The Patowmac Guardian, And Berkeley Advertiser

FRENCH EMIGRANTS.

As the decree of the National Convention, which condemns the emigrants to perpetual exile, is interesting to so many persons who have taken refuge in this and other countries, we subjoin a correct copy of it, with an abstract of the debate.

On Friday, October 19, the committee of Legislation proposed-

"Death and confiscation of property to all Emigrants who inhabit, or have inhabited, countries at war with the Republic.

"Confiscation of property to all who inhabit countries not at war with the Republic.

"Death to all who have aided, excited, or favoured emigration."

The proposition of the Committee being the order of the day,

Garat said there was no reason for making any distinction between the emigrants who have taken refuge in Germany, and those who have sought an asylum in other countries. All were equally culpable, and deserved the same fate. The Princes were not more guilty than the traitor, the wretch Maury, who had obtained a Cardinal's hat, only to give one more proof of the degradation and contempt into which the tiara was plunged. Maury was not more guilty than D'Aligre, a magistrate, the disgrace of the tribunal in which he presided, and who was now basely intriguing in England against the liberty of his country. He proposed,

"Death and confiscation of property to all emigrants who have taken refuge in countries at war with France, or who have counselled or favoured emigration.

"Confiscation to all who have taken up their residence in neutral countries, or who have remained at home themselves, but sent and maintained a person to represent them among the emigrants."

After several other plans had been proposed,

Osselin, the Reporter from the Committee of Legislation, said they differed only from the Committee in thinking that the punishment of death ought to extend to all Emigrants without distinction, while the Committee thought it would be barbarous to extend it to those who had emigrated from weakness or from fear. To decide upon this point, in the first instance, would shorten the debate.

The Convention adopted this mode of discussion.

Buzot- "There is a law which pronounces death on all emigrants taken with arms in their hands, and it would be hard, indeed, to involve in the same punishment the man who has left his country in order to take arms against it, and the coward who has abandoned it through fear or through folly. Both are unworthy the name of Frenchmen: the first ought to be brought to the scaffold; the second to be banished forever.--Recollect that emigration is not in itself a crime; it can only be held so in such critical circumstances as ours; and, at worst, can never amount to such a degree of guilt as that of bearing arms against one's country.-- They who emigrate will not to live among you, under your social compact. Very well! they must be excluded from it: they must be banished; and you may do so without violating either principles or justice. They ought not to suffer death but in case of returning to France after their banishment; and they will not then be punished for emigrating, but for disobeying the law. I therefore move--" Death to all Emigrants taken with arms in their hands, and perpetual punishment to all others."

Danton.- "I support Buzot's motion, and have but one remark to add. Undoubtedly when liberty is in danger, the thirst for the blood of all who conspire against her; but when triumphant, when she strikes terror into the souls of tyrants, humanity should take the place of revenge, and the legislature should pass no laws but such as are dispassionate and just. By the motion made to you this object is perfectly obtained. So much the more, that you only perpetuate the punishment which the emigrants by flying from their country imposed upon themselves."

The Convention decreed,

"That all the French actually Emigrants are banished forever from the territory of the republic, and that all of them who shall return to it, in contempt of this law, shall be punished with death; without, however, derogating from the former decree, which condemns French Emigrants, taken with arms in their hands, to the punishment of death."