onable
value and importance--were invaded by his administration.

The two chambers, on breaking up, appointed small committees to take
counsel during the recess with the new heads of the executive; and, in
concert with these, Buonaparte and Sieyes entered vigorously on the
great task of restoring confidence and peace at home. The confusion of
the finances was the most pressing of many intolerable evils; and the
first day was devoted to them. In lieu of forced loans, by which the
Directory had systematically scourged the people, all the regular taxes
were at once raised 25 per cent.; and the receipt and expenditure of the
revenue arranged on a business-like footing. The repeal of the "Law of
Hostages"--a tyrannical act, by which the relations of emigrants were
made responsible for the behaviour of their exiled kinsmen,--followed
immediately, and was received with universal approbation. A third and a
bolder measure was the discarding of the heathen ritual, and re-opening
of the churches for Christian worship; and of this the credit was wholly
Napoleon's, who had to oppose the _philosophic_ prejudices of almost all
his colleagues. He, in his conversations with them, made no attempt to
represent himself as a believer in Christianity; but stood on the
necessity of providing the people with the regular means of worship,
wherever it is meant to have a state of tranquillity. The priests who
chose to take the oath of fidelity to government were re-admitted to
their functions; and this wise measure was followed by the adherence of
not less than 20,000 of these ministers of religion, who had hitherto
languished in the prisons of France. Cambaceres, an excellent lawyer and
judge, was of great service to Napoleon in these salutary reforms.

Many other judicious measures might be mentioned in this place. Some
emigrants, cast on the shores by shipwreck, had been imprisoned and
destined for trial by the Directory. They were at once set free: and, in
like manner, La Fayette and other distinguished revolutionists, who had
been exiled for not adhering to all the wild notions of the preceding
administrations, were at once recalled. Carnot was one of these:
Buonaparte forthwith placed him at the head of the war department; and
the reform of the army was prosecuted with the vigour which might have
been expected from the joint skill and talent of the provisional head of
the government and this practised minister. The confusion which had of
l