Historical Epochs of the French Revolution Part 6

The sections of Paris complain of want of provisions.

Lanjuinais, speaking against the murders of the 2d of September, says, that the number of victims, a.s.sa.s.sinated that day, amounted to 8,000, others say 12,000, and the deputy Louvet states them at 28,000.

_Feb_. 1. The Convention declares war against the King of England, and Stadtholder of Holland.

General Dumourier levies sixty millions of livres on the abbeys in Brabant.

The nurse of Madame Royale requests permission to see her in prison, but without success.

Proclamation by the Emperor, to a.s.sure to the Belgians their ancient privileges.

Great debates in the convention about war.

The marines of Roch.e.l.le come to swear fidelity to the convention.

Philip Egalite takes the oath, in quality of high admiral of France.

The Ma.r.s.eillois leave Paris, and return home.

An engagement takes place at Mayence between the national guard and the troops of the line, on the subject of the King's death.

General Bournonville is recalled from the army, and appointed minister of war.

Dumourier begins to lose ground in the esteem of the people.

Eight hundred millions of a.s.signats issued.

Citzen (sic) Ba.s.seville, secretary of the French legation, is ma.s.sacred by the people at Rome.

Chambon quits the mayoralty of Paris, and is replaced by the ex-minister Pache.

The parliament of England votes for war.

The French take possession of Deux-Ponts; the duke with difficulty escapes.

Lyons, opposes with energy the murderous plans of the jacobins.

The Emperor solicits earnestly the triple contingent from the empire.

New coinage in France, with the legend of "Republique Francoise. (sic)"

The wife of the Emperor sacrifices some of her rich ornaments to defray the cost of the war.

General Miranda sends to the convention the magnificent key of gold, which was given by Charles III. to the inhabitants of Louvain.

17. The French make an irruption into Holland, take the fort St. Michel, surround Maestricht, and menace Breda.

Lyons destroys the jacobin club, and burns the tree of liberty.

Paris is in great disorder.

Dumourier addresses a proclamation to the Dutch against the Stadtholder. The States-general answer it by a manifesto.

Condorcet reads a const.i.tutional act to the convention; the jacobins reject it.

The national convention of Liege decrees the destruction of its cathedral.

Marat excites great tumult in the convention.

Venice acknowledges the republic; Bavaria observes neutrality.

Custine transports the clergy of Mayence who refuse to take the oath of liberty.

The French bombard Maestricht, which is defended by the Prince of Hesse-Ca.s.sel.

The Grand Duke of Tuscany declares a neutrality with regard to the French republic.

25. The British troops under the Duke of York sail from England.

Breda surrenders to the French.

Dumourier bombards Gertruydenberg and Williamstadt with Dutch artillery.

The Convention decrees that soldiers have a right to elect their officers. Marat urges this decree, and strikes in the face several of those who oppose it, even in the convention.

The Duke of York arrives at the Hague.

The Stadtholder declares he will defend the republic to the last.

28. The Archduke Charles, the Prince of Cobourg, and Duke of Wurtemburg, arrive at Duren.

The French merchants offer to send fifty privateers to sea.

Discourse p.r.o.nounced in the convention by Anacharsis Cloots, on universal fraternity.

Riots in Paris at the houses of the bakers and grocers.

Brussels desires, and obtains an union with France.

Revolution in Geneva after the French example.

The convention encourages addresses from all quarters on the death of the tyrant.

Decreed, that the troops of the line shall form but one body with the national guards.

All treaties of commerce and alliance, with powers at war, are annulled.

The convention requires 300,000 men to compleat (sic) their armies.

_March_ 1. Prince Cobourg beats the French near Altenhover.

The British troops land at Fort Ecluse.

The Austrians retake Aix-la-Chapelle.

Proclamation of Dumourier, to stir up the inhabitants of Liege, Belgium, and Holland.

2. Carra denounces the farmers-general.

Deputy Rhul moves, that the property of foreign princes be put up to sale.

3. The French raise the siege of Maestricht, and besiege Williamstadt without success. They 4. are beaten at Tongres by the Prussians.

Gertruydenberg surrenders to Gen. Dumourier.

Zurich, Bern, and other Swiss cantons acknowledge the French republic.

Manuel accuses the jacobins (sic) of all the evils since the revolution.

Dumourier imposes 120,000 florins upon the city of Antwerp.

War declared against Spain.

5. The b.l.o.o.d.y capture of Liege by the Austrians.

Taking of Ruremond.

The Prussians gain some advantage near Mayence.

Upon the motion of Danton, it is decreed, that a revolutionary-criminal tribunal be established.

All persons imprisoned for debt are released by the convention.

Prince Cobourg requires from Liege six hundred thousand florins.

Arrival of 14,000 Hanoverians in the Low-Countries.

The commune of Paris hoists a black flag, as a sign of extreme danger to the country.

General Miranda imprisoned in chains at Brussels.

9. Dantzig submits itself to the King of Prussia.

Dumourier conveys to Lisle the treasures of the churches of Brussels.

He stops the first commissioners of the convention, and sends them to Paris; he reviews his troops at Brussels, and marches to the enemy.

Robespierre demands that all despots be overturned, and that liberty be established on the ruin of all aristocracies.

Monsieur, regent of France, creates the Count d'Artois lieutenant-general of the kingdom.

Decreed, that the palace of St. Cyr, near Versailles, be destroyed.

Decreed, that plate be considered as merchandize.

La Source inveighs bitterly against the English government.

It is calculated, that 150 divorces take place, every month in Paris since the decree.

Dumourier causes the plate to be restored to the churches of Belgium, of which they had been plundered.

Buzot declaims in the tribune against the despotism of the convention.

10. Epoch of the counter-revolutions in La Vendee.

The French abandon the siege of Williamstadt.

The Austrian advanced guard enters Tirlemont, but are obliged again to evacuate it.

16. The States-general reward the garrison of Williamstadt for their gallant defence.

17. The French and Austrian armies drawn up in order of battle all day opposite to each other.

18. b.l.o.o.d.y battle of Neerswinde, which lasts the whole day. The French wholly defeated.

19. The battle of Tirlemont; General Valence wounded, and the French routed.

Dumourier suspected of treason at Paris.

23. Battle of Louvain between the French and Austrians.

The Prussians approach Mayence.

Dumourier demands a truce of six days to evacuate the Low Countries.

The Empire declares war against France, in consequence of a resolution of the diet of Ratisbon.

The Austrians enter Louvain. Prince Cobourg refuses a truce to Dumourier.

The Duke Frederick of Brunswick quits the army on account of his health.

The Prussians approach Mayence.

General Santerre solicits a discharge from the command of the troops of Paris, that he may have leisure to attend to the affairs of his brewery.

Chenier proposes an oaken crown as a reward for republican generals.

Duhem complains to the convention, that the vessel of state is near foundering.