XV. destroying itself; and out of its ruins the stern and CHAP. relentless despotism of a few political fanatics was wringing out of the heart's blood of France the last remnants of democratic fervour. Robespierre was the leader of this sect of fanatics; but 1794. 12. St Just. he was associated in the Committee with zealots more Character of unpitiable or less disinterested than himself. These were St Just and Couthon. The former exhibited the true features of gloomy fanaticism. A regular visage, dark and lank hair, a penetrating and severe look, a melancholy expression of countenance, revived the image of those desperate Scottish enthusiasts of whom modern genius has drawn so graphic a picture. Simple and unostentatious in his habits, austere in private, and indefatigable in public, he was, at twenty-five, the most resolute, because the most sincere of the Decemvirs. A warm admirer of the Republic, he was ever at his post in the committees, and never wanting in resolution during his missions to the armies; enthusiastic in his passion for the multitude, he disdained to imitate its vices or pander to its desires as Hébert did. Steeled against every sentiment of pity, he demanded the execution of victims in the same manner as the supply of the armies. Proscriptions, like victories, were essential to the furtherance of his principles.* He early attached himself to Robespierre, from the similarity of their ideas, and the reputation of incorruptibility which he enjoyed; their alliance gave rise to a portentous combination of visionary ideas and domineering passion, with inflexible and systematic severity. Couthon was the creature of Robespierre. A mild and beautiful countenance, a figure half-paralysed, con * "On fait trop de lois; trop peu d'exemples: vous ne punissez que les crimes saillans; les crimes hypocrites sont impunis. Faites punir un abus léger dans chaque partie : c'est le moyen d'effrayer les méchans, et de leur faire voir que le gouvernement a l'œil partout. Appelle, mon ami, l'attention de la société sur les maximes fortes du bien public; qu'elle s'occupe des grands moyens de gouverner un état libre."-ST JUST à ROBESPIERRE; Papiers trouvés chez Robespierre, ii. 260. XV. 13. in the com mittees of government. CHAP. cealed a soul animated with the most unpitiable fanaticism. His voice was soft and melodious; it was like the 1794. low ringing of a silver bell. These three men formed a Of Couthon, triumvirate, which soon acquired the management of the and parties Committee, and awakened an animosity on the part of the other members which ultimately led to their ruin. What rendered their proceedings especially dangerous was the extraordinary ability and energy with which they were conducted, and the eloquent language and generous sentiments which they put forth on all occasions to justify their tyrannical actions. The Triumvirate, however, though very powerful, were far from being omnipotent in the Committee of Public Salvation, and with the Committee of General Safety they were often on terms verging on open hostility. In the former and more important Committee, Barère, Billaud Varennes, Collot d'Herbois, formed a second party, often at variance with Robespierre; Carnot, Prieur, and Lindet, generally kept aloof from both. Robespierre's party in the Committee of Public Salvation was termed the "Men with a high hand:" Billaud Varennes' was called the "Revolutionary party:" Carnot's the "Examiners." But though these divisions. existed, and in the end produced important effects, they did not appear in any public act. To appearance the Committees were perfectly united; they wielded apparently by one will the whole powers of government. If the Convention was to be intimidated, St Just was xxxiii. 8. 9. employed; if surprised, Couthon was intrusted if any opposition was manifested, Robespierre was sent for, and his terrible voice soon stifled the expression of discontent.1 1 Hist. Parl. Mig. ii. 319, 320. 14. digious energy. To accomplish their regeneration of the social body, the Their pro- Triumvirate proceeded with gigantic energy, and displayed consummate ability. For two months after the fall of Danton, they laboured incessantly to confirm their power. Their commissioners spread terror through the departments, and communicated the requisite impulse to the affiliated Jacobin clubs, which alone now remained in XV. 1794. existence. These clubs secured the elections of all the CHAP. magistrates and public functionaries in their interest. The utmost pains were taken to render all the authorities of government energetic in spreading terror in every direction, by sternly shutting out the feelings of mercy.* The national guard was universally devoted to their will, and proved the ready instrument of the most sanguinary measures. The armies, victorious on every side, warmly supported their energetic administration, and made the frontiers resound with the praise of the government. Strong in the support of such powerful bodies, the fanatical leaders of the Revolution boldly and universally began the work of extermination. The mandates of death issued from the capital, and a thousand guillotines were instantly raised throughout the towns and villages of France. Amidst the roar of cannon, the rolling of drums, and the sound of the tocsin, the suspected were every where arrested, while the young and active were marched off to the defence of the country. Fifteen hundred bastilles, spread through the departments, soon groaned with the multitude of captives; and these being insufficient to contain their numbers, the monasteries, the palaces, the chateaus, were generally employed as temporary places of confinement. The abodes of festivity, Lac. 149. the palaces of kings, the temples of religion, were filled Mig. ii. 320. with victims; fast as the guillotine did its work, it could Essai Hist. not reap the harvest of death which every where pre- 63. sented itself; and the crowded state of the prisons soon * "Les tribunaux doivent aller au fait, et frapper sans pitié tous les conspirateurs; ils doivent être aussi des tribunaux politiques; ils doivent se rappeler que tous les hommes qui n'ont pas été pour la Révolution, ont été pour cela même contre elle, puisqu'ils n'ont rien fait pour la patrie. Dans une place de ce genre, la sensibilité individuelle doit cesser, elle doit prendre un caractère plus grand, plus auguste, elle doit s'étendre à la République. Tout homme qui échappe à la justice nationale est un scélérat qui fera un jour périr des républicains que vous devez sauver. Tu as une grande mission à remplir: oublie que la nature te fit homme et sensible. Dans les commissions populaires l'humanité individuelle, l'humanité qui prend le voile de la justice, est un crime." - PAYAN, juré révol. de Paris. Papiers trouvés chez ROBESPIERRE, ii. 370. 1 Pr. Hist. Chateaub. Euv. i. 61, CHAP. produced contagious fevers, which swept off thousands of their unhappy inmates. XV. 1794. 15. Purifica tions of the Jacobin club. To support these violent measures, the utmost care was taken to preserve in full vigour the democratic spirit in the Club of the Jacobins, the centre of the Revolutionary action throughout France. By successive purifications, as they were called, all those who retained any sentiments of humanity, any tendency towards moderation, were expelled, and none left but men of iron, steeled against every approach to mercy. The Club in this way at length became the complete quintessence of cruelty, and the focus of the most fearful revolutionary energy. It was its extraordinary energy and extensive influence, and the absolute direction it had obtained over all the affiliated clubs and departments, which constituted the real secret of Robespierre's power. Never had Turkish sultan so faithful a body of janizaries attached to his cause; never Romish pontiff so energetic a spiritual militia under his orders. It was the magnitude of their crimes against all classes, the certainty of punishment if he were overturned by any, which was the secret of their fidelity. The influence of this Club daily augmented in the latter stages of the Reign of Terror. As he approached the close of his career, Robespierre, suspicious of the Convention and the Mountain, rested teaub. Euv. almost entirely on that chosen band of adherents, whose emissaries ruled with absolute sway the municipality and the departments.1 1 Deux Amis, xii. 360. Châ i.61. Mig. ii. 320. 16. mulation of throughout France. Eight thousand prisoners were soon accumulated in Great accu- the different places of confinement in Paris; the number captives at throughout France exceeded two hundred thousand. Paris, and The condition of such a multitude of captives was necessarily miserable in the extreme; the prisons of the Conciergerie, of the Force, and the Mairie, were more horrible than any in Europe. All the comforts which, during the first months of the Reign of Terror, were allowed to the captives of fortune, had of late been with In con CHAP. XV. 1794. drawn. Such luxuries, it was said, were an unsupportable indulgence to the rich aristocrats, while, without the prison walls, the poor were starving for want. sequence they established refectories, where the whole prisoners, of whatever rank or sex, were allowed only the coarsest and most unwholesome fare. None were permitted to purchase better provisions for themselves; and, to prevent the possibility of their doing so, a rigorous search was made for money of every description, which was all taken from the captives. Some were even denied the sad consolation of bearing their misfortunes together; and to the terrors of solitary confinement were added those of death, which daily became more urgent and inevitable. The prodigious numbers who were thrust into the prisons, far exceeding all possible accommodation, produced the most frightful filth in some places, the most insupportable crowding in all: and, as the ineffable result of these, joined to the scanty fare and deep depression of these gloomy abodes, contagion made rapid progress, and mercifully relieved many from their sufferings. But this only aggravated the sufferings of the survivors ; the bodies were overlooked or forgotten, and often not removed for days together. Not content with the real terrors which they presented, the ingenuity of the jailers was exerted to produce imaginary anxiety; the long nights were frequently interrupted by visits from the 1 Tableau executioners, solely intended to excite alarm; the few de Paris hours of sleep allowed to the victims were broken by rattling of chains and unbarring of doors, to induce the belief that their fellow-prisoners were about to be led to the scaffold; and the warrants for death against eighty persons in one place of confinement, were made the means 358, 360. of keeping six hundred in agony.1 the des Prisons pendant la Lac. ii. 149. Toul. iv. 17. Despair of life, recklessness of the future, produced their usual effects on the unhappy crowd of captives. ExtraordiSome sank into sullen indifference; others indulged in of the pri nary feelings immoderate gaiety, and sought to amuse life even at the soners. |