Historical Epochs of the French Revolution Part 7

Garat pa.s.ses from the office of minister of justice to that of the interior.

Discourse of Danton, to rouse the people en ma.s.se (in a body.) A const.i.tutional priest, commanding a battalion, begs the convention to preserve his rectory for him whilst he goes to the frontiers.

The inhabitants of Frankfort write to Custine, that they are not willing to receive the French government.

Insurrection at Orleans.

24. The Austrians enter Brussels and Mechlin.

The Prussians pa.s.s the Rhine at St. Goar.

26. Antwerp submits to the Austrians.

The statue of Prince Charles of Loraine, which the insurgents overturned, is restored.

27. Namur and Mons evacuated by the French.

The Archduke Charles appointed governor of the Low Countries.

Danton proposes to the convention, that all citizens be justified to kill any persons who are hostile to the revolution, wherever they may find them.

29. The Austrians enter Ghent.

At the end of this month, all Brabant has returned to the dominion of the Emperor.

Tumults and plunders in private houses at Paris.

The convention summons Dumourier to its bar.

The French are driven out of Worms, and Spires.

_April_ 2. The convention sends Bournonville, the minister of war, with four commissioners to arrest Dumourier; but he, apprized of their intentions, seizes them, and delivers them to the Prince of Cobourg.

Dumourier sends General Miaczinski to secure Lisle, but he is suspected, and arrested there.

The French evacuate Breda and Gertruydenberg.

Dumourier, accompanied by Gen. Valance, and two sons of Philip Egalite, together with some regiments and the military chest, pa.s.ses over to the Austrians.

This step of Dumourier induces the convention to declare itself permanent.

The German princes and n.o.bles, who were detained prisoners at Landau, are conveyed to Paris as hostages for the commissioners who are kept by the Austrians.

Domiciliary visits are recommended at Paris.

Mons. de Blanchland, governor of St. Domingo, is guillotined at Paris, and dies with extraordinary firmness.

Great congress held at Antwerp by the chiefs of the allied armies.

Decreed, that henceforward commissioners shall remain with the armies, and be invested with powers unlimited.

Philip Egalite, his third son, his sister, and the Prince of Conti (sic), conducted prisoners to Ma.r.s.eilles.

The commune of Vernon is unwilling to suffer Madame d'Orleans to depart, on account of her ill heath, and they promise to answer with their lives for their benefactress and friend.

The Prussians prepare for the siege of Mayence.

The creditors of Egalite fix his annual allowance at about 8000l. a year. His income is said to have been between three and four hundred thousand a year.

Gen. Dampierre forms the camp of Famars, the French having retired from Holland.

Great debates in the convention on the subject of a pet.i.tion from 35 sections of Paris, against the chiefs of the Mountain.

The English take the island of Tobago.

General Miaczinski, Compte (sic) d'Arenberg, and le Compte Linanges, sent to the Abbaye at Paris, to answer for the safety of the commissioners.

12. A long and violent tumult in the convention, because the members come intoxicated.

13. Marat escapes from prison, and writes an insulting letter to the convention; decree of accusation against him.

15. Thirty-five sections of Paris demand the deposition of Brissot, and twenty other members of the convention.

Marat remains concealed, but his journal appears every day.

Weissenau is destroyed by heavy artillery; Dampierre makes a vigorous resistance. A battle between Valenciennes and Conde.

The garrison of Lisle makes a powerful sortie.

Dumourier is allowed no part in the operations against France; at Frankfort he publishes his contempt for Egalite, and respect for his sons.

21. The Elector of Mayence addresses a letter of thanks to his subjects. The bishop of Liege returns to his dominions.

The French make themselves masters of Mont-Beliard.

America declares for neutrality.

Count d'Artois goes to Petersburgh (sic).

The Spaniards obtain considerable advantages near Perpignan.

The royalists of La Vendee publish a manifesto, against whom the convention orders twenty thousand men to march.

Treaty between Great-Britain and Russia; another between Great-Britain and Sardinia.

Great disorders at Ma.r.s.eilles and Aix.

28. The archduke Charles makes a solemn entry into Brussels, as governor-general of the Low Countries; 400 citizens draw his coach.

Kellerman deposed from his command by the convention.

The Emperor reproaches the Elector of Bavaria with his neutrality, in a remarkable note.

Engagement between the French and Austrians near Landau.

Dampierre declares that only 800 men accompanied Dumourier.

Marat suffers himself to be conducted to prison.

The revolutionary tribunal acquits Marat; he is conducted in triumph to the convention by the mob, who force themselves into the seats of the members.

The commissioners of the convention, at Ma.r.s.eilles, are obliged to fly.

The French make a brisk sally from Mayence.

An insurrection at Breslau, raised by a taylor, (sic) and not suppressed without cannon.

30. Decreed, that the revolutionary tribunal shall be suspended till the 1st of June next.

_May_ 1. Dampierre gives a b.l.o.o.d.y battle, to keep up a communication between Conde and Valenciennes.

Deputies from Nantes require support from the convention; they announce, that the war of La Vendee has already cost the lives of 2000 patriots.

3. The King of Prussia, after several b.l.o.o.d.y fights, with various success, drives the French from Costheim.

Sallies are made every day from Valenciennes; Gen.

Mack is wounded in the arm.

Great fire in the port and magazines of l'Orient (sic).

Twelve hundred millions of a.s.signats issued.

Melancholy accounts laid before the convention, of the wretched state of the interior parts of France.

6. Houchard attacks the Austrians near Landau.

The garrison of Mayence, and the camp of Famars, make a sally; a number of men killed.

8. A warm attack at Costheim.

A battle also at Longwy.

This day was a day of general fighting, in all the armies.

9. General Dampierre dies of his wounds. Lamarche takes the temporary command.

10. The convention holds its first sitting in the hall of the Tuilleries, now called the National Palace.

Battle of Hasnon. The convention is disposed to grant to Dampierre the honour of the Pantheon; but Danton proposed, and carried a decree, that no one should obtain that honour till 20 years after his death.

7. Custine is appointed general of the northern army.

The elector of Bavaria renounces his neutrality, and orders his contingent of troops march.

General Miranda is acquitted by the revolutionary tribunal; and receives a civic crown from the people.

General Valence, who had gone over to the Austrians with Dumourier, is ordered to quit the states of the empire.

Interrogatory of Philip Egalite at Ma.r.s.eilles.

The popular tribunal, of Ma.r.s.eilles suspended, because it was become more adverse to the jacobins since the arrival of the Bourbons.

General Miaczinski condemned to death by the revolutionary tribunal.

Santerre sent against the royalists of La Vendee.

Kellerman recovers the esteem of the convention, and is employed again in the armies.

17. Custine attacks the Austrians near Landau with 30,000 men, and forces them to retire.

General Wurmser repa.s.ses the Rhine.

Every day there are skirmishes near Mayence.

Miaczinski is executed--his depositions against Pethion, Gensonnet, and others, not being proved.

23. The allies attack the camp of Famars, and the whole line from Orchies to Maubeuge. A b.l.o.o.d.y action during the whole day. The French secretly during the night abandoned the camp of Famars.

Riots in Paris, on account of the arrest of Hebert, compiler of a gazette called Le-Pere-du-Chesne.

Count d'Artois joins his brother at Ham.

It appears that six patriotic merchants of Holland had promised Dumourier four millions of florins, provided he conquered the country.

Le Gendre proposes to exclude from the convention all who voted for the appeal to the people.

The two parties in the convention come to actual blows; and confusion and disorder continue for three hours.

The anti-jacobins obtain the upper hand at Lyons, and 400 persons are sacrificed.

25. Marat insults the convention. Decreed, that any member who shall call another villain, or conspirator, or such-like names, shall be expelled the convention. Marat instantly violates this law.

Great tumults.

26. All printing-offices and presses, not in the interest of the jacobins, such as those of Brissot, Condorcet, Pru de l'Homme, Rabaut, &c. are destroyed.

27. The elector of Bavaria, after receiving the Emperor's note, becomes active; a part of his army marches to Mayence.