The two chambers, on breaking up, appointed small committees to take counsel during the recess with the new heads of the executive; and, in concert with these, Buonaparte and Sieyes entered vigorously on the great task of restoring confidence and peace at home.  The confusion of the finances was the most pressing of many intolerable evils; and the first day was devoted to them.  In lieu of forced loans, by which the Directory had systematically scourged the people, all the regular taxes were at once raised 25 per cent.; and the receipt and expenditure of the revenue arranged on a business-like footing.  The repeal of the “Law of Hostages”—­a tyrannical act, by which the relations of emigrants were made responsible for the behaviour of their exiled kinsmen,—­followed immediately, and was received with universal approbation.  A third and a bolder measure was the discarding of the heathen ritual, and re-opening of the churches for Christian worship; and of this the credit was wholly Napoleon’s, who had to oppose the philosophic prejudices of almost all his colleagues.  He, in his conversations with them, made no attempt to represent himself as a believer in Christianity; but stood on the necessity of providing the people with the regular means of worship, wherever it is meant to have a state of tranquillity.  The priests who chose to take the oath of fidelity to government were re-admitted to their functions; and this wise measure was followed by the adherence of not less than 20,000 of these ministers of religion, who had hitherto languished in the prisons of France.  Cambaceres, an excellent lawyer and judge, was of great service to Napoleon in these salutary reforms.

Many other judicious measures might be mentioned in this place.  Some emigrants, cast on the shores by shipwreck, had been imprisoned and destined for trial by the Directory.  They were at once set free:  and, in like manner, La Fayette and other distinguished revolutionists, who had been exiled for not adhering to all the wild notions of the preceding administrations, were at once recalled.  Carnot was one of these:  Buonaparte forthwith placed him at the head of the war department; and the reform of the army was prosecuted with the vigour which might have been expected from the joint skill and talent of the provisional head of the government and this practised minister.  The confusion which had of late prevailed in that department was extreme.  The government did not even know the existence of regiments raised in the provinces:  arms, clothing, discipline in every article, had been neglected.  The organisation of the army was very speedily mended.