Historical Epochs of the French Revolution Part 13

The telegraph first made use of.

15. An amba.s.sador from America receives the fraternal kiss.

26. L'Ecluse surrenders by capitulation to the French.

Ordered, that all persons may travel freely without pa.s.sports in the interior of the republic.

The new amba.s.sador from Geneva received in the convention.

29. Valenciennes surrenders; its garrison consisted of 8ooo men, of whom 1100 were emigrants.

30. Conde surrenders to the French.

Freron and Tallien propose measures of moderation, that is, a system opposite to that of terror.

_Sept_. 1. The Emperor threatens to withdraw his troops, if the circles of Germany do not support him better.

The academy cf arts and sciences of Paris discovers a method of making pot-ash from the horse-chesnut (sic).

Bois-le-Duc and Breda inundated.

The convention pa.s.ses some decrees favourable to the emigrants.

5. Roch.e.l.le and Montfort denounce the n.o.bles and priests.

6. An orator of one of the electoral clubs of Paris presents a pet.i.tion, which he is unable to read.

Bertier acquaints the convention that he has set at liberty all prisoners in the North under 15 years of age.

The convention receives numerous congratulations on the death of Robespierre.

Tallien resigns his seat as member of the committee of public safety.

Motion of Barrere against bankers and stockjobbers.

An attempt is made to a.s.sa.s.sinate Tallien, but he escapes with some severe wounds.

10. The flag of the republic of Geneva is received into the convention.

Merlin, of Thionville, makes an animated speech in the convention against the jacobins.

The two ruling parties in the convention are, the partizans of terror, called the Mountain. and the Moderates.

Protests and placarts (sic) are stuck up in all parts of Paris against the despotism of the convention.

11. The convention decrees that all those shall be subject to the laws against emigrants, who quitted France since the 1st of July 1789, and did not return before 9th of May 1792.

Decreed, that the nation will pay no more salaries to ministers, or others officiating in any religious wors.h.i.+p.

Motion by Duhem to expel all that remains of the family of Capet from the territory of the republic.

Report of Lindet on the state of France, in which are marked its dangers, errors, and disasters.

The Spaniards are forced to give up the important city of Bellegard to the French at discretion.

12. The Piedmontese are repulsed with considerable loss.

13. Great commotions at Ma.r.s.eilles.

15. Ordered, that the remains of Marat be interred in the Pantheon.

16. The British and Hanoverians pa.s.s the Rhine with some loss. The Duke of York retires to Nimeguen.

Ceremonies established for the observance of the days called "Sans-culottides," which are the supplementary days of the republican calendar.

General Clairfait marches towards Cologn (sic), and pa.s.ses the Roar (sic).

The French invest Maestricht, and take possession of Aix-la-Chapelle, Malmedi, and Spa.

Balloons are used by the French to make observations of their enemy's proceedings.

Twenty-nine waggons loaded with gold and silver, to the value of 18,359,404 livres are brought to Paris from Belgium.

The throne of the Elector of Treves is among the spoils.

25. A national festival is celebrated at Paris on account of the evacuation of the French territory by the enemy.

27. Crevecoeur surrenders by capitulation to the French.

30. The allies still continue to retreat.

Decreed, that all directories and all munic.i.p.al bodies of the republic shall be purified; and all revolutionary committees reorganized.

_Oct_. 1. General Clairfait pa.s.ses the Rhine.

Keyserslautern taken by the Prussians.

3. The French enter Juliers. The body of Rousseau transferred to the Pantheon.

4. Bommel and Bois-le-Duc surrender to the French.

The garrison of Nimeguen sallies, and kills 2000 French.

Proclamation of the Prince of Orange, exhorting the Dutch to resist the enemy in a body (en ma.s.se.) 5. Lyons permitted to resume its name--confiscation, and ma.s.sacres are suspended there.

6. The convention addresses the French people to acquaint them that henceforward the order of the day shall be "severe, but not atrocious or "sanguinary justice."

Pichegru makes himself master of Cologne, Gueldres, and Cleves.

French soldiers who died this campaign in the hospitals at Lisle, amount to 47,000.

The English pa.s.s the Rhine. The French enter Bonne (sic).

The chiefs of the royal and catholic armies in Bretagne make a solemn appeal, to the French people, to incite them to rally about the standards of religion and of the King.

The following contributions were levied by the French in Brabant: Livres.

At Antwerp 10,000,000 Ghent 7,000,000 Brussels 5,000,000 Bruges 4,000,000 Mechlin 1,260,076 Lierre 500,000 Oudenarde 500,000 Ipres 1,000,000 Alost 4,000,000 Ostend 2,000,000 Courtray 3,000,000 Ath 150,000 Mons 1,640,875 Louvain 2,000,000 Namur 5,000,000 Huy 126,171 Total 51,177,122

12. The Russians entirely defeat the Poles under Kosciusko, and take Warsaw.

The French take Worms; and pa.s.s the Rhine.

20. The British and Dutch defeated on the banks of the Meuse.

25. The French take Coblentz and Venloo.

Six thousand young women put in requisition in Brabant to attend the hospitals.

The states of Holland openly abandon the interests of the Stadtholder.

Great numbers of emigrants shot at Ipres, Neuport, and l'Ecluse.

Freron, the journalist, attacks furiously in the convention the remains of Robespierre's party.

Proclamation by General Was.h.i.+ngton to check the buds of rebellion in America.

a.s.signats burned to the 30th of September last, amounted to 2,367,000,000 livres.

All public ordinances by the representatives of the people begin in this form, "The thunder of G.o.d: in "the name of the representatives of the people, it "is commanded under pain of death, &c."

Address from the court of Madrid to stimulate the Spanish nation against the French.

Motion by Baraillon to imprison all those who have had national property conveyed to them under its value, and those who have laid waste the lands and houses of emigrants and of condemned persons; and all those who have misapplied public money.

Decree to abolish the jacobin club.

_Nov_. 4. Rhinfeld surrenders at discretion; Maestricht by capitulation.

Nimeguen surrenders.

French commissaries proclaim liberty at Martinico.

Billaud Varennes endeavours in vain to revive the jacobins.

The convention offers full pardon to the rebels of La Vendee who will lay down their arms and serve the republic.

Guadaloupe is retaken by the French.

Cambon reports that a.s.signats in circulation amount to 6,400,000,000 of livres, and the expence of the present year to 2,200,000,000 livres.

Addresses of congratulation from all parts on the overthrow of the jacobins.

17. The Spaniards defeated by the French.

Republican General Dugommier killed.

20. The Spaniards again defeated--three generals taken.

St. Fernard, Figueras, and Aspaetta, surrender.

30. Grave surrenders to the French.

Carrier and his b.l.o.o.d.y accomplices decreed to be in a state of accusation.

Decreed, that all emigrants be for ever banished from the republic, their property confiscated, and their return punished with death.

_Dec_. 1. The French make several unsuccessful attempts on the side of Mayence, but are repulsed with loss.

7. Ten members of the revolutionary committee of Paris, convicted of peculation (sic) and abuse of power, are condemned to twenty years imprisonment, and to stand six hours in the pillory at the Place de Greve, the place of common executions.

The munic.i.p.ality of Nantes forbid all persons to drink the water of the river Loire, on account of the infection from the dead bodies which were victims of Carrier's cruelty.

8. The seventy-one members who had been proscribed by Robespierre resume their seats in the convention.

11. The French pa.s.s the Waal, attack the Hanoverians, and retire.

12. Utrecht taken by the French.

19. The Dutch send commissaries to Paris to treat of peace.

25. The Austrians retire across the Rhine. The French pa.s.s the Meuse, having taken fort St. Andre. The Dutch regiments of Hohenloe and Bentinck lay down their arms.

26. The English quit Bommel abandoning their artillery.

The law which forbad quarters to the English and Hanoverians is repealed.

Clundest surrenders to the French.

Loizeroles submits to be imprisoned and to be put to death in the stead of his son.

30. The decree of Robespierre revoked, which condemned those to death who had connection with n.o.bles or clergy. All his laws decreed to be reviewed, and a plan proposed of forgiving all revolutionary crimes.

The French take 120 pieces of cannon, and 1600 prisoners.