e the suspensive veto which the Constitution of 1791 had given
to the King. Then there was to be an executive body, and that was
merely the Committee of Public Safety modified. {235} There were to
be five Directors elected for individual terms of five years, and
holding general control over foreign affairs, the army and navy, high
police and the ministries. The constitution further reaffirmed the
declaration of the rights of man and guaranteed the sales of the
national lands.

This constitution had many good points, was not ill adapted to the
needs and aspirations of France in the year 1795, and it was hailed
with delight by the public. This at first seemed a good symptom. But
the Convention soon discovered that this delight was founded not so
much on the excellence of the constitution, as on the fact that putting
it into force would enable France to get rid of the Convention, of the
men of the Revolution. This was a sobering thought.

After some consideration of this difficult point, the Convention
decided, about the end of August, on a drastic step. To prevent the
country from excluding the men of the Convention from the Council of
Five Hundred, it enacted that two-thirds of the members of the new body
must be taken from the old; this was the famous decree of the
two-thirds, or decree of Fructidor. Now there was something to be said
for this decree. It was, {236} of course, largely prompted by the
selfish motive of men who, having power, wished to retain it. But it
could be urged that since the fall of Robespierre the Convention had
steered a difficult course with some ability and moderation, and had
evolved a reasonable constitution for France. Was it not therefore
necessary to safeguard that constitution by preventing the electors
from placing its execution in the hands of a totally untried body of
men?

Whatever there might be to say in favour of the decrees of Fructidor,
they provoked an explosion of disgust and disappointment on the part of
the public. The sections of Paris protested loudly, sent petitions to
the Convention asking for the withdrawal of the decrees, and, getting
no satisfaction, took up a threatening attitude. The Convention had
weathered worse-looking storms, however; it held on its course and
appointed the 12th of October for the elections. The sections, led by
the section Lepeletier, thereupon organized resistance.

On the 4th of October, 12th of Vendemiaire, the sections of