the mysterious arena of confession, he is a nullity in every other battle-field.  The thunders of Rome will fall harmless on the bucklers of liberty.  The foes to your regeneration will never grow weary; no, they will never grow weary of crimes, so long as you leave them the means!  You must overcome them, or be overcome by them; and whosoever sees not this is blind.  Open the page of history; you will see the English sustaining for fifty years a disastrous war, in order to maintain their revolution.  You will see in Holland seas of blood flowing in the war against Philip of Spain.  When, in our times, the Philadelphians would be free, have we not also seen war in the two hemispheres?  You have been witnesses of the recent outbreaks in Brabant, and do you believe that your Revolution, which has snatched the sceptre from despotism, and from aristocracy its privileges, from nobility its pride, from the clergy its fanaticism—­a Revolution which has dried up so many golden sources from the grasp of the priesthood, torn so many frocks, crushed so many theories—­do you believe that such a Revolution will absolve you?  No—­no!—­this Revolution will have a denouement, and I say—­and with no intention of provocation—­that we must advance boldly towards this denouement.  The more you delay, the more difficult and blood-stained will be that triumph!” (Violent murmurs.)

“But do you not see,” resumed Isnard; “that all counter-revolutionists are obstinate, and leave you no other part than that of vanquishing them?  It is better to have to contend against them, whilst the citizens are still up and stirring, and well remember the perils they have encountered, than to allow patriotism to grow cold!  Is it not true that already we are no longer what we were in the first year of liberty; (some of the chamber applaud, whilst others disapprove).  If fanaticism had then raised its head, the law would have been subjected!  Your policy should be to compel victory to declare itself; drive your enemies to extremities, and you Will have them return to you from fear, or you will subdue them by the sword.  Under important circumstances, prudence is a weakness.  It is especially with respect to rebels that you should be decisive and severe; they should be hewn down as they rise.  If time be permitted to them to have meetings and earnest partisans, then they spread over the empire like an irresistible torrent.  It is thus that despotism acts, and it was thus that one individual kept beneath his yoke a whole nation.  If Louis XVI. had employed this great means whilst the Revolution was but yet in its cradle, we should not now be here!  This rigour, the vice of a despot, is the virtue of a nation.  Legislators, who shrink from such extreme means, are cowards—­criminals:  for when the public liberty is assailed, to pardon is to share the crime. (Great applause.)