dren. The spite and hatred of the ministers had loaded him with
accusations; but his alleged treasons, far from depriving him of
public esteem and public affection, only endeared him to his
companions in arms, and to the nation at large.

[Footnote 25: Marshal Soult had just succeeded
General Dupont.]

Excelmans was brought to trial, and the court acquitted him[26]. The
council of war, by sanctioning the disobedience of the General,
declared that the government did not possess that authority over
reduced officers which they had assumed; and from this moment the
government was ruined. The decision by which the half-pay military
were enfranchised, and which left them at liberty to brave the
commands of the government, was a shock which beat the royal authority
to the ground.

[Footnote 26: M. Comte, one of the acute and
courageous editors of the Censor, was chosen by the
general as his "counsel." General Fressinet was his
advocate. (According to the forms of the French
courts of judicature, the counsel assists by his
advice, the advocate pleads.) This officer, equally
distinguished by his firmness, his talents, and his
bravery, was afterwards punished and exiled on
account of the generous assistance which he gave on
this important occasion to General Excelmans, his
fellow soldier and friend.]

Here I shall stop. It would be of no further use to lengthen the
history and the investigation of the absurd tyranny of the government.
If we trace the progress of the principles successively enounced by
the ministry, and the actions of which they were the authors, we shall
see that they had formed and executed the project of re-establishing
the old monarchy, and of overturning the constitutional government
either by artifice or by main force. The royal charter was spurned by
them, and they trampled without scruple on the civil and political
rights which it consecrated. Every guarantee given to the army, the
magistracy, the public functionaries, or the nation, was forgotten,
attacked, or violated. Our national glory was insulted; public feeling
was wounded. The manners and customs and opinions of the new era were
all treated with harshness: all ranks and classes of citizens
experienced