Lectures on the French RevolutionActon, John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, Baron
History
Lectures on the French Revolution
Acton, John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, Baron
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799
On March 4, Hebert called the people to arms against the government
of Moderates. The attempt failed, and Robespierre, by a large
expenditure of money, had Paris on his side. At one moment he even
thought of making terms with this dangerous rival; and there is a
story that he lost heart, and meditated flight to America. In this
particular crisis money played a part, and Hebert was financed by
foreign bankers, to finish the tyranny of Robespierre. On March 13 he
was arrested, Chaumette on the 18th; and on the 17th, Herault de
Sechelles, Danton's friend, on coming to the Committee of Public
Safety, was told by Robespierre to retire, as they were deliberating
on his arrest. On the 19th the Dantonists caused the arrest of Heron,
the police agent of Robespierre, who instantly had him released. March
24, Hebert was sent to the scaffold. On the way he lamented to Ronsin
that the Republic was about to perish. "The Republic," said the other,
"is immortal." Hitherto the guillotine had been used to destroy the
vanquished parties, and persons notoriously hostile. It was an easy
inference, that it might serve against personal rivals, who were the
best of Republicans and Jacobins. The victims in the month of March
were 127.
Danton did nothing to arrest the slaughter. His inaction ruined him,
and deprived him of that portion of sympathy which is due to a man who
suffers for his good intentions. Billaud and St. Just demanded that he
should be arrested, and carried it, at a night sitting of the
Committee. Only one refused to sign. Danton had been repeatedly and
amply warned. Thibaudeau, Rousselin, had told him what was impending.
Panis, at the last moment, came to him at the opera, and offered him a
place of refuge. Westermann proposed to him to rouse the armed people.
Tallien entreated him to take measures of defence; and Tallien was
president of the Convention. A warning reached him from the very grave
of Marat. Albertine came to him and told him that her brother had
always spoken with scorn of Robespierre as a man of words. She
exclaimed, "Go to the tribune while Tallien presides, carry the
Assembly, and crush the Committees. There is no other road to safety
for a man like you!" "What?" he replied; "I am to kill Robespierre and
Billaud?" "If you do not, they will kill you." He said to one of his
advisers, "The tribunal would absolve me." To another, "Better to be
guillotined than to guillotine." And to a third, "They will never
dare!" In a last interview, Robespierre accused him of having
encouraged the opposition of Desmoulins, and of having regretted the
Girondins. "Yes," said Danton, "it is time to stop the shedding of
blood." "Then," returned the other, "you are a conspirator, and you
own it." Danton, knowing that he was lost, burst into tears. All
Europe would cast him out; and, as he had said, he was not a man who
could carry his country in the soles of his shoes. One formidable
imputation was to call him a bondsman of Mr. Pitt; for Pitt had said
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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