The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-11


exhibited at this time scene Of distressing
confusion. He adds: 1.-The Directory gave
mp guillotining; 1t only transported. IL
ceased TO force people to take assignats
npon pain Of death; but 80 paid nobody.
Our soldiers, without arms and without
bread, were beaten instead Of being victo-
Eious"
The ambition of Napoleon found In this
situation a fitting opportunity. The Di-
rectors were Sieyes, Barras, Ducos Hou-
lins and Gohier. The legislative branch of
tho government consisted Of Senate, or
Council of Ancicnts and Council Of Five
Hundred. The latter constituted the pop
ular branch. OF this body Lucien Bona
partc, brother of the General, was presi-
dent. Hardly had Napoleon arrived In the
capital when n conspiracy was formed by
him with Sieyes, Lucien, and others of rev.
olutionary disposition, TO do away by
coup with the too democratic system, and
10 replace IL with a stronger and more cen
tralized order. The Council Of Ancients
was to be brought around by tho influence
of Sieyes. To Lucien Bonaparte the more
difficult task was assigned Of controlling
and revolutionizing the Assembly AS for
Napoleon, Sieyes procured for him the
command OF the military forces of Paris;
and by another decree the sittings of the
two legislative councils were transferred to
St. Cloud.
The 18th Brumaire of the Year VIII,
corresponding to the 9th of November,
1709 was fixed as the day for the revolu-
tion. To Napoleon the crisis was an epoch
OF fate. The conspiracy embraced the res
ignation Of Sieyes, Barras and Ducos,
whioh--coming suddenly on the appointed
morning-broke up the Directory. Bona
parte then put out his hand as commander
of the troops. Too late the Republicans of
she Council of Five Hundred felt the earth
quake swelling under their feet. Napoleon
appeared at the bar Of the Assembly, and
attempted rambling and incoherent jus
tiflcation for what was going on. A mo-
tion was made to outlaw him; but the sol
diers rushed in; and tho refractory mem
bers were seized or expelled. A few who
were In with the revolution remained, and
TO the number of fifty voted decree max
ing Sioyes, Bonaparte and Ducos provi-
sional Consuls, thus comforting on them
the supreme executive power of the State
by nightfall the business was accomplish
ed, and the man of Ajaccio slept in the
Palace Of the Tuilerics. He had said to
Bourrienne, On that morning, "We shall
sleep to- night In tho Tuilcries-or in
prison"
Tho new order was Immediately made
organic. There could be no question when
Three Consuls were appointed and Bona
parte ono Of the numbev, which Of the
three would be First Cznsul 10 would
be that himself; tho 5thor two might be
the ciphers which should make LSs unit
100. The ssow system was def1ned as the
Pr9Tisionary Consulate; blN this form
wns only transitional. Tho managers of
the coup went rapidly forward TO make II
permanent. The Constitution OF tho Year
Ill gave place quickly to the Constitution
of the Year VIII, which provided for an
executive government, under the name OF
the CONSULATE Eominally the Con.
sulate was to be an executive committee
Of three, but really an executive of one
with two associates. Tho three men chosen
were Napoleon Bonnpartc, Jean Jacques
Cambaceres and Charles Francois Lebrun
On Christmas day, 1890, Napoleon was
mnde FIRST CONSUL; and that signined
tho beginning Of n new order, destined TO
endure for sixteen aud a-half years, and
10 end at Waterloo.
beginning Of the union IN him OF great
military and great political power. Hence.
forth he was destined, TO tho end Of his
career, 20 be the State OF France To his
will all things now became rapidly sub
scrvient. His asccndency was henceforth
The most striking example Of merely per
0nal power that tho world has witnessed
Since the days OF Julius Caesar or a Ger.
tainty, History, begotten by Reason in
tho womb Of Eternity, Is not mode-nevcr
was node--by any man. But ths lines OF
historical causation were emorode1ectednn
tetermined In their course and connection
by the will Of Napoleon than by any Other |
one man for the last eighteen centuries.
The rapid sscendsncy Of this extrsordi. !