saved it. Woe
to them who cause disorder or disturb
ance With the help Of General Lefehre.
of General Berthier and my other breth-
rem in arms will arrest them Let nc
man look for precedents in the past
Nothing in history is comparable to the
end Of the eighteenth century, nothing
to the present moment Your wisdom
passed this motion our arms will exc
cute it We desire q republic founded in
true liberty, in civil liberty, in popular
representation We are going to have it.
/ swear it in my own name and in that
of my brethren in arms u 1--WE swear
i'll" was tho antiphonal response of the
assembled generals. Some one indis.
creetly suggested that Bonapa1te had
sworn, but not the oath of allegiance tc
the constitution required by their pre-
vious action, but the president hurriedly
declared all further proceedings out OF
order, the assembly having adjourned
by its own act Professor W. M.
Sloane's Life Of Napoleon" in Century.
THE Savannah" the first steamer t