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Taine, Hippolyte, 1828-1893

"The French Revolution - Volume 3"

Great astonishment on the part of these improvised
financiers! "They make an outcry," says Gaudin, "and assert that I am
mistaken. I insist, and repeat what I have told the President,
Cambon; I affirm on says to one of the members, 'Since that is so, go
to the bureau of proc?s-verbaux and scratch out the term receveurs-
g?n?raux from the decree passed this morning.' my honor and offer to
furnish them the proof of it; finally, they are satisfied and the
President " - Such are the gross blunders committed by interlopers,
and even carried out, when not warned and restrained by veterans in
the service. Cambon, accordingly, in spite of the Jacobins, retains
in his bureaux all whom he can among veteran officials. If Carnot
manages the war well, it is owing to his being himself an educated
officer and to maintaining in their positions d'Arcon, d'Obenheim, de
Grimoard, de Montalembert and Marescot, all eminent men bequeathed to
him by the ancient r?gime.[60} Reduced, before the 9th of Thermidor,
to perfect nullity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not again to
become useful and active until the professional diplomats, Miot,
Colchen, Otto and Reinhart,[61] resume their ascendancy and influence.


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