Frenchmen!—­On my return to France I found division reigning amongst all the authorities.  They agreed only on this single point, that the Constitution was half destroyed, and was unable to protect liberty!

     Each party in turn came to me, confided to me their designs,
     imparted their secrets, and requested my support.  I refused to be
     the man of a party.

The Council of the Ancients appealed to me.  I answered their appeal.  A plan of general restoration had been concerted by men whom the nation has been accustomed to regard as the defenders of, liberty, equality, and property.  This plan required calm and free deliberation, exempt from all influence and all fear.  The Ancients, therefore, resolved upon the removal of the legislative bodies to St. Cloud.  They placed at my disposal the force necessary to secure their independence.  I was bound, in duty to my fellow-citizens, to the soldiers perishing in our armies, and to the national glory, acquired at the cost of so much blood, to accept the command.

The Councils assembled at St. Cloud.  Republican troops guaranteed their safety from without, but assassins created terror within.  Many members of the Council of the Five Hundred, armed with stilettoes and pistols, spread menaces of death around them.

The plans which ought to have been developed were withheld.  The majority of the Council was rendered inefficient; the boldest orators were disconcerted, and the inutility of submitting any salutary proposition was quite evident.

I proceeded, filled with indignation and grief, to the Council of the Ancients.  I besought them to carry their noble designs into execution.  I directed their attention to the evils of the nation, which were their motives for conceiving those designs.  They concurred in giving me new proofs of their uniform goodwill, I presented myself before the Council of the Five Hundred, alone, unarmed, my head uncovered, just as the Ancients had received and applauded me.  My object was to restore to the majority the expression of its will, and to secure to it its power.

The stilettoes which had menaced the deputies were instantly raised against their deliverer.  Twenty assassins rushed upon me and aimed at my breast.  The grenadiers of the legislative body, whom I had left at the door of the hall, ran forward, and placed themselves between me and the assassins.  One of these brave grenadiers (Thome) had his clothes pierced by a stiletto.  They bore me off.

          —­[Thome merely had a small part of his coat torn by a deputy,
          who took him by the collar.  This constituted the whole of the
          attempted assassinations of the 19th Brumaire.—­Bourrienne]—­

     At the same moment cries of “Outlaw him!” were raised against the
     defender of the law.  It was the horrid cry of assassins against the
     power destined to repress them.