CHAP. penetrated to the rooms of the Committee of General XV. Safety, and delivered that important leader. The dicta1794. torship was now earnestly pressed upon Robespierre by 1 Mig. ii. his friends; but he firmly refused it to the very last. "The people," cried Couthon, "await only a word from you to annihilate their enemies and your own. Prepare at least a proclamation, telling them what to do."-" In the name of whom?" replied Robespierre. "In the name of the oppressed Convention," rejoined St Just. "Recollect the line of Sertorius," added Couthon "Rome n'est plus dans Rome, elle est toute où je suis.'' "No, no," replied Robespierre; "I will not give the first example of the national representation being enslaved by a citizen. We are nothing save by the people; we must not supplant their rights by our wishes."" Then," cried Couthon, "nothing remains for us but to die."—" You have said it," answered Robespierre, leaning his head 342. Th.iv. on his hands, his elbows resting on the council table. Amis, xii. "Well, then," said St Just, "it is you who murder us.” 401. Hist. During this dialogue, Robespierre cast his eyes on a paper 41,49. Lac. on the table, where such a proclamation was drawn up. Lam. Hist. Conquered by the importunity of his friends, he took up the pen to sign it; but after he had written half his name, he threw the paper and pen from him.1 445. Deux xi. 109. des Gir. viii. 360. 75. danger of tion. The Convention met at seven o'clock. Intelligence was Extreme immediately brought of the fearful successes of the insurthe Conven- gents, their insurrectionary measures, the liberation of the Triumvirs, the assemblage at the Hôtel de Ville, the convocation of revolutionary committees, and of the sections. In the midst of the alarm, the members of the two committees, driven from their offices, arrived in consternation with the account of the forcing of the Tuileries, the delivery of Henriot, and the presence of an armed force round the Convention. The agitation was at its height, when Amar entered and announced, that the XV. 1794. 1 Hist. Parl. terrible cannoneers had pointed their guns against the CHAP. walls of their hall. "Citizens," said the President, covering his face with his robe, "the hour is arrived to die at our posts; the conspirators have made themselves masters, with an armed force, of the Committee-room of General Safety." -"We are ready to die," exclaimed the members. Animated by sublime resolution, every xxxiv. 63, one spontaneously resumed his seat, and the Assembly 112. Th. vi. unanimously took the oath. At this moment Goupilleau Toul. iv. entered, and announced that Henriot had been brought 380, 383, to the neighbourhood in triumph, and was at the head of de la Conv. the armed force at their gates. An universal shudder Moniteur, upon this ran through the Convention. The vociferous p. 1276. crowd in the gallery at the same time disappeared.1 65. Lac. xi. 446, 447. 386. Hist. iv. 179. 29 Juillet, In this extremity, Tallien and his friends acted with 76. Tallien and the firmness which in revolutions so often proves success- Firmness of ful. 66 Every thing conspires," said they, "to assure the his party. triumph of the Convention and the liberty of France. By his revolt, Robespierre has opened to us the only path which is safe with tyrants. Thank Heaven, to deliver our country, we need not now await the uncertain decision of a tribunal filled with his creatures! He has brought his fate upon himself; let us declare him hors la loi with all his accomplices; let us include the rebellious municipality in the decree; let us besiege him in the centre of his power; let us instantly convoke the sections, and allow the public horror to manifest itself by actions. Name a commander of the armed force; there must be no hesitation; in such a strife, he who assumes the offensive commands success." All these decrees were instantly passed. Henriot was declared hors la loi, and Barras named to the command of the military force; Fréron, Bourdon de l'Oise, Rovère, Leonard Bourdon, and other determined men, being associated with him in the perilous duty. The Committee of Public Salvation, as the other committee-room was lost, was now fixed on as the centre of operations. The générale beat, and XV. 1794. 1 Moniteur, 29 Juillet, p. 1276. Journ. de la Mont. emissaries were instantly despatched to all the sections, to summon them to the defence of the Convention; while a macer was despatched to summon the municipality to its bar. But such was the arrogance of that body, in the anticipation of immediate victory, that they returned for answer" Yes, we shall come to their bar, but at the head of the insurgent people." -"I invite," said Tallien, who had now taken the chair, "our friends to set out with the armed force. Let not the sun set before the heads of No. 93, Vol. the conspirators have fallen."-"The moments are precious," said Billaud Varennes; "when you are on a volcano, you must act. Robespierre has just said, that Lac. xi. 112, before two hours had elapsed, he would march on the Conde la Conv. vention. Shall we sleep? It is for us to anticipate him, and our enemies will be annihilated." Amidst loud shouts the commanders of the armed force set out on their perilous mission, to summon the national guard.1 v. p. 756. Toul. iv. 387. Th. vi. 447, 448. 113. Hist. iv. 177. Hist. Parl. xxxiv. 72, 74. 77. eers refuse While the government was adopting these energetic The cannon- measures, Henriot was haranguing the cannoneers in the to fire on the Place du Carrousel. The fate of France hung on their Convention. decision; could he have persuaded them to act, the Conagitation vention would have been destroyed before the tardy Dreadful at Paris. 2 Deux Amis, xii. 402, 404. Hist. Parl. xxxiii. 73, 75. Lac. xi. 113, 115. Toul. iv. 388. Th. vi. 448. succours could arrive from the remoter quarters of the capital. Happily they could not be brought to fire on the legislature, and their refusal decided the fortune of the day. Dispirited at this unwonted failure with the troops, and alarmed at the cries which broke from the multitude as soon as the decrees of the Convention were known, he withdrew to the Hôtel de Ville, the armed force followed his example, and the Convention, so recently besieged within its walls, speedily became the assailing party. Paris was soon in the most violent state of agitation. The tocsin summoned the citizens to the Hôtel de Ville, the générale called them to the Convention; the deputies of the Legislature, and the commissioners of the municipality, met in the sections, and strove for the mastery of those important bodies.2 On all sides the XV. 1794. people hastened to arms; the streets were filled by mul- CHAP. titudes crowding to their different rallying-points; cries of Vive la Convention! Vive la Commune! broke forth in the different columns, according to the prevailing opinion of their members; while the rolling of cannon and ammunition-waggons, by torchlight, gave a fearful presage of the contest that was approaching. 78. The emissaries of the municipality first arrived at the rendezvous of the sections; but the national guard, dis- The sections tracted and uncertain, hesitated to obey the summons of jointe Conthe magistrates. They could only be brought, in the first instance, to send deputations to the commune, to inquire into the state of affairs. Meanwhile, the news of Robespierre's arrest circulated with rapidity, and a ray of hope shot through the minds of numerous proscribed individuals who were in concealment in the city. With trembling steps they issued from their hiding-places, and, approaching the columns of their fellow-citizens, besought them to assist in dethroning the tyrant. The minds of many were already shaken, those of all in a state of uncertainty, when, at ten o'clock, the commissioners of the Convention arrived with the intelligence of its decrees, of the summons to assist it, of the appointment of a new commander-in-chief, and a rallying-point at the Hall of the Convention. Upon this they no longer hesitated; the battalions of the national guard from all quarters marched towards the Convention, and defiled through the hall in the midst of the most enthusiastic applause. At midnight, above three thousand men had arrived. The forces, being deemed sufficient, were or- 1 Hist. Parl. dered to set out. A few battalions and pieces of artil- 75. Deux lery were left to guard the Convention, and the remainder Amis, xii. of the national guard, under the command of Barras, marched at half-past twelve against the insurgents. night was dark, a feeble moonlight only shone through 389. Hist. the gloom; but the forced illumination of the houses iv. 189, 190. supplied a vivid light, which shone on the troops, who xxxiv. 74, 404, 405. Mig. ii. 343, The xi. 114, 116. 344. Lac. Toul. iv. de la Conv. XV. CHAP. in profound silence, and in serried masses, marched from the Tuileries along the quays of the river towards the Hôtel de Ville, the head-quarters of the insurgents. 1794. 79. is heard in the prisons. The armed citizens, who had come to the Tuileries to The tumult take part with Henriot and the commune, dismayed by their retreat to the Hôtel de Ville, now glided into the ranks of the attacking force, and the columns which marched down the quays towards the Place de Grève. Every one held his breath as they passed; the intense interest of life or death almost choked respiration. But in more distant quarters the agitation was more open; and a confused sound, like the rolling of distant thunder, was heard in all parts of the city. By degrees the tumult became so violent, that at length the sound reached the prisons. The unhappy inmates of the gloomy cells put their ears to the bars of the windows, listened to every sound, and yet trembled lest the agitation should be the prelude to a general massacre of the captives. Soon, however, the downcast looks of the jailors, words whispered to the framers of the lists, and the consternation of these wretches, awoke hope in their despairing minds. Shortly after it was discovered, by half-suppressed words heard in the streets, that Robespierre was Amis, xii. in danger; the relations of the captives placed themselves under the windows, and informed them by signs of what Josephine, was passing, and then the exhilaration of the prisoners par Cresset, 1. 252, 253. broke out into the most vehement and tumultuous 1 Deux 404. Th. vi. 450, 451. Mém. de 80. Prepara Hótel de Ville. joy.1 Meanwhile, the adherents of Robespierre, consisting almost entirely of the cannoneers, and of the armed force tions at the commanded by Henriot, who were composed of the very lowest of the rabble, had assembled in great force at the Hôtel de Ville. The Place de Grève, in which it stands, was filled with artillery, bayonets, and pikes; Robespierre had been received with the utmost enthusiasm, and the delivery of Henriot raised to the highest pitch the confidence of the conspirators. But as the night advanced, and no |