Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-24
BoNAPARTEs OPPORTUNITY.
Hgw He Took Advantage of the Over
 throw of the Constitution.

HgW He Took Advantage of the Over.
 throw of the Constitution.
 All night long, from the 16 to IT Brumaire, committee of the Ancients was in session, infinitely perfecting their plans. Next morning at the faithful majority, having been summoned &C., cording to form, convened as the coun- cil, for the doubtful members had ei- ther not been summoned at all or had received notice of later hour. As soon as quorum was present, Cornet, a 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, 103 and 104 of the constitution, both branches of the legislature should meet next day at noon, and not before, in the palace of St. Cloud; that General Bona parte should be intrusted with the exc cution of thDir decree, and that 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- ed, but including the stanch republican Lefebre, commander of the garrison, had | gathered ill and before Bonaparte' s house. They had been requested to come ill uniform in order to arrange for a re- view. It was noticed that Bernadotte, l though present, was not in uniform. He had so far yielded to the Embellishments I of his brother-in-law as to come, but de- | clared that he would obey only what was at that moment the chief authority l 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 Bonaparte knew his man. "Would you, 8 supporter of the re- | public, leave it to perish in the hands
 of these lawyers?" was his greeting.
 "See, here is the sword I carried at the Pyramids. I give it to you as 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 ed impulse the officers fourished their l swords in response. It was but an in- stant before they were mounted, and
 with Bonaparte ill front the cavalcade, headed by men either already famous or | destined to become so-Macdonald, Se-
 rurier, Murat, Lannes, Andreossy, Der | thier and Lefebre-proceeded to the 1 council chamber. It needed but nasty | glance, as they passed through the city,
 to see that preconcerted orders had al ready been carefully executed. The 1 troops were all under arms and at their
 stations '~l commanding places through out the ; T. Arrived at the Tuileries,
 the gene; ,:ld his glittering escort en- l tered the chamber.
 | "Citizen delegates" he said, "the re, | public was falling. You understood the
 situation; your course has saved it. Woe l to them who cause disorder or disturb
 ance! With the help of General Lefebre of General Berthier and my other breth. ren ill 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 a republic founded il
 true liberty, in civil liberty, in popular
 representation. We are going to have it.
 swear it ill my own name and in that
 of my brethren in arms!' ''We swear
 it!' was the antiphonal response of tht
 assembled generals. Some one indis
 creetly suggested that Bonaparte hat
 sworn, but not the oath of allegiance to
 the constitution required by their pre-
 vious action, but the president hurriedly
 declared all further proceedings out O
 order, the assembly having adjourned
 by its own act. Professor w. M
 Sloane's ''Life of Napoleon" in Century