Troubling Information on the Neo-Jacobin Jorry: His Links to Talleyrand and Bonaparteâs Opponents
Still searching for new information about lesser-known revolutionaries who were nonetheless quite famous in their own time, I wanted to learn more about Jorry. In truth, the only thing I knew about him was that he had been one of the most prominent neo-Jacobins during the Directory period, alongside Victor Bach, Antonelle, Varlet, Bodson, FĂ©lix Le Peletier, and Xavier Audouinâsomething I learned from the historian Bernard Gainot.
Naturally, I could not rely on Wikipedia, even though there is a page dedicated to him. However, I did find a short biography written by the historian Robert Legrand in his book Babeuf et ses compagnons de route. And from what I read, it is quite intriguing:
âJorry, SĂ©bastien-Louis-Gabriel Was from Sedan. Former adjutant general. Friend of Rossignol. Does not appear to have taken part in the conspiracy. Nevertheless, he was arrested as an accomplice of Babeuf. Brought before the High Court, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence. In Year VI, Talleyrand, Minister of Foreign Relations, had one hundred louis given to him for a secret expedition. As Jorry did not account for the use of the funds, Talleyrand had him arrested. In the meantime, Jorry returned the money to the public treasury. He then sued the minister, who was condemned. A poster, written in a violent tone, denounced Jorry regarding the hundred louis. The following year, Jorry himself was acquitted of the charge of fraud brought against him. In Fructidor Year VI, Jorry carried out a purge in the War offices. A report from Brumaire Year VII notes that he distributed seditious writings against the government and met with Lepeletier and Vatar to âwork onâ the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. He was a member of the SociĂ©tĂ© du ManĂšge, where he gave a speech. The following year, Jorry was still under police surveillance, which was concerned about his visits to former Babouvists. His name appeared on the provisional list of citizens to be deported on 20 Brumaire Year VIII, but the decree was not enforced. In Prairial Year VIII (May 1800), he was reported to be serving in the Army of the Rhine in his former rank of adjutant general, battalion commander. The police noted that he maintained active correspondence with leaders of the âExclusivesâ in Paris, including Massard and Sambat.â (Robert Legrand, Babeuf et ses compagnons de route)
However, several points here raise questions for me. How could Talleyrand have been in contact, at one point, with a man even loosely connected to the Babouvist conspiracyâsomeone who had friends in that circle, even if he played no direct role? It is quite clear that this was not his political inclination (and likely not a mutual affinity either).
Secondly, what was the secret mission Talleyrand assigned to Jorry? Did Jorry really steal from him? If so, why was he acquitted of fraud?
At the same time, Jorry consistently worked with the neo-Jacobins and was an important member of the SociĂ©tĂ© du ManĂšge. It should not be forgotten that the same individuals with whom he was associatedâparticularly Antonelle and Vatarâwere openly hostile to Talleyrand.
In Year VIII, his correspondence with Massard and Sambat is mentioned. But who were these two men? Massard was a political associate during this time of FĂ©lix Le Peletier as can attest to by the work of Laurence Constant Ancet. A police report states:
âMassard returned last night from Versailles with his travelling companions. He brought back some money given to him by Lepeletier, both for himself and for other agents to whom he is to distribute it today. [âŠ] No decision was taken at this meeting in Versailles; as in all the others, it consisted merely of declamations against the government, wishes for an imminent change, and the distribution of Lepeletierâs money.â (Police report, 30 Prairial, 19 June 1800)
En rĂ©alitĂ©, FĂ©lix Le Peletier, ainsi qu'Antonelle et d'autres nĂ©o-jacobins, Ă©taient de fervents opposants Ă Bonaparte, allant jusqu'Ă financer des Ă©crits contre lui et probablement Ă mener des actions clandestines durant le Consulat. FouchĂ© lui-mĂȘme adressa Ă Le Peletier un avertissement glaçant lui intimant de quitter le pays, malgrĂ© leur hostilitĂ© rĂ©ciproque (comme vous pouvez le constater ici : https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/789615197094559744/felix-le-peletier-and-joseph-fouch%C3%A9-a?source=share et ici : https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/795434408403517440/felix-le-peletier-and-joseph-fouch%C3%A9-a?source=share).
Quant à Sambat, il était ami avec Topino-Lebrun et Antonelle, lui aussi néo-jacobin, il était abonné à la revue Lettres philosophiques , éditée par Rigomer Bazin, un autre opposant à Napoléon.
The fact remains that Jorry associated with individuals hostile to Bonaparte during this period. It almost seems remarkable that, given his reputation, he was not arrested during the repression following the âmachine infernaleâ affair, when others were deported or executed for far less during these period.
Trying to understand why, I consulted his Wikipedia page. Although not very reliable, I thought it might offer a hypothesis. It claims that after 18 Brumaire, when measures were taken against the neo-Jacobins, Talleyrand intervened on Jorryâs behalf in a letter to FouchĂ© published in Le Moniteur on 29 Brumaire. According to Wikipedia, âthe request was rather self-interested, as this harsh measure had been poorly received by public opinion, forcing the Consuls to revoke the decree on 24 November 1799. That same day, the skillful Talleyrand regained his post as Minister of Foreign Relations.â
However, not only is this unreferenced, but it also seems unlikely: the Consulate at that time was still too fragile to openly attack the neo-Jacobins . So no other reason is needed to explain why Jorry and his political associates are being spared for the moment. After the Battle of Marengo and the Rue Saint-Nicaise attack, however, the situation changedâthe regime became stronger, and Bonaparte took the opportunity to eliminate the Jacobins, even though he knew they were not responsible for the attack.
I am still left wondering how Jorry managed to escape repression. Did he become, like Parein du Mesnil, someone whoâdespite being a sincere revolutionary at firstâeventually switched sides, gathering information on his own political camp to pass on to FouchĂ© or another authority (as discussed here: https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/804861309236674560/the-role-of-women-supporting-the-jacobins-in-the?source=share )?
Or is there another reason, such as the fact that he had high-ranking allies who ensured he was not disturbed (as was the case for some others)?
The problem is that Jorry is one of those largely forgotten figures, and in my view, this question has not been sufficiently explored. I am especially curious about the political nature of his relationship with Talleyrand. Did he really steal from him? Or was it Talleyrand who deceived him (which seems more likely to me)? And above all, what was this secret mission?
If you have any further information, please feel free to share it with me.
