BOOK FOURTEENTH. LAURENT APPOINTED KEEPER TO THE 10TH THERMIDOR, YEAR 2 (28TH JULY, 1794). Visit of Barras to the Temple-Nomination of Laurent-Biographical details-Execution of Robespierre and Simon-Installation of LaurentInquiry sought by him-Some members of the committee of public welfare visit the young King-His state-Laurent's attention to his prisoner-Surprise of the latter-Walks on the platform-A bouquet of flowers-Double uneasiness of the Convention-Laurent asks, and obtains a colleague. On the day after the 9th Thermidor, at six o'clock in the morning, Barras, who had been one of the principal actors on that day, repaired to the Temple, with several members of the committees and deputies of the Convention, in grand costume. Having been appointed commander-in-chief of the armed force —which on the day before had repulsed that commanded by Henriot, and had taken Robespierre and his principal agents, established at the Hôtel-de-Ville, prisoners-Barras went with his escort to show himself at all the great military posts of Paris, and to receive from the troops their oath of fidelity to the National Convention. He stopped at the Temple post, doubled the guard there, and ordered the municipals to remain there permanently, and keep strict watch. Among the numerous escort surrounding the new com. mandant of the troops of Paris was citizen Laurent, a member of the revolutionary committee of the Temple section "" I Laurent and Barras. shall want to talk with you," said Barras to him; "come and see me when we have returned." of Laurent was punctual at the rendezvous. "We have disposed you without consulting you," said the dictator to him. • Independently of the municipals who relieve each other every day at the Temple tower, and keep watch over its safety, it will be well for the government to have a permanent agent there, worthy of entire confidence. The committees, on my proposition, have just appointed you keeper to the children of the ex-king; they depend on your zeal and patriotism. You will receive your commission to-morrow. * We give the two decrees of the committees of public welfare, and general safety, appointing Laurent keeper to the tyrant's children, and regulating his salary "Extract from the register of the decrees of the committees of public welfare and general safety of the National Convention, 11th day of the month Thermidor, 2nd year of the French Republic, one and indivisible. "The committees of public welfare and general safety declare that citizen Laurent, member of the revolutionary committee of the Temple, is appointed provisionally to the guard of the tyrant's children, prisoners in the Temple. The two committees recommend him to keep the strictest watch. (Signed) (Extract signed) “BILLAUD-VARENNES, B. BARRERE, VADIER-DU BARRAN, C. A. PRIEUR, CARNOT, ROBERT LIN- “ELIE LACOSTE, VADIER, B. BARRERE, BILLAUD VARENNES, COLLOT D'HERBOIS, and DUBARRAN. "Certified as correct, and conformable to the decrees of the committees of public welfare and general safety, now in my hands : “LAURENT, appointed guardian to the children of Capet." "National Convention. "Committee of general safety and superintendence of the National Convention. ❝ 22nd Vendémiaire, year 3 of the French Republic, one and indivisible. “The Committee of general safety decides that commissary Laurent, Description of Laurent. He was Laurent came from St. Domingo, where he had some land. a little man, a warm partizan of equality about thirty-five years of age, and unmarried; his democratical principles, which had attracted him to France, had brought him forward, and gained him the esteem of Barras. His republican tendencies had been strengthened by reading all the pamphlets of the period, and by his regular attendance at the clubs. In other respects he was, like his protector, a clever and well. educated man, with very refined manners; but his ardour for the new opinions excluded all impartial appreciation of the past, and, in his sympathy with the people, he would acknowledge nothing great that had not sprung from them. He lived with his mother and two young sisters in the Rue de la FolieMéricourt, in a neighbourhood where, at that period, there were more gardens than houses. Laurent had a passion for flowers, and devoted all the time he could spare from political affairs to his greenhouse and his parterre. At four o'clock, the hour when Barras, followed by his escort, was completing his tour, another procession, much more numerous, was passing through Paris, amid cries of joy, and the maledictions of the people; it was the tumbril that bore Robespierre and his satellites,* among whom was the cobbler Simon, appointed as guard over the tyrant's children, shall be rewarded by a monthly salary, at the rate of six thousand livres a year, to be paid by the commission of civil administration, police, and tribunals; which sum shall be charged by the above commission on the funds placed at their disposal. "The representatives of the people, members of the committee of general safety. (Signed) “GOUPILLEAU (of Fontenay), BENTABOL, MATHIEU, LE VASSEUR (of the Meurthe), MONMAYOU, REVER- SENAUX." (National Archives, Case E, No. 6208.) * We give the names as they are given in the report of their execution, and warrant for their death : 1.-Maximilien Robespierre, aged 35 years, a native of Arras, residing at Paris, Rue Saint-Honoré, section of Piques. Execution of Robespierre. to execution. Robespierre had on the same coat which he wore on the day of the fête of the Supreme Being; and Simon, 2.-Georges Couthon, aged 38 years, a native of Orzay, department of Puy-de-Dôme, residing at Paris, Cour de Manége. 3.-Louis-Jean-Baptiste-Thomas Lavalette, aged 40 years, a native of Paris, residing there, No, 320 Rue Honoré. 4.-François Henriot, aged 35 years, a native of Nanterre, near Paris, residing at Paris, Rue de la Clef. 5.-René-François Dumas, aged 37 years, a native of Jussey, department of the Upper Saône, residing at Paris, Maison de Convenance, Rue 'de Seine-Germain. 6.-Antoine Saint-Just, aged 26 years, a native of Lisé, department of the Nièvre, residing at Paris, No. 3 Rue Caumartin. 7.-Claude-François Payan, aged 27 years, a native of Saul-les-Fon taines, department of the Drôme, residing at Paris, Rue de la Liberté, section of Marat. 8.-Jacques-Claude Bernard, aged 34 years, residing at Paris, Rue Bernard, section of Montreuil. 9.-Adrien-Nicolas Gobeau, aged 26 years, native of Vincennes, depart ment of Paris, No. 530, Rue de la Chaise, section of Croix-Rouge. 10.-Antoine Gency, cooper, aged 23 years, a native of Reims, department of the Marne, residing at Paris, Rue de l'Oursine, Faubourg Marcel. 11.-Nicolas-Joseph Vivier, aged 50 years, a native of Paris, residing there, Rue Germain-Museum. 12.-Jean-Baptiste-Edmond Lescot-Fleuriot, artist, aged 43 years, a native of Brussels, residing at Paris, at the Mairie. 13.-Antoine Simon, shoemaker, aged 58 years, a native of Troyes, department of the Aube, residing at Paris, No. 32 Rue Marat. 14.-Denis-Etienne Laurent, aged 32 years, a native of Paris, residing there, No. 13 Rue Gît-le-Cœur. 15.--Jacques-Louis-Frédéric Wouarnée, aged 29 years, a native of Paris, residing there, No. 10 Rue de l'Hirondelle. 16.-Jean-Etienne Forestier, founder, aged 47 years, a native of Paris, residing there, Rue du Plâtre-Avoye. 17.-Augustin-Bon-Joseph Robespierre, a native of Arras, residing at Paris, Rue Florentin. 18.-Nicolas Guérin, receiver, aged 52 years, a native of Beaumont-surOrne, department of Calvados, residing at Paris, No. 50 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre. 19.-Jean-Baptiste-Mathieu Dhazard, hairdresser, aged 36 years, a native of Paris, residing there, No. 101 Rue Honoré, section of the Gardes. Françaises, 20.-Christophe Cochefer, upholsterer, a native of Gonesse, department of Seine-et-Oise, residing at Paris, No. 413 Rue Merry. Execution of Robespierre. the same carmagnole he had had at the Temple, while he exercised his functions as tutor there. There was an immense 21.-Charles-Jacques-Mathieu Bougon, aged 57 years, a native of Tourville, department of Calvados, residing at Paris, No. 64 Rue Lazare, section of Mont-Blanc. 22.-Jean-Marie Quenet, wood dealer, a native of Commune-Affranchie, residing at Paris, No. 78 Rue de la Mortellerie. "Examined the extract of the sentence of the revolutionary tribunal, and of the report of the execution, dated the 10th instant. (Signed) "NEIROT, Registrar's Clerk. TRIAL, Public Officer." The batch of victims next day was more considerable; the victors, who had first struck their most redoubtable enemies, had had time to name a great number, and to attaint the greater part of those members of the Commune who had long prevailed against the Convention. The reader will find the names of several of the Temple commissaries in the following list: 1.-Bertrand Arnaud, aged 55 years, a native of Tigne, department of Mont-Blanc, residing at Paris, No. 4 Rue Favart. 2.-Jean-Baptiste Crépin Taillebot, mason, aged 58 years, a native of Jouy-le-Peuple, department of Seine-et-Oise, residing at Paris, Rue du Fauburg-du-Temple. 3.-Servais-Beaudoin Boullanger, jeweller, aged 38 years, a native of Liége, residing at Paris, No. 59 Rue Honoré. 4.-Prosper Sijas, clerk, aged 35 years, a native of Vir, department of Calvados, residing at Paris, No. 21 Rue Grange-Batelière. 5.-Pierre Remy, toyman, aged 45 years, a native of Chaumont, department of the Upper Marne, residing at Paris, No. 595 Rue Louis, section of Indivisibilité. 6.-Claude-Antoine Deltroit, miller, aged 43 years, a native of Pontoise, department of Seine-et-Oise, residing at Paris, No. 21 Rue de la Mégisserie. 7.-Jean-Guillaume-François Vocannu, mercer, aged 37 years, a native of Germain-de-Montgommery, department of Calvados, residing at Paris, Rue du Monceau. 8.--Claude Bigant, painter, aged 40 years, a native of Paris, residing there, No. 5 Rue des Boulangers-Victor, section of the SansCulottes. 9.---Jean-Charles Lesire, farmer, aged 48 years, a native of Rosay, department of Seine-et-Marne, residing at Paris, Quai de l'Union, section of Fraternité. 10.-Jean-Baptiste-Emmanuel Legendre, aged 62 years, a native of Paris, residing there, No. 515 Rue de la Monnaie, section of the Muséum. |