Page "François-Noël Babeuf" Paragraph 16

The distress among all classes continued ; and in March the attempt of the Directory to replace the assignats by a new issue of mandats created fresh dissatisfaction after the breakdown of the hopes first raised.

A cry went up that national bankruptcy had been declared, and thousands of the lower class of ouvriers began to rally to Babeuf's flag.

On 4 April 1796, the government received a report that 500, 000 people in Paris were in need of relief.

From 11 April, Paris was placarded with posters headed Analyse de la Doctrine de Baboeuf, Tribun du Peuple, of which the opening sentence ran: " Nature has given to every man the right to the enjoyment of an equal share in all property ", and which ended with a call to restore the Constitution of 1793.