The Revolutionary Period in Europe (1763-1815) Volume 308 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 Excerpt: ...lands, once property of the Church or of the emigrant nobles, were afraid of being despoiled. Generals in the field were alarmed and angry. Hoche in the north and Bonaparte in Italy provoked from their 5VP' soldiers declarations threatening the royalists and the "friends of England." The majority of the directors, led by Barras, 1796-9? determined to purge the councils and to arrest their colleagues Carnot and Barthelemy. For this work they needed as commander of the troops in Paris a general who could be depended upon. After an abortive attempt to use Hoche, they turned to Bonaparte, who, unwilling to compromise himself personally in the affair, sent General Augereau, a noisy Jacobin. On September 4, 1797 (18 Fructidor), the expected coup d'etat was accomplished. The city gates were closed and the editors and proprietors of opposition newspapers, hostile coun-18Ul cilors, and the director Barthelemy, were arrested. Carnot sue-rmcUdor ceeded in escaping. The councils, purged of the opposition, condemned to deportation fifty-three deputies and the editors or proprietors of forty-two journals. The elections in fortynine departments were annulled, depriving of their seats nearly all deputies recently chosen, including those of Paris and of neighboring departments. The press was subjected to police control, and the laws against the emigrants and the dissident priests were renewed. The consequence was a little reign of terror, a dictatorship of the faction of the ex-Conventionals. Hoche thought the republic was saved, and Bonaparte was glad that the press was silenced and that the legislature was taught to eschew ambition. Three weeks after the coup d'etat the directorial government confessed itself to be bankrupt by paying two-thirds of the public deb...