Historical Epochs of the French Revolution Part 2

Genevieve).

7. Decreed, that no deputy to the national a.s.sembly shall be admissible into the ministry until four years after the expiration of the legislature of which he is a member.

8. Decreed that no deputy to the a.s.sembly shall accept any favour from the executive power for four years.

Several nuns in Paris and elsewhere were publicly whipped for persisting to adhere to the old forms of worship.

10. Insurrection at Cevennes.

Report on the insurrection of a regiment in Languedoc.

13. Engagement between the officers and garrison of Weissembourg.

14. Riot at Nantz (sic) on account of the inauguration of the three-coloured flag.

17. The sale of the property of the church is decreed.

18. The King proposes to go to St. Cloud; the people oppose and stop him.

The King complains of this violence to the national a.s.sembly, but with little effect.

20. Report of ma.s.sacres in the county of Venaissin.

The King's ministers, through the influence or fear of the national a.s.sembly, write to all the foreign courts, that the King had placed himself at the head of the revolution--from this epoch may be dated the great emigrations of the n.o.bility and other considerable persons.

The Abbe Maury, the most intrepid defender of the cause of the church and the King, retires precipitately to Rome.

23. Sad recital in the a.s.sembly of distresses in St.

Domingo.

26. a.s.signats of five livres are issued.

27. Ma.s.sacres in the Limousin.

28. Decreed, that soldiers may frequent jacobin societies.

_May_ 1. The barriers are thrown open--all duties in the interior parts of the kingdom abolished.

Civil war in the Venaissin.

3. The effigy of the pope (sic) burnt in the Palais-Royal.

7. Decree permitting priests, who have not conformed, to officiate in private.

Mons. de Ma.s.sei ma.s.sacred at Tulle.

Decree upon the people of colour.

19. Ma.s.sacre in the Vivarais.

26. Decreed, that the Louvre and the Tuilleries united shall be the habitation of the King, and that all monuments of science and art shall be collected and kept there.

31. Decreed, that the punishment of death shall be inflicted without torture. From thence came the use of the guillotine;-an instrument of death so called from its author, a member of the national a.s.sembly.

_June_. Letter of the Abbe Raynal to the a.s.sembly.

Persecutions against non-conforming priests. Their t.i.thes given to the proprietors of the estates.

5. The King deprived by decree of the power of granting pardons.

7. A law against regicides.

Conforming priests are everywhere put in possession of the benefices of those who would not conform.

A general sale of ecclesiastical property.

18. Decreed, that all military men take an oath of fidelity to the nation.

Insurrection at Bastia.

21. The King and royal family make their escape 22. from Paris; they had nearly reached the frontiers, when they were stopped at Varennes, 25. and brought back ignominiously to Paris.

Count Dampierre is ma.s.sacred under the King's eyes.

The Marquis de Bouille writes a menacing letter to the a.s.sembly on the subject of the King.

An order is intimated to the King to disband his body guards. All the royal functions are suspended. The King is kept a close prisoner.

Monsieur, the King's brother, escapes to Coblentz.

_July_ 9. M. de Cazeles resigns his place as a deputy.

10. The national guards ordered to the frontiers.

11. The body of Voltaire transferred to the Pantheon.

14. Grand celebration of the anniversary of this day.

17. Insurrection in the Champ de Mars--the red flag (the signal of danger) continues flying a long time.

Disorders in the Pays-de-Caux, and at Brie-Compte-Robert.

23. Violent decree against emigrant n.o.bles.

The a.s.sembly proceeds rigorously against those who accompanied the King in his flight.

The King himself is not considered so culpable.

All distinctions of n.o.bility, and all t.i.tles, are wholly abolished.

The ministers are required to give an account every ten days to the a.s.sembly of the execution of its decrees.

The decree on people of colour spreads consternation at St. Domingo.

_August_. Money is coined from the metal of the bells in churches.

One hundred thousand livres voted to the academy of science for the purpose of bringing weights and measures to one uniform standard.

The t.i.tle of Dauphin changed to that of Prince Royal.

Rewards are decreed to all those who stopped the King.

A committee is appointed to manage national domains; that is, the confiscated property of the King and clergy.

Decreed, that if within a month the King do not take the oath to the nation, or if he retract it, he shall be adjudged to have forfeited the crown.

Decreed, that the guard for the King shall not exceed 1200 foot, and 600 horse.

Those who may be placed in succession to the throne to have no other t.i.tle than that of French princes.

Registers of the births, marriages, and burials, of the royal family to be deposited in the archives of the national a.s.sembly.

Suppression of the payment of a mark of silver, which was heretofore required from such as were deputed to the legislature.

Decreed, that every law relative to taxes shall be independent of the royal sanction.

The ceremony of marriage to be considered hereafter as a civil contract only.

Rousseau admitted to a place in the Pantheon.

The national a.s.sembly declares, that it will not revise the const.i.tution which it has just established, before the expiration of thirty years.

_Sept_. The completion of the const.i.tution announced to the people, and that it will admit of no change. The departments are all occupied in electing new deputies to represent them in a second a.s.sembly.

Sixty members are appointed to carry the act of the const.i.tution to the King.

4. The King restored to liberty.

Suppression of the order of St. Esprit; the decorations of the blue ribband to be appropriated to the King and the Prince-royal only. The King declines to retain a distinction which he cannot communicate.

Decreed, that the Rhine and Rhone be united by a ca.n.a.l.

14. The King accepts the const.i.tution in form; he takes the oath in presence of the a.s.sembly; and is crowned by the president with a const.i.tutional crown.

Great rejoicings throughout all France.

The national guard to take place of the King's.

Whipping, and burning in the hand, annulled.

Three days allowed to every person under accusation to defend himself and repel the charge.

In consequence of the acceptance of the const.i.tution, all criminal proceedings are stopped; all persons confined on suspicion of anti-revolutionary principles set at liberty; no more pa.s.sports required; a general amnesty takes place; and the decree against emigrants is revoked.

Disturbances at Arles--suppression of the high national court of Orleans--and of all royal notaries--national notaries appointed.

Prohibitory or commanding clauses in wills to be of no avail henceforward.

Every sort of property dependent upon, or connected with, churches or charities, is confiscated.

All the world admitted to the t.i.tle and rank of French citizen, without any distinction of country.

Decree to unite Avignon and the county of Venaissin to France.

Certificates of catholicism suppressed, which hitherto were required before admission into any office.

Severe penalties against introducing t.i.tles of n.o.bility into any public doc.u.ment.

All the chambers and societies of commerce abolished.

Jews admitted to the rights of French citizens.

The const.i.tuent a.s.sembly prepares to lay down its powers, without rendering any account of its proceedings.

Violent remonstrances against this.

Decree against clubs and popular a.s.sociations.

30. The King goes in state to close the session of this first or _const.i.tuent a.s.sembly_.

CHAPTER II.

1791.

_Oct_. 4. The second a.s.sembly takes the name of the _Legislative_ a.s.sembly, and is opened by the King in person. It consists of 700 members.

An oath is taken to observe the law.

An administrator in one of the departments flies with a large treasure.

17. Ma.s.sacre at Avignon, with unusual horrors. Jourdan and his people destroy 600 victims in an ice-house.

Insurrection at Paris on account of religious worship.

The Marquis de la Fayette resigns the command of the Parisian guard.