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administration of the department must； in its report； give a list of
all the men and women who are responsible； these are to be taken as
〃hostages；〃 and kept in confinement at their own expense in the local
jail。 If they escape； they must be put on the same footing as
émigrés； that is to say punished with death。 If any damage is
sustained； they are to pay costs； if any murder is committed or
abduction effected； four amongst them must be deported。 Observe；
moreover； that the local authorities are obliged； under severe
penalties； to execute the law at once。 Note that； at this date； they
are ultra Jacobin； since to inscribe on the list of hostages； not a
noble or a bourgeois； but an honest peasant or respectable artisan； it
suffices for these local sovereigns to designate his son or grandson；
who might either be absent； fugitive or dead； as being 〃notoriously
〃insurgent or refractory。 The fortunes； liberties and lives of every
individual in easy circumstances are thus legally surrendered to the
despotism； cupidity and hostility of the levelers in office。 …
Contemporaries estimate that 200；000 persons were affected by this
law。＇107＇ The Directory； during the three months of existence yet
remaining to it； enforces it in seventeen departments； thousands of
women and old men are arrested； put in confinement； and ruined； while
several are sent off to Cayenne and this is called respect for the
rights of man。
VIII。 Propaganda and Foreign Conquests。
Propaganda and foreign conquests。 … Proximity and advantages of
Peace。 … Motives of the Fructidorians for breaking off peace
negotiations with England； and for abandoning the invasion of foreign
countries。 … How they found new republics。 … How governed。 …
Estimate of foreign rapine。 … Number of French lives sacrificed in
the war。
After the system which the Fructidoreans establish in France； we may
consider the system they impose abroad … always the same contrast；
between the name and the thing； the same phrases covering the same
misdeeds； and； under proclamations of liberty the institution of
brigandage。 … Undoubtedly； in any invaded province which thus passes
from an old to a new despotism； fine words cleverly spoken produce at
first the intended effect。 But； in a few weeks or months； the
ransomed； enlisted and forcibly 〃Frenchified〃 inhabitants； discover
that the revolutionary right is much more oppressive； more harassing
and more rapacious than divine right。
It is the right of the strongest。 The reigning Jacobins know no
other； abroad as well as at home； and； in the use they make of it；
they are not restrained like ordinary statesmen； by a thorough
comprehension of the interests of the State； by experience and
tradition； by far…reaching plans； by an estimate of present and future
strength。 Being a sect； they subordinate France to their dogmas； and；
with the narrow views； pride and arrogance of the sectary； they
profess the same intolerance； the same need of domination and his
instincts for propagandas and invasion。 … This belligerent and
tyrannical spirit they had already displayed under the Legislative
Assembly； and they are intoxicated with it under the Convention。
After Thermidor；＇108＇ and after Vendémiaire； they remained the same；
they became rigid against 〃the faction of old boundaries；〃 and against
any moderate policy； at first； against the pacific minority； then
against the pacific majority； against the entreaties of all France；
against their own military director； 〃the organizer of victory 〃
Carnot； who； as a good Frenchman； is not desirous of gratuitously
increasing the embarrassments of France nor of taking more than France
could usefully and surely keep。 … If； before Fructidor； his three
Jacobin colleagues； Reubell； Barras and La Révellière； broke with him；
it was owing not merely to inside matters； but also to outside
matters； as he opposed their boundless violent purposes。 They were
furious on learning the preliminary treaty of Leoben； so advantageous
to France； they insulted Carnot； who had effected it；＇109＇ when
Barthélémy； the ablest and most deserving diplomat in France； became
their colleague； his recommendations； so sensible and so well
warranted； obtained from them no other welcome than derision。＇110＇
They already desire； and obstinately； to get possession of
Switzerland； lay hands on Hamburg； 〃humiliate England；〃 and 〃persevere
in the unlucky system of the Committee of Public Safety；〃 that is to
say； in the policy of war； conquest and propaganda。 Now that the 18th
Fructidor is accomplished； Barthélémy deported； and Carnot in flight；
this policy is going to be applied everywhere。
Never had peace been so near at hand；＇111＇ they almost had）it in their
grasp； conference at Lille it was only necessary to take complete hold
of it。 England； the last and most tenacious of her enemies； was
disarming； not only did she accept the aggrandizement of France； the
acquisition of Belgium and the left bank of the Rhine； the avowed as
well as the disguised annexations； the great Republic as patron and
the smaller ones as clients； Holland； Genoa； and the Cis…Alpine
country； but； again； she restored all her own conquests； all the
French colonies； all the Dutch colonies； except the Cape of Good
Hope；＇112＇ and all the Spanish colonies except Trinidad。 All that
amour…propre could demand was obtained； and they obtained more than
could be prudently expected； there was not a competent and patriotic
statesman in France who would not have signed the treaty with the
greatest satisfaction。 … But the motives which； before Fructidor；
animated Carnot and Barthélémy； the motives which； after Fructidor；
animated Colchen and Maret； do not animate the Fructidoreans。 France
is of but little consequence to them； they are concerned only for
their faction； for power； and for their own persons。 La Révellière；
president of the Directory； through vainglory； 〃wanted to have his
name go with the general peace；〃 but he is controlled by Barras； who
needs war in order to fish in troubled waters；＇113＇ and especially by
Reubell； a true Jacobin in temperament and intellect； 〃ignorant and
vain； with the most vulgar prejudices of an uneducated and illiterate
man；〃 one of those coarse； violent； narrow sectarians anchored on a
fixed idea and whose 〃principles consist in revolutionizing everything
with cannon…balls without examining wherefore。〃＇114＇ There is no need
of knowing the wherefore； the animal instinct of self…preservation
suffices to impel the Jacobins onward； and； for a long time； their
clear…sighted men； among them Siéyès； their thinker and oracle； have
told them that 〃if they make peace they are lost。〃＇115＇ … To exercise
their violence within they require peril without； lacking the pretext
of public safety they cannot prolong their usurpation； their
dictatorship； their despotism； their inquisition； their proscriptions；
their exactions。 Suppose that peace is effected； will it be possible
for the government； hated and despised as it is； to maintain and elect
its minions against public clamor at the coming elections？ Will so
many retired generals consent to live on half…pay； indolent and
obedient？ Will Hoche； so ardent and so absolute； will Bonaparte； who
already meditates his coup…d'état；＇116＇ be willing to stand sentry for
four petty lawyers or litterateurs without any titles and for Barras；
a street…general； who never saw a regular battle？ Moreover on this
skeleton of France； desiccated by five years of spoliation； how can
the armed swarm be fed even provisionally； the swarm； which； for two
years past； subsists only through devouring neighboring nations？
Afterwards； how disband four hundred thousand hungry officers and
soldiers？ And how； with an empty Treasury； supply the millions which；
by a solemn decree； under the title of a national recompense； have
once more just been promised to them。＇117＇ Nothing but a prolonged
war； or designedly begun again； a war indefinitely and systematically
extended； a war supported by conquest and pillage can give armies
food； keep generals busy； the nation resigned； the maintenance of
power of the ruling faction； and secure to the Directors their places；
their profits； their dinners and their mistresses。 And this is why
they； at first； break with England through repeated exactions； and
then with Austria and the Emperor； through premeditated attacks； and
again with Switzerland； Piedmont； Tuscany； Naples； Malta； Russia and
even the Porte。＇118＇ At length； the veils fall and the character of
the sect stands out nakedly。 Defense of the country； deliverance of
the people； all its grand phrases disappear in the realm of empty
words。 It reveals itself just as it is； an association of pirates on
a cruise； who after ravaging their own coast； go further off and
capture bodies and goods； men and things。 Having eaten France； the
Parisian ba