346 THE REIGN OF TERROR. A. D. Bloody execu Ch. 27 The Queen Marie Antoinette, the Princess Elizabeth, and Madame Roland, were among the first victims. Then followed 1794, the executions of Bailly, Mayor of Paris; Barnave, one of the most eloquent and upright members of the Constituent Assembly; Dupont Dutertre, one of the ministers of Louis XVI.; Lavoisier, the chemist; Condorcet, the philosopher; General Custine; and General Houchard, all of whom had been the allies of the dominant party. The Duke of Orleans, usually called Egalité, who had supported the revolt of the 10th of August, and had voted for the execution of the King, shared the same fate, and he, of all the victims of the revolution, died least lamented. The "Decemvirs" had now destroyed the most illustrious advocates of constitutional monarchy and of republican liberty. The slaughter of their old friends followed. The first victim was Danton himself, who had used his influence to put a stop to the bloody executions which then disgraced the country, and had at length recognized the existence of a God, and the rights of humanity. For such sentiments he was denounced and executed, together with Camille Desmoulins and Lacroix, who perished only because they were somewhat less wicked than their associates. Finally, the anarchists themselves fell before the storm which they had raised, and Hebert, Gobet, Clootz, and Vincent died amid shouts of general execration. The Committee of Public Safety had now subdued all opposition, and, in their iron hands, order, under the influence of terror, resumed its sway. "The history of the world has no ing and parallel to the horrors of that long night of suffering, because conster- it has no parallel to the guilt which preceded it; tyranny never assumed so hideous a form, because licentiousness never required so severe a punishment." General suffer nation. Confident of its strength, the Committee now decreed the disbanding of the army raised to overawe the capital, dissolved all societies which did not depend on the Jacobin Club, and devoted every energy to the establishment of its power. But death was the means taken to secure it, and two hundred thousand victims filled the prisons of France. EXECUTION OF ROBESPIERRE. 347 "Do not 1794. Revolu At last, fear united the members of the Convention, and Ch.27 they resolved to free the country of the great tyrant who A. D. aimed at the suppression of all power but his own. flatter yourselves," said Tallien to the Girondists, "that he will spare you, for you have committed an unpardonable offence in being freemen." "Do you still live ?" said he to the Jacobins; "in a few days he will have your heads, if you do not take his." All parties in the Assembly now resolved to Fall overthrow Robespierre. Dumas, the president of the Revolu- of the tionary Tribunal, Henriot, the commander of the National tionists. Guard, Couthon and St. Just, the tools of the tyrant, were quickly denounced, condemned, and executed. The last hours of Robespierre were horrible beyond description. When he was led to execution, the blood flowed from his jaw, broken in an attempt at suicide; his face was deadly pale, and he uttered yells of agony, which filled all hearts with terror. But one woman, nevertheless, penetrated the crowd which surrounded hiin, exclaiming, "Murderer of my kindred! your agony fills me with joy; descend to hell, covered with the curses of every mother in France." Thus terminated the Reign of Terror, during which nearly nineteen thousand persons died in Paris by the guillotine. Among these were two thousand nobles and a thousand priests. Immense numbers perished by the executioner in other parts of France. rous for war. During this period, however, vigorous measures had been Vigoadopted to carry on war. On the part of the allies, no less meathan two hundred and eighty thousand men were in the field, sures from Basle to Dunkirk. Toulon and Lyons had raised the standard of revolt; Mayence gave the invaders a passage into the heart of the kingdom; whilst sixty thousand insurgents in La Vendée threatened to encamp under the walls of Paris. But through the exertions of Carnot, the minister of war, still greater numbers were placed under arms by the Committee. France was turned into an immense workshop of military preparations, and the whole property of the kingdom, by means of confiscations and assignats, was placed at the disposal 348 A. D. THE DIRECTORY. Ch. 27 of the Government. The immense debts of the Government were paid in paper money, while conscription filled the ranks 1794. with the youth of the State. Added to all this force which the Government had at its disposal, it must be remembered that the army was burning with enthusiastic dreams of liberty, of patriotism, and of glory. No wonder that such a nation of soldiers and enthusiasts should have been able to resist the armies of united Christendom. Reaction in the mind. On the death of Robespierre, which took place in July, 1794, a great reaction succeeded to the Reign of Terror. His public old associates and tools were executed or transported; the Club of the Jacobins was closed; the Revolutionary Tribunals were suppressed; the rebellious faubourgs were subdued; the National Guard was reorganized; and a new constitution was formed. Renew ed agi The constitution of 1798, framed under different influences to that of 1793, established the legislative power in two councils, that of the Five Hundred, and that of the Ancients. The former was intrusted with the power of originating laws; the latter had the power to pass or reject them. The executive power was intrusted to five persons, called Directrs, who were nominated by the Council of Five Hundred, and approved by that of the Ancients. Each individual was to be president by rotation during three months, and a new director was to be chosen every year. The Directory had the entire disposal of the army, the finances, the appointment of public functionaries, and the management of public negotiations. But powerful enemies to the new constitution soon sprang tations. up. Paris was again agitated. The National Guard took part with the disaffected, and the Directory, threatened and perplexed, summoned to its aid a body of five thousand regular troops. The National Guard mustered in great strength, to the number of thirty thousand men, and resolved to overawe the Councils, which were likened to the Long Parliament in the times of Cromwell. The Directory intrusted Barras with its defence, and he demanded, as his second in command, a young CLOSE OF THE REVOLUTION. 349 officer of artillery who had distinguished himself at the siege Ch. 27 of Toulon. By his advice a powerful train of artillery was A. D. brought to Paris by a lieutenant called Murat. On the 4th 1795. of October, 1795, the whole neighbourhood of the Tuileries resembled an intrenched camp. The commander of the Final forces then waited the attack of the insurgents, and the struggle. action soon commenced. Thirty thousand men surrounded the little army of six thousand, who defended the cause of order and law. Victory inclined to the regular troops, who had the assistance of artillery, and, above all, who were animated by the spirit of their intrepid leader-Napoleon Bonaparte. The insurgents were not a rabble, but the flower of French citizens; yet they were forced to yield to superior military skill, and the reign of the army commenced. Thus closed what is technically called the French Revolution; the most awful political hurricane in the annals of modern civilized nations. It closed, nominally, with the accession of the Directory to power, but really with the accession of Napoleon; for, shortly after, his victories occupied the attention of the French nation, and astonished the whole world. of the It is impossible as yet to pronounce on the effects of this Effects great Revolution, since a sufficient time has not elapsed for us Revolu to form healthy judgments. We are accustomed to associate tion. with some of the actors everything that is vile and monstrous in human nature. But unmitigated monsters rarely appear on earth. The same men who excite our detestation, had they lived in quiet times, might have been respected. Even Robespierre might have retained an honorable name to his death, as an upright judge. But the French mind was deranged. New ideas had turned the brains of enthusiasts. The triumph of abstract principles of justice seemed more desirable than the preservation of human life. The sense of injury and wrong was too vivid to allow heated partisans to make allowances for the common infirmities of man. Enthusiasts in liberty could not see in Louis XVI. anything but the Ch. 27 emblem of tyranny in its worst form. They fancied that they could regenerate society by their gospel of social rights, 1796. and they were deluded by mistaken notions as to the virtue A. D. of the people. But, above all, they over-estimated themselves, and placed too light a value on the imperishable principles of revealed religion—a religion which as clearly enjoins patience and humility, as it encourages the spirit of liberty and progress. But whatever may have been their blunders or their crimes, and however marked the providence of God in overruling both for the ultimate good of Europe, still, all contemplative men behold in the Revolution the retributive justice of the Almighty, in humiliating pride, and in punishing cruel oppression. REFERENCES.—Alison's "History of the French Revolution,” marked by many prejudices, and sometimes inaccurate as to facts, yet lofty, temperate, and profound. Thiers's "History" is more lively, and takes different views; Carlyle's is extremely able. Lamartine's "History of the Girondists" is sentimental, but pleasing and instructive; Mignet's 66 History" is also good. Lacretelle's "Histoire de France," and the Memoirs of Mirabeau, Necker, and Robespierre, should be read. CarLyle's "Essays on Mirabeau and Danton" are well worth perusal. Burke's "Reflections" should be read by all who wish to have the most vivid conception of the horrors of the awful event which he deprecated. For a general list of authors who have written on this period, see Alison's Index of Writers, prefixed to his great work, but which are too numerous to be mentioned here. |