Historical Epochs of the French Revolution Part 9

Decreed, that every administrator of public accounts, and every national agent shall give in an exact statement of his fortune previous to the year 1791.

Le Brun and Claviere, ex-ministers, are deivered to the revolutionary tribunal.

Energetic address from the convention to the French people, respecting the treason at Toulon.

Decreed, that all foreign property in France, especially English, shall be sequestered.

The convention resolves that new commissioners be sent to St. Domingo, in the room of Polverel and Santonax.

The Vendean generals write to the Count d'Artois, inviting him to put himself at their head.

11. The city of Quesnoy surrenders to the Imperialists.

Robespierre declares to the convention, that the country is in extreme danger.

The republicans are defeated at Chantonnay by the royalists.

12. The Dutch are defeated at Menin.

The Duke of York is forced to raise the siege of Dunkirk.

General Dumerbian, of the army in Italy, is arrested.

Engagement between the royalists and republicans.

The Duke de Bethune-Charost arrested.

14. The French attack the combined armies in different points near Weissembourg without any thing decisive.

The Duke de Nivernois and other considerable persons arrested.

Duhem states to the convention, that its philanthropy cost France 120,000 persons last year.

The number of vessels found in Toulon by the English was twenty-two s.h.i.+ps of the line and five frigates.

15. Decreed, that every young man from 18 to 25 must immediately join the army.

Menin retaken by General Beaulieu.

17. The French fail in their attempt to pa.s.s the Rhine at Huningen.

Decreed, that all former n.o.bles and relations of emigrants, shall be considered as suspected, and be imprisoned.

Engagement between the Spaniards and French; the former retire with loss.

18. The royalists near Saumur take the flying artillery of the republicans.

19. The siege of Lyons is commenced.

Decreed, that all women shall carry tickets of civism, and wear a three-coloured c.o.c.kade.

Collot d'Herbois proposes to seize and bury all counter-revolutionists under the land of liberty, by means of mines.

Barrere proposes to banish all those who are averse to republican government.

20. Decreed, that the vulgar aera (sic) be abolished, and that a new manner be adopted of dividing days and years, to be called the Republican Calendar.

The French attack the Duke of Brunswick, and are repulsed near b.i.t.c.he; several actions take place in consequence.

21. Decreed, that no produce or manufacture of England shall be imported into France or the colonies, but in French bottoms; nor foreign s.h.i.+ps convey the commodities of France from one French port to another, under pain of confiscation.

22. A great number of persons of distinction arrested.

The King of Prussia leaves his army, and returns to Berlin.

The Prussians make the French to retreat in the dutchy (sic) of Deux-ponts.

Two thousand millions of a.s.signats issued.

29. Prince Cobourg pa.s.ses the Sambre, and invests Maubeuge.

Decreed that all fathers and mothers shall inform where their children, in a state of requisition, are concealed.

Barrere proposes, that as the French nation has proclaimed liberty to the earth, it should proclaim liberty also to the sea.

Madame Du Barry, General Houchard, General Quetinau, and Marshal Luckner, are prisoners in the Abbaye.

The d.u.c.h.esses of Grammont and of Chatelet, with many other n.o.bles, are imprisoned in the Hotel de la Force.

The number of prisoners in Paris is 2560.

The Queen remains in a dungeon of the Conciergerie, her trial not yet commenced; nor that of the deputies, who were put out of the protection of the law. Brissot, and others, taken and carried to Paris.

_Oct_. 1. The French obtain a victory over the Sardinians in the Tarentaise, and in Maurienne. On the side of Saorgio, the Sardinians have some advantages over the French.

A great number of members are arrested in the very convention, and delivered to the revolutionary tribunal.

Drouet, who stopped the King at Varennes, falls into the hands of the Austrians.

The const.i.tutional bishop of Derdogne (sic) presents his new wife to the convention.

6. Gorsas, a member of the convention, is arrested in the Palais Royal, and guillotined in 24 hours.

Disgrace of Generals Houchard, Schomberg, and Landremont, who are replaced by Jourdan, Delmas, and Moreau.

Thuriot complains to the convention, that Jourdan is appointed to a command, and enjoys public confidence; a man of blood, fire, and pillage, whose name posterity will not read without horror.

The national agent, Hebert, reduces the prisoners in the temple to the strictest regimen; the Queen is served on pewter.

8. The allies gain considerable advantages over the French at Toulon.

Cambon proposes to discredit specie in order to raise the value of a.s.signats.

Billaud Varennes proposes the immediate trial of the Queen.

Arrest of all the members of the const.i.tuent a.s.sembly, who protested against the const.i.tution of 1791.

Republican women appear at the bar of the convention, declaring that they, as well as men, are conscious of their rights, and know how to resist oppression.

8. Lyons, after some days of siege, is forced to submit. Barrere moves, that the city be destroyed, and that a column be erected on the spot, with these words engraven on it, "Lyons waged war against liberty; Lyons is no more."

13. The allies make themselves masters of the Strong and famous lines of Weissembourg. Lauterbourg surrenders to them next day.

All monuments of former Kings who were buried at St. Denis, are destroyed by order of the convention.

15. The Queen appears at the bar of the revolutionary tribunal; Fouquier, the public accuser, reads the list of injuries and grievances with which she is charged, and immediately obtains a sentence of death against her; she hears it with downcast eyes, and without uttering a word.

16. Marie Antoinette of Austria, Queen of France, is conveyed in a cart to the place of execution, her hands tied behind her back, and with her back to the horse's tail. She mounted the scaffold quickly, amidst acclamations of the people, which excited only a smile of pity in her. She looked earnestly at the Tuilleries, and seemed to dwell upon the place where her children were; before she was fastened to the guillotine, she threw her eyes up to heaven, and Soon after her head was severed from her body.

Decreed, that the money of France be changed into francs of gold and of silver, and into republicans.

Work-houses established to prevent begging.

General Ferrand, writing to the convention an account of his exploits in Arragon and Catalonia, says, that he expects to plant the tree of liberty on the walls of Madrid next campaign.

Prince Cobourg, attacked by the French, raises the siege of Maubeuge, and repa.s.ses the Sambre.

17. The French are successful in Piedmont.

It is announced to the convention, that the intruding bishop of Moulins officiated in a red bonnet, and with a pike instead of the cross and mitre.

Every external sign of religion is abolished. The inscription on burying places is, "that death is "only an eternal sleep."

22. Andre Dumont informs the convention from Abbeville, that he was making the cross and crucifix to disappear. "I shall comprehend in my proscription "all those black animals called priests."

The convention orders, that the news of the conquest of La Vendee be sent to all the departments.

24. The royalists again appear, and gain great advantage over the republicans.

Decreed, that every city which surrenders without standing one a.s.sault shall be razed to the ground.

Permission granted to women to regulate their fortune, as well as their husbands.

The number of prisoners in Paris amounts to 4000.

The French attack the allies for six days successively; always bringing up fresh troops; constantly repulsed, they still return and take possession of the post, if possible, at any expence.

27. New decree against priests.

The French lose 3000 men in two actions; one against Wurmser, and a second against the Prussians.

The royalists of La Vendee compleatly (sic) defeat the French republicans.

The French, who had taken Menin, Courtray, Furnes, who besieged Nieuport, and threatened Ostend, are obliged to retire, and evacuate all they had got in Brabant.

The commissioners at Lyons write, that 800 workmen are labouring to demolish the city, pursuant to an order of the convention. Lyons was the second city of France.

30. The Duke of York retakes Marchiennes, and makes 1629 prisoners.

31. Twenty-one members of the convention guillotined in 37 minutes, viz. Brissot, Verniaud, Duprat, Valaze, Gensonnet, Le Hardy, Ducos, Boyer, Fonfrede, Boileau, Gardier, Du Chastel, Sillery, Fauchet, Duperret, La Source, Carra, Beauvais, Mainville, Antiboul, Vegee, and La Case.

The royalists of La Vendee take the island of Noirmoutier.

_Nov_. 1. Egalite conveyed from Ma.r.s.eilles to the prison of the Conciergerie in Paris.

A column of Vendeans pa.s.ses the Loire at Ancenis.

Two actions between the Spaniards and French; the latter lose between five and six thousand men.

A member proposes to guillotine all farmers and labourers that monopolize.

Decreed, that all lead, iron, copper, and bells of churches, shall be applied to the use of the war.

The British amba.s.sador presses the Grand Duke of Tuscany to join the allies.

Decreed, that natural children shall share inheritances equally with legitimate; provided the parents have no other husband or wife.

Spoils and plunder of the churches are daily sent to the convention.

The grand master of Malta takes part with the allies against France.

Philip Egalite (formerly Duke of Orleans) is guillotined upon the scaffold to which he brought his unfortunate King.

Lidon, a member of the convention, shoots himself.

Complaints from all parts of want of bread. The inhabitants declare they have only a quarter of a pound of bread each a day.

Bailly, first mayor of Paris, guillotined.

General Beaulieu defeats the French, and forces them to retreat to Philipville.

Ordered, that farmers of the national domains pay their rents in kind.

Some persons are ordered to take away by night the shrine of St. Genevieve, the patroness of Paris, and whom the Parisians always respected peculiarly; it is carried to the Mint.

7. Gabet and his const.i.tutional clergy renounce in the convention the sacerdotal character.

Madame Roland is condemned to death and executed the same day, with five munic.i.p.al officers of Pont-de-Ce.