The capital, especially, chose Dambray, former general-
advocate to the Paris parliament, and Pastoret, former minister of
Louis XVI.. Versailles sends the two celebrated lawyers who defended
the King before the Convention, Tronchet and De S?ze. - Now, previous
to the 13th Vend?miaire, two hundred members of the Convention had
already heartily sided with the Parisian electors[43] against the
terrorists. This creates a strong opposition minority inside the
Legislative Corps which function protected by the Constitution.
Hidden behind it and behind them, the ?lite and the plurality of
Frenchmen wait for better days. The Directory is obliged to act
cautiously with this large group, so well supported by public opinion,
and, accordingly, not to govern ? la Turk. So they respect, if not
the spirit, at least the letter of the law, and not to exercise a too
barefaced influence on local elections. Hence most of the local
elections remain free, so that the nation,
* in spite of the decree excluding every relation of an ?migr? and
every notorious opponent of the government from present and future
offices,
* in spite of fear, lassitude and disgust,
* in spite of the small number of votes, the rarity of candidates and
the frequent refusal of the elected to serve,[44]
substantially exercises its privilege of electing its administrators
and judges according to its preferences.
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