ple. They had fought with
joyous alacrity for the assertion, confirmation, and extension of the
rights of man. For the two years from Valmy to Fleurus (1792-94) they
had waged a holy war. But victory modified their quality and their
attitude. The French people were too often disenchanted by their
civilian rulers; the army supplanted the constitution after 1796.
Conscious of its strength, and of itself as the armed nation, yet the
officers and men drew closer and closer for reciprocal advantage, not
merely political but material. The civil government must have money,
the army alone could command money, and on all the military
organization took a full commission. Already some of the officers were
reveling in wealth and splendor, more desired to follow the example,
the rank and file longed for at least a decent equipment and some
pocket money. As yet the curse of pillage was not synonymous with
conquest, as yet the free and generous ardor of youth and military
tradition exerted its force, as yet self-sacrifice to the extreme of
endurance was a virtue, as yet the canker of lust and debauchery had
not ruined the life of the camp. Emancipated from the bonds of
formality and mere contractual relation to superiors, manhood asserted
itself in troublesome questionings as to the motives and plans of
officers, discussion of what was done and what was to be done, above
all in searching criticism of government and its schemes. These were
so continuously misleading and disingenuous that the lawyer
politicaster who played such a role at Paris seemed despicable to the
soldiery, and "rogue of a lawyer" was almost synonymous to the
military mind with place-holder and civil ruler. In the march of
events the patriotism of the army had brought into prominence
Rousseau's conception of natural boundaries. There was but one opinion
in the entire nation concerning its frontiers, to wit: that Nice,
Savoy, and the western bank of the Rhine were all by nature a part of
France. As to what was beyond, opinion had been divided, some feeling
that they should continue fighting in order to impose their own system
wherever possible, while others, as has previously been explained,
were either indifferent, or else maintained that the nation should
fight only for its natural frontier. To the support of the latter
sentiment came the general longing for peace which was gradually
overpowering the whole country.

[Illustration: From the collection of W. C. Cran