History of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1814 | Page 7

its
connection with the Dutch, Lombard, and Ligurian republics, which
prolonged its system in Europe-- Royalist elections in the year V.; they
alter the position of the republic--New contest between the
counter-revolutionary party in the councils, in the club of Clichy, in the
salons, and the conventional party, in the directory, the club of Salm,
and the army--Coup d'état of the 18th Fructidor; the Vendémiaire party
again defeated.
CHAPTER XIII
FROM THE 18TH FRUCTIDOR, IN THE YEAR V. (4TH OF
SEPTEMBER, 1797), TO THE 18TH BRUMAIRE, IN THE YEAR
VIII. (9TH OF NOVEMBER, 1799)

By the 18th Fructidor the directory returns, with slight mitigation, to
the revolutionary government--General peace, except with
England--Return of Bonaparte to Paris--Expedition into
Egypt--Democratic elections for the year VI.--The directory annuls
them on the 22nd Floréal--Second coalition; Russia, Austria, and
England attack the republic through Italy, Switzerland, and Holland;
general defeats--Democratic elections for the year VII.; on the 30th
Prairial the councils get the upper hand, and disorganize the old
directory--Two parties in the new directory, and in the councils: the
moderate republican party under Sieyès, Roger-Ducos, and the ancients;
the extreme republican party under Moulins, Golier, the Five Hundred,
and the Society of the Manège--Various projects--Victories of Masséna,
in Switzerland; of Brune, in Holland--Bonaparte returns from Egypt;
comes to an understanding with Sieyès and his party--The 18th and
19th Brumaire--End of the directorial system.
THE CONSULATE
CHAPTER XIV
FROM THE 18TH BRUMAIRE (9TH OF NOVEMBER, 1799) TO
THE 2ND OF DECEMBER, 1804
Hopes entertained by the various parties, after the 18th Brumaire--
Provisional government--Constitution of Sieyès; distorted into the
consular constitution of the year VIII.--Formation of the government;
pacific designs of Bonaparte--Campaign of Italy; victory of Marengo--
General peace: on the continent, by the treaty of Lunéville with
England; by the treaty of Amiens--Fusion of parties; internal prosperity
of France --Ambitious system of the First Consul; re-establishes the
clergy in the state, by the Concordat of 1802; he creates a military order
of knighthood, by means of the Legion of Honour; he completes this
order of things by the consulate for life--Resumption of hostilities with
England-- Conspiracy of Georges and Pichegru--The war and royalist
attempts form a pretext for the erection of the empire--Napoleon
Bonaparte appointed hereditary emperor; is crowned by the pope on the
2nd of December, 1804, in the church of Notre Dame--Successive

abandonment of the revolution-- Progress of absolute power during the
four years of the consulate.
THE EMPIRE
CHAPTER XV
FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EMPIRE, 1804-1814
Character of the empire--Change of the republics created by the
directory into kingdoms--Third coalition; capture of Vienna; victories
of Ulm and Austerlitz; peace of Pressburg; erection of the two
kingdoms of Bavaria and Wurtemberg against Austria--Confederation
of the Rhine--Joseph Napoleon appointed king of Naples; Louis
Napoleon, king of Holland--Fourth coalition; battle of Jena; capture of
Berlin; victories of Eylau and Friedland; peace of Tilsit; the Prussian
monarchy is reduced by one half; the kingdoms of Saxony and
Westphalia are instituted against it; that of Westphalia given to Jerome
Napoleon--The grand empire rises with its secondary kingdoms, its
confederation of the Rhine, its Swiss mediation, its great fiefs; it is
modelled on that of Charlemagne--Blockade of the
continent--Napoleon employs the cessation of commerce to reduce
England, as he had employed arms to subdue the continent--Invasion of
Spain and Portugal; Joseph Napoleon appointed to the throne of Spain;
Murat replaces him on the throne of Naples--New order of events:
national insurrection of the peninsula; religious contest with the
pope--Commercial opposition of Holland--Fifth coalition--Victory of
Wagram; peace of Vienna; marriage of Napoleon with the archduchess
Marie Louise--Failure of the attempt at resistance; the pope is
dethroned; Holland is again united to the empire, and the war in Spain
prosecuted with vigour--Russia renounces the continental system;
campaign of 1812; capture of Moscow; disastrous retreat--Reaction
against the power of Napoleon; campaign of 1813; general
defection--Coalition of all Europe; exhaustion of France; marvellous
campaign of 1814--The allied powers at Paris; abdication at
Fontainbleau; character of Napoleon; his part in the French
revolution--Conclusion.

INTRODUCTION
I am about to take a rapid review of the history of the French revolution,
which began the era of new societies in Europe, as the English
revolution had begun the era of new governments. This revolution not
only modified the political power, but it entirely changed the internal
existence of the nation. The forms of the society of the middle ages still
remained. The land was divided into hostile provinces, the population
into rival classes. The nobility had lost all their powers, but still
retained all their distinctions: the people had no rights, royalty no limits;
France was in an utter confusion of arbitrary administration, of class
legislation and special privileges to special bodies. For these abuses the
revolution substituted a system more conformable with justice, and
better suited