as
vice-president, of Panatheri as secretary, of Arena as Salicetti's
substitute, of Pozzo di Borgo and Gentili as members of the directory.
Colonna, one of the delegates to the National Assembly, was a member
of the same group. The younger patriots, or Young Corsica, as we
should say now, perhaps, were represented by their delegate and leader
Salicetti, who was chosen as plenipotentiary in Buttafuoco's place,
and by Multedo, Gentili, and Pompei as members of the directory. For
the moment, however, Paoli was Corsica, and such petty politics was
significant only as indicating the survival of counter-currents. There
was some dissent to a vote of censure passed upon the conduct of
Buttafuoco and Peretti, but it was insignificant. Pozzo di Borgo and
Gentili were chosen to declare at the bar of the National Assembly the
devotion of Corsica to its purposes, and to the course of reform as
represented by it. They were also to secure, if possible, both the
permission to form a departmental National Guard, and the means to pay
and arm it.

The choice of Pozzo di Borgo for a mission of such importance in
preference to Joseph was a disappointment to the Buonapartes. In fact,
not one of the plans concerted by the two brothers succeeded. Joseph
sustained the pretensions of Ajaccio to be capital of the island, but
the honor was awarded to Bastia. He was not elected a member of the
general directory, though he succeeded in being made a member for
Ajaccio in the district directory. Whether to work off his ill humor,
or from far-seeing purpose, Napoleon used the hours not spent in
wire-pulling and listening to the proceedings of the assembly for
making a series of excursions which were a virtual canvass of the
neighborhood. The houses of the poorest were his resort; partly by his
inborn power of pleasing, partly by diplomacy, he won their hearts and
learned their inmost feelings. His purse, which was for the moment
full, was open for their gratification in a way which moved them
deeply. For years target practice had been forbidden, as giving
dangerous skill in the use of arms. Liberty having returned, Napoleon
reorganized many of the old rural festivals in which contests of that
nature had been the chief feature, offering prizes from his own means
for the best marksmen among the youth. His success in feeling the
pulse of public opinion was so great that he never forgot the lesson.
Not long afterward, in the neighborhood of Valence,--in