e
presented to the inflamed populace the bloody robe of Caesar." I
know not if he really believed that France would have then called
Bernadotte to the head of affairs, but what I am quite sure of is,
that he said so for the purpose of exciting envy against that
general.

If the infernal machine had been contrived by the jacobins, the
first consul might have immediately redoubled his tyranny; public
opinion would have seconded him: but as this plot proceeded from
the royalist party, he could not derive much advantage from it. He
endeavoured rather to stifle, than avail himself of it, as he wished
the nation to believe that his enemies were only the enemies of
order, and not the friends of another order, that is to say, of the
old dynasty. What is very remarkable, is, that on the occasion of a
royalist conspiracy, Bonaparte caused, by a senatus consultum, one
hundred and thirty jacobins to be transported to the island of
Madagascar, or rather to the bottom of the sea, for they have never
been heard of since. This list was made in the most arbitrary manner
possible; names were put upon it, or erased, according to the
recommendations of counsellors of state, who proposed, and of
senators, who sanctioned it. Respectable people said, when the
manner in which this list had been made was complained of, that it
was composed of great criminals; that might be very true, but it is
the right and not the fact which constitutes the legality of
actions. When the arbitrary transportation of one hundred and thirty
citizens is submitted to, there is nothing to prevent, as we have
since seen, the application of the same treatment to the most
respectable persons.--Public opinion, it is said, will prevent this,
Opinion! what is it without the authority of law? what is it without
independent organs to express it? Opinion was in favor of the Duke
d'Enghien, in favor of Moreau, in favor of Pichegru:--was it able to
save them? There will be neither liberty, dignity, nor security in a
country where proper names are discussed when injustice is about to
be committed. Every man is innocent until condemned by a legal
tribunal; and the fate of even the greatest of criminals, if he is
withdrawn from the law, ought to make good people tremble in common,
with others. But, as is the custom in the English House of Commons,
when an opposition member goes out, he requests a ministerial member
to pair off with him, not to alter the strength of either party,