MEMOIR OF M. DE LAMARTINE. xxiii that this frank declaration possesses nothing inimical to the repose of Europe. "Thus, we openly declare :-If the hour of the reconstruction of some oppressed nations in Europe, or elsewhere, should appear to us to have sounded in the decrees of Providence; if Switzerland, our faithful ally since the time of Francis I., were constrained or threatened in the movement of aggrandizement, which she is forming at home, to lend further power to the fasces of democratic governments; if the independent states of Italy were invaded; if limits or obstacles were imposed upon their interior changes, if the right of uniting among themselves to consolidate an Italian country were contested by an armed hand-the French Republic would conceive itself entitled to arm itself to protect these legitimate movements of augmentation, and of nationality among the nations. The republic, you see, has passed, at the first step, the era of proscriptions and dictatorships. It is decided never to conceal liberty at home. It is equally decided never to vail its democratic principle abroad. It will allow no one to interfere between the pacific halo of its liberty and the regard of nations. It proclaims itself the intellectual and cordial ally of all the rights, of all the progress, and of all the legitimate developments of the institutions of nations who desire to live under the same principle as its own. It will make no secret propagation or incendiarism among its neighbors. It knows that noliberty is durable, save that which is born upon its own grounds. But it will exercise, by the light of its ideas, and by the spectacle of the order and peace which it hopes to display to the world, the sole and honest proselytism-the proselytism of esteem and sympathy. "We desire, for humanity's sake, that peace should be preserved. We hope it also. One only question of war had been agitated, a year ago, between France and England. It was not republican France which established this warlike question, it was the dynasty. That dynasty bears with it that danger of war to which it had given birth in Europe, by the wholly personal ambition of its family alliances in Spain. Thus this domestic policy of the fallen dynasty, which weighed for seventeen years upon our national dignity, weighed down, at the same time, by its pretensions to another crown at Madrid, our liberal alliances and peace. The republic has no ambition. The republic has no nepotism. It does not inherit the pretensions of a family. Let Spain govern itself; let Spain be independent and free. France, for the solidity of this natural alliance, relies more upon the conformity of principles than upon the successions of the house of Bourbon! "Such is, Monsieur, the spirit of the council of the republic. Such will invariably be the character of the frank, firm, and moderate policy which you will have to represent. The republic pronounced at its birth, and in the midst of the heat of a contest not provoked by the people, three words, which have invested its soul, and which will call down upon its cradle the benedictions of God and of man-Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. She gave on the following day, by the abolition of pain of death in political matters, the true commentary of these three words at home; give them also their true commentary abroad. The sense of these three words, applied to our exterior relations, is this: enfranchisement of France from the chains which confined her principles and dignity; recovery of the rank which she ought to occupy in the scale of the great European powers; and, lastly, the declaration of alliance and friendship with all nations. If France has the consciousness of her part in the liberal and civilizing mission of the age, there is not one of these words which signifies war. If Europe be prudent and just, there is not one word which does not betoken peace. 64 Receive, Sir, the assurance of my most distinguished consideration. "Member of the Provisional Government of the Republic, and Minister of Foreign Affairs." xxiv MEMOIR OF M. DE LAMARTINE. In person, M. Alphonse de Lamartine is about five feet ten inches in height, with sharp features, oval countenance, high and expansive forehead, thick head of hair, now turning gray, prominent brow, dark and somewhat deep-set eyes, noble look, long nose, thin and rather arched, a wide mouth and thin lips, deeply marked at the sides, a long, but well-defined chin, and dark complexion: altogether, the physiognomy is striking and prepossessing. To foresee the progress and result of Lamartine's career is impossible to human eye; but assuredly the singular prediction of Lady Hester Stanhope has been, in a great measure, accomplished. His courage, reputation, eloquence, and aptitude for affairs have certainly saved his country from the immediate horrors of anarchy and bloodshed; and on him, at this moment, is fixed every eye in Europe, and all the best hopes of the regeneration of his native land. H. T. R. March 13th, 1848. CONTENTS. CONSPIRACY against the Girondists. Danton heads the Chamber. Popular Excitement. Girondists unpopular. Their _Position. Vergni- aud's Views. Robespierre's Policy. State of Paris. Progress of the In- surrection. Danton's Anxiety. Proceedings in the Convention. Danton opposes Vergniaud. Tumult in the Convention. Fury of the Orators. Robespierre attacks the Girondists. Ascendency of La Montagne Arrest of Roland. Madame Roland's Heroisin. Her Imprisonment. Marat's Speech. Committee of Public Safety. Executive Committee. Alarm of the Girondists. Levasseur's Speech. Fresh Outbreak. The Marat. La Montagne. Flight of the Girondists. Perils of the Nation. Danton's Tyranny. Arrest of the Commissioners. Couthon's Motion. Saint-Just's Report. Struggles at Home and Abroad. Insurrection. Charlotte Corday. Her History. Stabs Marat in his Bath. Her arrest. Address to the French. Letter to Barbaroux. Letter to Her Father. Her Funeral of Marat. Condition of the Girondists. Their Fate. The Re- public invaded. Capture of Mayence. Arrest of Custine. Robespierre's Firmness, Danton retires. His Opinion of Robespierre. Robespierre's Projects. Theories of Governments, The Convention. Committee of Public Safety. National Procession. Address of the Jacobins. Decree of the Convention. The Finances. National Arrangements. Weakness of the Convention. Chaumette's Ferocity. Reign of Terror established, Custine. His Daughter-in-Law. Sentence of Death. Last Moments. Marie Antoinette's Execution urged on. Her Conduct. M. Hue. The Woman Tison. Simon. Removal of the Queen_to_the_Conciergerie. Madame Richard. Marie Antoinette's Captivity. Trial. Condemnation. Her Last Letter. The Priests. Her Last Hours. Progress to the Guil- Amar's Report against the Girondists. Their Imprisonment. Writings on the Prison Walls. Vergniaud. Trial of the Girondists. Their Con- demnation. Demeanor in the Prison afterward. Their Last Hours. Armies of the Republic. Coalition. Death of Dampierre. Policy of England. Siege of Dunkirk. Night Attack on Rexpöede. Battle of Hondschoote. Siege of Maubeuge. Battle of Wattignies. Pichegru. Hoche. Châlier excites the Jacobins at Lyons. Châlier executed. Condition of Lyons. Attempts of the Count d'Artois. Compte de Précy heads the Lyonnese. The Convention besieges Lyons. Capture of the Couthon's Moderation. Dubois-Crancé. Severe Measures against Lyons. Demolition of the City. Couthon recalled. Fouché. Progress of the Demolition. Massacre of Citizens. Lyons decimated. Frightful Massacres. Two Hundred and Ten shot at a time. Traits of Heroism. Blood-thirsty Jacobins. Gillet's Letter. Napoleon Bonaparte. Toulon. The Fugitive Girondists. Salles' Letter to his Wife. Death of Salles, Gaudet, Barbaroux, Pétion, and Buzot. Imprisonment of Barnave. Dupont. Miserable end of Bailly. Madame du Barry. Biron. Four Thousand Six Hundred Prisoners in the Jails. Legrand D'Alleray. Reign of the Guillotine. Robespierre's Notes. Republican Principles. Republican Calendar. Nature paramount. Religion obnoxious. Paganism established. Weakness of the Hierarchy. Noble Conduct of Gregory. Catholicism abolished. Worship of Reason. Destruction at St. Denis. Carrier. His Cruelty to the People of Nantes. Joseph Lebon. His Excesses. Isabeau. Baudot. Tallien. Madame de Fontenay. Robes- Saint-Just. Lebas' Letter. Robespierre's Court. The Parisian Women. Rose Lacombe. Chaumette harangues the Women. Amar's Appeal. Pére Duchesne. Camille Desmoulins. Le Vieux Cordelier. Robespierre attacks Hébert. Robespierre acknowledges God. Hébert defeated. Dan- ton's Defense. Robespierre's Reply. He attacks Klootz. Camille Des- moulins assailed. Robespierre's Report. Quarrels of Desmoulins and Hébert. Desmoulins' eloquent Writings. His Ideas of Clemency. Hébert's Rage. His Daring. Danton duped by Robespierre. Robespierre aban- dons Desmoulins. Robespierre's Illness. Arrest of the Hébertists. Robes- Robespierre doubts Danton. Danton's Cupidity. Meeting of Danton and Robespierre. They part in Anger. Danton in Danger. Saint-Just's Charge against, and the Arrest of, Danton. He is imprisoned. Legendre's Appeal. Robespierre's Presence of Mind. His Harangue against Danton. He silences La Montagne. Saint-Just accuses Danton and his Accom- plices. Dantonists in Prison. Lucile Desmoulins' Appeal to Robespierre. Camille's Letter to his Wife. Trial of the Dantonists. Camille's last Letter to his Wife. Danton's Defense of himself. Last Hours of the Dantonists. Their Progress to the Scaffold. Execution. Character of Revival of the Terror. Lucile and Madame Hébert. Their Execution. Campaign of 1794. Battle of Fleurus. Victory over the Austrians. Hoche. Armies of the Republic. Naval Affairs. Naval Engagements. Terror continued. Condorcet's Death. Louvet. Laréveillère. M. de Malesherbes. Condemnations en masse. The Nuns of Montmartre. Indifference to Life. Female Prisoners. Horrors of their Imprisonment. Royal Prisoners. Madame Royale. Madame Elizabeth. Her Condem- nation and Execution. Robespierre's Ascendency. His visionary Views. Saint-Just. Proposed Government. Men opposed to Robespierre. His Power in the Jacobins. Saint-Just's Oratory. Atheism openly preached. Robespierre a Deist. Protests against Atheism. Success of his Declara- The Terror in full Force. Ladmiral. Cécile Renault. Robespierre's |