The National Convention

With the attack on the Tuileries on the 10th August 1792 the monarchy had fallen and a republic created.  For the first time all males regardless of wealth were allowed to vote needless to say women were forbidden.

The National Convention would see the radicalisation of the French Revolution with: the execution of the King, the removal of the Girondins, the Terror, federalist revolts, the events of Thermidor, the subsequent counter revolution and then finally the creation of the Directory.

National Convention abolishes slavery on the 4th February 1794.  Taken from The French Revolution and Human Rights a brief documentary history, Bedford/St Martins, Boston, New York (1996) p116

The National Convention declares the abolition of Negro slavery in all the colonies; in consequence it decrees that all men, without distinction of colour, residing in the colonies, are French citizens and will enjoy all the rights assured by the constitution.

Social composition of the National Convention October 1792-October 1795.  Taken from The Longman Companion to the French Revolution, Colin Jones, Longman, Harlow (1988) p168

Letter of Carrier to the National Convention, Cholet October 1793.  Taken from Correspondence of Jean-Baptiste Carrier (People’s Representative to the Convention) During his mission in Brittany, 1793-1794, John Lane: The Bodley Head, London  (1920) p80

Citizen Colleagues,

The Army of the West formed on the 14th in two columns ; one, composed of troops from Luçon, passed by Les Herbiers ; the other, of troops from Mayence, has marched from Montaigu on Tiffauges. This position was held by the brigands; they rang the tocsin on the approach of our Army and flung themselves into the woods, so that we entered Tiffauges without much trouble.  The next day (the 15th), after the column had set out, Turreau had this resort of brigands burnt. The vanguard was marching towards Mortagne by the Cholet road, when our colleague Merlin sent word to us that he was marching towards the brigands at La Romagne ; we learnt a moment afterwards that he had passed them with his mounted chasseurs and the legions of Cassel and the Franks.

Following the road to Mortagne we found only a few outposts; all had fallen before the blows of our brave Republicans. Arrived in sight of Mortagne with the body of our Army, we saw the town occupied by the vanguard and our colleague Turreau, who in order to effect an entry had set fire to the suburbs and charged the brigands with his mounted chasseurs, who made more than twenty bite the dust.  We learnt that the brigands had only evacuated this well-known retreat of theirs to dispute the road to Cholet with us. We summoned a Council of War, consisting of the People's Representatives and Officers of the Staff, and there on a rock the order was issued to attack the enemy in two columns. Hardly was the order received when we heard the cannon. Merlin, with our colleague Cambon's brother, had gone to meet the enemy they found themselves surrounded. Cambon was unhorsed and slightly wounded they only returned to us by cutting their way through the midst of the enemy.

Turreau marched with the column from Lugon, led by the brave General Bard. They were at first frightened by the number of the enemy and the heavy fire of their artillery. Merlin was with the column from Mayence, and encouraged by his presence, they achieved prodigies of valour.  Seeing a movement on the enemy's right to pass over our left flank, General Beaupuy gave a bayonet charge from their rear, and took two pieces of cannon, which he caused to be pointed against them immediately, while General Kleber, whose coolness equals his bravery, and our colleague Turreau, were chasing the enemy to the very walls of Cholet, after having captured four pieces of cannon.

L'Echelle, the General-in-Chief, was at the head of Vimeux' division, and in his turn pursued the enemy on the right. The affair was very swift and hot. A few brave Republicans perished for the sake of their country. Among them was Tyrau, Commander of the Legion of Cassel; La Bruyere, Adjutant of General Besson, who himself sealed the people's cause with his blood; but they are avenged ; a number of brigands have bitten the dust, and many of their leaders have remained on the battlefield. All our wounded cried “Long life to the Republic” Of these are Generals Barge and Targe, (the latter) Chief of the Frankish Legion, who by his intrepid action at Port-Saint-Pere has already drawn upon himself the attention of the National Convention.

Every man did his duty; evening alone separated the combatants. Our cannon growled over Cholet all night. The attacking column remained in good order with the Army until dawn, but hardly had the light come than Targe, in spite of his wound, entered Cholet at the head of his Franks. The columns followed him soon after. This triumphant entry was only a passing through; we were careful not to let them stay there. They took up a position well to the fore.

We found in Cholet six pieces of cannon, twenty powder carts, a well-furnished arsenal, and the correspondence of the rebels, which we are forwarding to the Committee of Public Safety. At present we are taking the most effective measures to finish the extermination of the hordes of scoundrels who are bringing desolation to the heart of the Republic. Those who fought under my eyes love her as sincerely as they defend her bravely.

Greeting and fraternity,

Carrier.

Letter of Carrier to the National Convention 24th December 1793 in Nantes.  Taken from Correspondence of Jean-Baptiste Carrier (People’s Representative to the Convention) During his mission in Brittany, 1793-1794, John Lane: The Bodley Head, London (1920) p178

All the brigands on the right bank of the Loire are at last exterminated. There is no longer a Catholic-Royalist Army in this part of the Republic. We attacked them on the 2nd and 3rd and made such a slaughter of them that we have not heard a word about them since. There were few who escaped and these we shall destroy by beating the woods. The two combats took place at Savenay; we took from them cannon, powder-carts, and various appointments, and pursuing them as far as the Vilaine, where the bridges had been destroyed and the crafts broken up by my orders, we killed about six thousand of them, the sum total of their fugitive horde.

On the left bank we have once more beaten Charette, at Les Herbiers, and killed three to four thousand of his brigands. He fled to the woods in disorder with about three hundred men.  Nantes is illuminated. Cries of ''Long life to the Republic! Her Defenders! The Mountain!" resound on all sides. Joy is universal and inexpressible. Oh yes! How long our dear country will live! Her triumph is assured.

Letter of Carrier to the National Convention 1st December 1794.  Taken from Correspondence of Jean-Baptiste Carrier (People’s Representative to the Convention) During his mission in Brittany, 1793-1794, John Lane: The Bodley Head, London (1920) p237

(Carrier writes) that the Commission established at Nantes which declared it had condemned only four to five hundred brigands, acknowledges already one thousand eight hundred. Moreover, it is certain that in calculating the days it was in function and the number of brigands it had sentenced to execution, there were at least four thousand of them put to death; it tried one hundred and fifty to two hundred of them per day. He concludes from this that the depositions contradict each other, and he asks in consequence the deposit at the record-office of the Revolutionary Tribunal of the Registers of the Military Commission of Nantes. The Revolutionary Tribunal has refused him this just request under pretence that he wished to gain time by this method.

Barère on the National Convention.  Taken from Memoirs of Bertrand Barère Volume 2, H. S. Nichols, London (1896) p103

The dictatorship of the Convention could only save public liberties by sacrificing individual liberties, even as it could only preserve the integrity and independence of the territory of the country by making requisitions of men and supplies, and by means of battles and victories, which were always bought too dearly by arming the populace, thus causing the dis- orders of wholesale levies. Thus, the National Convention, having to defend France against civil wars, against federalism, and royalist conspiracies at home, at the same time that abroad it fought with its armies against the coalition of all the kings of Europe, who were paid and excited by the English government, must inevitably clash with many interests, commit many violent actions, injure a number of liberties, and thwart many political passions. The National Convention was fighting hand to hand with all Europe. At all points was it fighting the bands of royalists, fomenting conspiracies at home and corruption abroad. Resistance produced excesses, while the plots to be baffled justified the measures employed by the Convention.

For the nation it was a question of liberty and independence ; for France it was a question of her existence and nationality. All means of general defence became legitimate and just, since their object was to save the country from the fate of unhappy Poland, and to prevent the execution of the treaties for the partition of France, signed at Pillnitz and Pavia.