General, and you, soldiers, and you, citizens, you will not acknowledge, as legislators of France, any but those who rally round me.  As for those who remain in the orangery, let force expel them.  They are not the representatives of the people, but the representatives of the poniard.  Let that be their title, and let it follow them everywhere; and whenever they dare show themselves to the people, let every finger point at them, and every tongue designate them by the well-merited title of representatives of the poniard!

   Vive la Republique!

Notwithstanding the cries of “Vive Bonaparte!” which followed this harangue, the troops still hesitated.  It was evident that they were not fully prepared to turn their swords against the national representatives.  Lucien then drew his sword, exclaiming, “I swear that I will stab my own brother to the heart if he ever attempt anything against the liberty of Frenchmen.”  This dramatic action was perfectly successful; hesitation vanished; and at a signal given by Bonaparte, Murat, at the head of his grenadiers, rushed into the hall, and drove out the representatives.  Everyone yielded to the reasoning of bayonets, and thus terminated the employment of the armed force on that memorable day.

At ten o’clock at night the palace of St. Cloud, where so many tumultuous scenes had occurred, was perfectly tranquil.  All the deputies were still there, pacing the hall, the corridors, and the courts.  Most of them had an air of consternation; others affected to have foreseen the event, and to appear satisfied with it; but all wished to return to Paris, which they could not do until a new order revoked the order for the removal of the Councils to St. Cloud.

At eleven o’clock Bonaparte, who had eaten nothing all day, but who was almost insensible to physical wants in moments of great agitation, said to me, “We must go and write, Bourrienne; I intend this very night to address a proclamation to the inhabitants of Paris.  To-morrow morning I shall be all the conversation of the capital.”  He then dictated to me the following proclamation, which proves, no less than some of his reports from Egypt, how much Bonaparte excelled in the art of twisting the truth to own advantage: 

To the people.

19th Brumaire, 11 o’clock, p.m.

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.