United States or Kosovo ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Though the Girondists and the Jacobins were the two great parties now contending in the tumultuous arena of French revolution, there still remained the enfeebled and broken remains of the court party, with their insulted and humiliated king at their head, and also numerous cliques and minor divisions of those struggling for power.
All mounted the scaffold with perfect tranquillity, the Girondists singing the Marseillaise as they climbed the steps. This resignation resulted from the law of habitude, which very rapidly dulls emotion. To judge by the fact that royalist risings were taking place daily, the prospect of the guillotine no longer terrified men. Things happened as though the Terror terrorised no one.
The Girondists desert the king. Madame Roland's influence over the Girondists. Buzot adores her. Madame Roland's opinion of Buzot. Effect of her death. Danton at Madame Roland's. New scenes of violence. Outrages of the mob. Recall of M. Roland. Perilous situation of M. Roland. His wife's mode of living. Library of Madame Roland. Meetings there. Striking contrast. Labors of Madame Roland.
On the left, were the majority, which steadily increased in numbers, and embraced the Girondists, or moderate republicans; the Mountain, so called from their higher seats in the hall, comprising the most decided democrats or radicals. Here were the leaders of the Jacobins and Cordeliers.
The refusal of Louis XVI. to adopt most of these decrees, rendered him an object of suspicion to the Girondists; the dissensions between the latter and the constitutionalists, who desired some of them to be legislators, as in time of peace, others, enemies, as in time of war, disunited the partisans of the revolution.
Already in September, "cloaking his pity under his bellowing," he had shielded or saved many eminent men from the butchers. When the axe is about to fall on the Girondists, he is "ill with grief" and despair. "I am unable to save them," he exclaimed, " and big tears streamed down his cheeks." On the other hand, his eyes are not covered by the bandage of incapacity or lack of fore-thought.
They secretly circulated a report which could not but compromise the Girondists; it was, that they wished to remove the republic to the south, and give up the rest of the empire. Then commenced that reproach of federalism, which afterwards became so fatal.
The fall of Robespierre would have made as little impression as that of the Girondists, if some melioration of the revolutionary system had not succeeded it; and it is in fact only since the public voice, and the interest of the Convention, have occasioned a change approaching to reform, that the death of Robespierre is really considered as a benefit.
More decisive events soon brought the Girondists to ruin. Hitherto, the military position of France had been satisfactory. Dumouriez had just crowned the brilliant campaign of Argonne by the conquest of Belgium. After the retreat of the Prussians, he had repaired to Paris to concert measures for the invasion of the Austrian Netherlands.
In answer to Marat's questioning look she told him that there was much excitement at Caen and that the Girondists were plotting there. To this Marat answered, in his harsh voice: "All these men you mention shall be guillotined in the next few days!"
Word Of The Day