𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞.♡⸝⸝

Still busy painting ships for an upcoming exhibition in March. Here: Erebus and Terror in 1845! ^_^

Size A4. Medium: Watercolor on paper.

To publish the Works of Robespierre is to rehabilitate a name around which so many unjust prejudices have gathered; it is, at the same time, to provide the people with an abundant source of enlightenment and instruction. How many men who have never so much as glanced at Robespierre’s writings or speeches are convinced, on the authority of the aristocracy’s paid writers, that Robespierre was a villain. Let them read his works, and they will arrive at a fairer judgement of his feelings and his heart.

Robespierre’s works are the best answer to the frenzied declamations of his equally frenzied detractors. To slander, insult and shriek is not to reason. Those who, for want of better arguments, heap insult upon slander against a man prove one thing: that there is not a single fact in that man’s life which might support a reasonable and conscientious attack upon him.

Did Robespierre err? That is what I shall examine in the historical notice with which I shall preface his works. But it is above all through those works themselves, by reading and reflecting upon them, that one may become convinced that Robespierre was cruelly slandered. It is by closely examining his conduct and his political actions from 1789 until 9 Thermidor that one will recognise in him the purest defender of the rights of humanity.

Whoever reads Robespierre is inwardly consumed by a more ardent love of country and liberty, and by a deeper hatred of the tyrants who crush humankind. Whoever reads him sees a new universe unfolding before his eyes. He feels, touches and understands his rights; he identifies himself with them; he becomes worthy of the noble name of man, worthy of the great title of citizen.

[…] I repeat that on my return [from the army] everything was changed. The government was not divided, but it was scattered and abandoned to a few who, enjoying absolute power, accused the others of pretending to it in order to preserve it. It is in these circumstances that the plot against [Robespierre] was conceived, that an attempt was made to arm against [him] very unjust prejudices. I was left in peace like a citizen without pretensions and who walked alone, and it was by mistake that, by the vote of a few, I was charged with writing the [Committee’s reconciliation] report to bind me to ideas that are not mine.

I cannot marry evil; I explained it in front of the Committees […and] Billaud-Varenne said to Robespierre: ‘we are your friends; we have always walked together.’ This deception made my heart shudder. The day before he’d called him Pisistratus and drawn up his indictment.

[…] If one reflects carefully on what happened [yesterday on 8 Thermidor] one finds the application of all that I have said; that the man removed from the Committee by the most bitter treatment [Robespierre], when it was no longer composed, in fact, of more than two or three members present, this man justified himself before you. He did not, in truth, explain himself very clearly, but his isolation and the bitterness of his soul is some excuse. He does not know the history of his persecution; he knows only his misfortune.

He is constituted as a tyrant of public opinion […] and what exclusive right do you have over public opinion, you who find a crime in the art of touching souls? Do you find it bad that one is sensitive? […] The right to interest public opinion is a natural, imprescriptible, inalienable right and I see no usurper here except among those who would tend to oppress this right.”

"St. Just refused to give way before the storm that then broke out. He stood at the tribune, says Barras, 'motionless, impassive, unconquerable, coolly defying the whole House,' until the uproar ended in his impeachment and arrest. He showed the same demeanour during the final scenes in the Town Hall, and at the scaffold, holding his head stiffly and disdainfully to the end. He would illustrate his own portrait of the perfect revolutionist, penned a few weeks before. He would show these false patriots how to die. 'The perfect revolutionist,' he had written, 'is inflexible, but temperate and sensible. He lives simply, without affecting the luxury of false modesty. He is the irreconcilable enemy of every lie, indulgence, and affectation. Since his aim is to see the triumph of the Revolution, he never finds fault with it, but condemns its enemies without involving it in their disgrace. He educates it without ever forcing his views upon it. Jealous for its reputation, he speaks of it carefully and with respect. The equality he claims is not that of legal privilege, but that which he shares with all men, particularly the unfortunate. A revolutionist is the soul of honour. He keeps the law of his own free will, not from lack of enterprise; and because he has peace in his heart. Coarseness he regards as a sign of deceit and remorse, or as hypocrisy masked by violence. Aristocrats may speak and deal with tyrants: the revolutionist has no truck with bad men. But he is not a fool. He is so jealous for the good name of liberty and of his country that he never acts without consideration. He is eager for battle; he pursues the guilt and defends the innocent; he speaks the truth to instruct, not to compel; he knows that if the Revolution is to triumph he must be as good now as once he was bad: and his morality is not a clever pose, but something heart-felt and fundamental.'"

10 Thermidor

In memory of the citizens who have died or were executed during the Thermidorian Reaction.

10 Thermidor

M. Robespierre

G. Couthon

P. Le Bas (committed suicide)

L.-J.-B.-T. Lavalette

François Hanriot

L.-G.-F. Dumas

A. Saint-Just

C.-F. Payan

N.-J. Vivier

A.-N. Gobeau

J.-B.-E. Lescot-Fleuriot

A.-P.-J. Robespierre

J.-C. Bernard

A. Gency

A. Simon

D.-E. Laurent

J.-L.-F. Warmé

J.-E. Forestier

N. Guerin

J.-B.-M. de Hasard

C. Cochefer

C.-J.-M. Bougon

J.-M. Quenet

11 Thermidor

S.-B. Boulanger

P. Sijas

B. Arnaud

J.-B.-C. Talbot

P. Rémy

A. Deltroit

J.-G.-F. Vocanu

C. Bigand

J.-R.-C. Lesire

J.-B.-E. Legendre

J.-P.-V. Charlemagne

P.-N. Delacour

A.-G. Jobert

P.-L. Pâris

C. Janquois

R.-T. Daubancourt

J.-B. Vincent

Lelièvre

M. Wiltcheritz

P. Henry

J. Cazenave

J.-L. Gibert

P. Giraud

F. Pelletier

J.-B. Cochois

J.-E. Faro

R. Grenard

J. Lasnier

A. Mercier

J.-P. Bernard

J.-J. Beaurieux

A. Mercier

D. Mettot

E.-A. Souard

A. Jamptel

J.-M. Tambay 

J.-B. Bergot

J.-N.-I. Lumière

G. Tanchoux

F.-A. Paf

P.-C. Louvet 

P.-S.-J. Jault 

M.-L. Devieux

J. Lubin

P.-J. Legrand 

J.-B. Chavigny 

J.-P. Coru 

J. Pacotte

P.-L. Lamiral 

J.-P. Eudes 

J.-N. Langlois 

M.-F. Langlois 

J.-N. Blin

N. Naudin

J. Ravel 

P. Gamaury 

J. Moënne

A. Marcel 

P. Hœner 

J.-C. Girardin 

D. Dumontier 

P. Dumetz 

E.-M. Nauvin 

J. Morel 

C. Desboisseau

C. Bernard

J. Alavoine 

P.-F. Desvaux 

L. Chatelain 

J.-L. Cresson 

L.-F. Dorigny

12 Thermidor

C.-N. Leleu

L. Nicolas

J.-F. Léchenard

F. Teurlot

P.-F. Quegniard

P. Scietty

J.-E. Lahure

F.-R. Camus

J.-B. Grillet

P.-E. Marie Gillet

A. Friry

J.-J. Arthur

Françoise Duplay (found dead in her cell)

18 Thermidor

Jean-Baptiste Coffinhal

Rest in peace, citizens! 

May you rest in the Panthéon of history.

[…] I repeat that on my return [from the army] everything was changed. The government was not divided, but it was scattered and abandoned to a few who, enjoying absolute power, accused the others of pretending to it in order to preserve it. It is in these circumstances that the plot against [Robespierre] was conceived, that an attempt was made to arm against [him] very unjust prejudices. I was left in peace like a citizen without pretensions and who walked alone, and it was by mistake that, by the vote of a few, I was charged with writing the [Committee’s reconciliation] report to bind me to ideas that are not mine.

I cannot marry evil; I explained it in front of the Committees […and] Billaud-Varenne said to Robespierre: ‘we are your friends; we have always walked together.’ This deception made my heart shudder. The day before he’d called him Pisistratus and drawn up his indictment.

[…] If one reflects carefully on what happened [yesterday on 8 Thermidor] one finds the application of all that I have said; that the man removed from the Committee by the most bitter treatment [Robespierre], when it was no longer composed, in fact, of more than two or three members present, this man justified himself before you. He did not, in truth, explain himself very clearly, but his isolation and the bitterness of his soul is some excuse. He does not know the history of his persecution; he knows only his misfortune.

He is constituted as a tyrant of public opinion […] and what exclusive right do you have over public opinion, you who find a crime in the art of touching souls? Do you find it bad that one is sensitive? […] The right to interest public opinion is a natural, imprescriptible, inalienable right and I see no usurper here except among those who would tend to oppress this right.”

(Crossposted on Instagram!)

9 Thermidor

Today is the anniversary of the Thermidorian Reaction, which caused the fall of Robespierre, Couthon, Saint-Just, Le Bas, Augustin Robespierre and many of their friends & supporters. In memory of this day, here is a list of posts & sources referring to Thermidor. 

Thermidor Project

The Thermidorians: Paul Barras

The Thermidorian Reaction (Françoise Brunel)

Robespierre’s speech of 1 Thermidor

Barère’s speech of 2 Thermidor

Augustin’s speech of 3 Thermidor

Session of the Jacobin Club on 3 Thermidor

Élisabeth & Philippe Le Bas (~4 Thermidor)

Joint session of the Committees (5 Thermidor)

Couthon’s Speech of 6 Thermidor

Barère’s report of 7 Thermidor

Robespierre & Barras (7 Thermidor)

Robespierre’s speech of 8 Thermidor

Aftermath of Robespierre’s speech of 8 Thermidor, Year II

Robespierre: Death is the beginning of immortality.

9 Thermidor (Françoise Brunel)

Robespierre’s Policies and the 9 Thermidor (Albert Mathiez)

Session of 9 Thermidor 

Robespierre in the Convention, 9 Thermidor

The 9 Thermidor (Jean Jaurès)

The Hôtel de Ville, Night of 9th Thermidor

Bulletin des Lois (#29): 9 Thermidor, Year II

Robespierre’s books on 9 Thermidor

Hanriot’s letter to the adjutant general of the 6th legion (9 Thermidor)

Proclamation of the National Convention (9 Thermidor)

Proclamation of the Commune to the French People (9 Thermidor)

Procès-verbal of the session held by the General Council of the Commune (9 / 10 Thermidor)

Letter from M. Robespierre, A. Robespierre & Saint-Just to Couthon

La réaction thermidorienne (Albert Mathiez)

Thermidor: Another Point of View

The famous letter to the Section des Piques

Table on which the injured Robespierre lay

Robespierre’s Fall (Ralph Korngold)

Augustin Robespierre’s last moments

Execution of Robespierre and his accomplices

Records & primary sources on Robespierre’s execution

Thermidor: In memory of the citizens who have died or were executed during the Thermidorian Reaction

Thermidor & revolutionary violence

Report of the Committees of Public Safety & General Security on the “conspiracy of Robespierre etc.” (10 Thermidor, Year II)

Le dix thermidor ou la mort de Robespierre

I had a lovely visit with a descendant of William Coningham whose family has kept Fitzjames' letters safe ever since he gave them to William and Elizabeth in 1845 before he left on the Franklin Expedition.

This is a flower that Fitzjames sent to Elizabeth Coningham.

At the same time, while Robespierre says there have been unjustified arrests in his speech, he never (as far as I’m aware) says there have been unjustified executions. I read this passage as implying he does not think revolutionary justice/emergency laws can be softened yet:

The revolutionary government merits all your attention: would it be destroyed today, tomorrow liberty would be no more. It is not necessary to slander it, but to remind it of its principle, to simplify it, to decrease the innumerable crowd of its agents, above all to purge them: it is necessary to return security to the people, but not to its enemies. It’s not about impeding the justice of the people by new shapes; the penal law necessary has to have something vague, because, the present character of conspirators being dissimulation and hypocrisy, it is necessary that justice can seize them in all shapes. A single way of conspiring let unpunished would render illusory and would compromise the salvation of the fatherland. 

But looking at the page you cited, it seems McPhee might be referring to all arrest warrants and not just those from during ”the great terror.” I just wish we knew more exactly how he got these numbers… 😫

18 June/30 June — a decree signed by Robespierre, Couthon and Billaud-Varennes orders for the arrest of one person (Recueil des actes du Comité de salut public, volume 14, page 375-377).

19 June/1 Messidor — Seven separate CPS decrees signed by Robespierre only orders the arrest of a total of 18 people, the arrest and transfer to Paris of a total of 13 people, and finally the transfer to Paris of a total of six already detained people. Two other decrees signed by Robespierre, Couthon and Barére order the arrest and transfer to Paris of a total of four people, residents of Rouen and Dunkerque respectively. (Ibid, volume 14, page 400-402).