Historical Epochs of the French Revolution Part 14

A great fire in the a.r.s.enal of Landau.

Pensions decreed to men of letters.

Upon a motion by Clauzel, a prosecution is decreed against all the accomplices of Robespierre, who is called "the butcher of the French people."

The British parliament votes almost unanimously for the prosecution of the war.

Carrier suffers on the scaffold for all his atrocities.

1795.

_Jan_. 1. The salary of members of the convention raised from 18 to 36 livres a day. "Keep your 36 livres, (said "some persons on this subject) but let us have a "Louis."

The people of Lyons drag about the streets the bust of Marat, Challier, and Pelletier de St. Fargeau, who had but lately been objects of their idolatry.

A woman appears at the bar of the convention, furnished with scythes, by means of which it was stated that a woman and child could mow five acres in a day. Honourable mention!

Decreed, that the sovereignty of the people is inalienable, and that they have a right to chuse (sic) any form of government except royalty.

3. The French are dislodged from their position at Wardenberg by the English and Austrians.

The French attack the British rear-guard.

9. The whole British army pa.s.ses the Rhine.

10. The French army pa.s.ses the Waal in different points at the time on the ice, and takes possession of Thiel. All the rivers of Holland and the Low Countries are frozen over so as to bear the heaviest weights, and favour the operations of the French extremely.

Cambon states the number of livres in circulation in the form of a.s.signats to amount to 9,600,000,000; and he proposes a lottery to reduce the number to four milliards (each one thousand million).

Mercier makes a bold speech in the convention against the abolition of religious wors.h.i.+p.

14. The French attack the British along their whole line from Arnheim to Amerongen.

The Prince of Orange and his son resolve to quit the Hague.

The states of Holland agree with the French to deliver up their country to them. The Fleet of Holland is locked up by the ice, and shares the fate of the country.

An imposition of one million of livres in specie is laid upon Liege, and a thousand livres a day for every day's delay.

Hostages are sent from Liege to Paris.

Utrecht summoned and taken without opposition.

Wurc.u.m, Dorc.u.m, and Dort, taken.

18. Pichegru sends detachments to take possession of Leyden, Amsterdam, and the Hague.

The Princess of Orange and her daughter-in-law depart for England.

Tallien moves in the convention to put to death all the partizans of the system of terror which covered France with bastilles and scaffolds.

Breda, Bergen-op-Zoom, Gertruydenberg, and Williamstadt, open their gates to the French, upon hearing that Holland was given up.

The French generals require that within the s.p.a.ce of one month Holland shall supply them with 200,000 quintals [Footnote: 100lbs. each.] of flour, 1,000,000 of rations of hay, 200,000 rations of straw, 1,000,000 bushels of wheat, 150,000 pair of shoes, 200,000 s.h.i.+rts, 20,000 pair of boots, 20,000 coats and waistcoats, 30,000 pair of breeches, 150,000 pantaloons, 50,000 hats, and 12,000 oxen.

28. Duhem is ordered to the Abbaye prison, for saying that aristocracy and royalism were triumphant. He is refused admittance, there being no room.

31. Report on the finances states that the expences of the last month exceeded the receipt by 218,779,475 livres.

Dubois Crance, on the state of the republic, reports, that eleven hundred thousand men are under arms.

_Feb_. 2. A s.h.i.+p is laid on the stocks at Brest called "the "Avenger of the Country," intended to carry 136 guns; 24 feet longer, and 3 feet wider, than any ever built.

The a.s.sembly of the provisionary representatives of the United Provinces acknowledges the rights of man and the sovereignty of the people, dismisses the states-general, abolishes the office of stadtholder, suppresses the regency of the Hague, and appoints a new committee of the India company.

A deputation from the people of colour thanks the convention for liberty granted to the negroes (sic).

Disturbances at Rouen, and other great cities.

Four presses of false a.s.signats seized at Paris.

Ordered, that deputies be sent to the colonies beyond the Cape of Good-Hope.

4. Gouly harangues the convention to inflame it against England, which has usurped, as he said, a tyrannic dominion over the sea.

Pet.i.tioners appear at the bar, demanding bread.

Zealand capitulates.

The republic of Basle acknowledges the French republic.

A decree upon religious wors.h.i.+p, which seems to allow it more liberty than of late.

Rovere in full convention charges Syeyes with having been an instrument and counseller of Robespierre.

8. Tumults at the theatres in Paris.

9. The sections of Paris demand the trial of Barrere, of Collot d'Herbois, and Billaud Varennes.

10. The convention ratifies a treaty of peace with Tuscany.

The administration of Belgium addresses the convention, desiring an union with France.

11. Barrere, Collot d'Herbois, and Billaud Varennes, decreed to be under arrest.

Antwerp informs the convention that 40,000 Belgians are ready to join the army of the republic, and give the last blow to the impious coalition of crowned tyrants.

The convention appoints to the command of its eight armies Pichegru as commander in chief, Jourdan, Moreau, Kellerman, Sharer, Moncey, Clancaux, and Hoche.

14. Deputies are nominated for the East-Indies.

16. The Dutch announce that they have begun the great work of their regeneration.

17. Decreed, that all letters belonging to Robespierre be printed.

19. Suspension of arms between the royalists of La Vendee and the republicans.

a.s.sa.s.sinations at Avignon.

23. Conferences between Charette and the commissioners of the convention.

The French bombard Luxemburg.

Emigrants enrolled in London for an expedition to the coast of France.

The liberty granted to the press gives public writers an opportunity of expressing their sentiments boldly of the convention, and of the revolution.

27. Charette, Stofflet, and their officers, dine with the French commissioners.

28. Charette joyously received at Nantes.

Cambon states that the expences of this month exceed the revenue by 443,164,974 livres.

_March_ 1. A reward is offered for destroying wolves.

4. Carnot presents the following description of the last campaign, viz. 27 victories, of which, 8 were pitched battles. 120 actions of smaller importance. 88,000 enemies killed, and 91,000 made prisoners. 116 places or strong cities taken, of which 36 were by siege or blockade; 230 forts or redoubts; 800 pieces of cannon, 70,000 muskets, 1,900,000 pounds of powder, and 90 stands of colours, taken by the republic.

Victory of Admiral Hotham in the Mediterranean.

Commotions in Paris for want of provisions.

Eleven persons ma.s.sacred at Toulon.

Insurrection at Bourdeaux.

The convention has many debates about Barrere and his a.s.sociates.

The Dutch are required to give up to the French republic all the coined money in their possession.

Rouzet tells the convention it is time that France should resume her rank among civilized nations.

5. A committee is appointed to prepare a const.i.tution (the third in five years).

Boursault reports that the war in La Vendee is extinguished, but that another had broken out, called that of the Chouans.

Le Sage denounces the wind which blew down the flag from the convention-hall.

Decreed, that the 71 deputies proscribed by Robespierre resume their places.

14. The treaty of peace with the Vendeans read in the convention, except the secret articles.

Boissy d'Anglas harangues upon the atrocities in France, which he attributes to royalists.

17. A committee is appointed to treat with foreign powers.

Carletti is received as amba.s.sador from the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

_April_ 1. Tumults in Paris for bread and a const.i.tution.

2. Tumults continued at Paris and Amiens.

Barrere, Collot d'Herbois, Vadier, and Billaud-Varennes, condemned to be transported to Guyana.

4. Tumults continue.

5. The King of Prussia makes peace with the republic.

Motion made to discredit the republican calendar as an act of despotism worthy of Robespierre. Fails of success.

The convention takes a guard of 554 life-guard men, and sixty of the artillery.

The newspapers of Paris speak of the convention with great boldness.

To quiet the people, it is given out that corn is coming in from all quarters.

Admiral Renaudin receives orders to put to sea.

Baron de Stael is sent as amba.s.sador from the King of Sweden to engage in friends.h.i.+p and alliance with the convention.

Rhull ventures to p.r.o.nounce in the convention an eulogy on the old monarchy.

The deficit in the last month amounts to 660,000,000 livres, Discourse of Thibadeau to inflame republicanism.

Several communes pet.i.tion for their former churches and wors.h.i.+p; the convention pa.s.ses to the order of the day.

Fortier, compiler of the paper called "The "Political Correspondence" imprisoned for saying "that if all the monsters who murdered Louis XVI.

were dead, not a Frenchman would shed a tear over "the tomb of any one of them."

Sylverster, from the tribune, a.s.sures the French people that notwithstanding the scarcity there is no danger of starving.

Cambon, who had been treasurer three years and a half, arrested.

The convention grants to the d.u.c.h.ess of Bourbon relief to the amount of 18,000 livres; about 70l.

according to the value of a.s.signats.

Credit appears to revive; 270 livres in a.s.signats for the louis.