Part 5 (1/2)

19. The last sitting of the legislative a.s.sembly.

CHAPTER III.

1792.

_Sept_. 20. First sitting of the third legislature, which takes the t.i.tle of National Convention. It consists of 745 members.

21. Decreed, that royalty is abolished, and that the kingdom of France is a republic.

The battle of Grand-Pre gained by General Dumouricr.

22. Danton resigns the ministry in order to take a place in the convention.

23. The old Marshal Luckner is ordered to the bar of the convention.

27. Mons. Cazotte, an author much esteemed, and who with difficulty escaped from the a.s.sa.s.sins of the 2d of September, is conducted to the guillotine at 80 years of age.

29. The Austrians begin to bombard Lisle (sic).

Spires taken by the army of Gen. Custine.

_Oct_. 2. The Duke of Brunswick, commanding the Prussians, begins his retreat from France, and raises the siege of Thionville.

4. The t.i.tle of Citizen is subst.i.tuted for those of Monsieur and Madame by a decree.

7. The Austrians raise the siege of Lisle.

8. Ma.s.sacre at Cambray.

9. The soldiers of General Dumourier ma.s.sacre their prisoners.

10. Servan quits the ministry.

Garat is appointed minister of justice.

13. Verdun evacuated by the Prussians.

14. A civic festival in honour of the conquest of Savoy.

18. Nine emigrants guillotined in the Place-de-Greve.

22. The French retake Longwy.

23. Mayence taken by General Custine.

24. Great accusations of Roland to the convention.

25. The French territory evacuated by the Austrians and Prussians.

26. Frankfort on the Main taken by the French.

31. A great number of returned emigrants denounced to the commune of Paris.

_Nov_. 2. All work at the camp near Paris is stopped.

3. The house of the deputy Marat is invested, and the people demand his head.

4. Robespierre endeavours to acquit himself of the charges brought against him by the deputy Louvet.

6. Report in the a.s.sembly of disturbances in the department of Mayence and Loire.

Three hundred millions of a.s.signats issued with new emblems.

A discourse upon Atheism p.r.o.nounced by Dupont, and applauded by the convention.

The Princess de Rohan-Rochefort is sent to prison for having written to the ex-minister Bertrand.

7. The battle of Gemappe--the Austrians are defeated by superior numbers, and an immense artillery.

Dumourier after his victory takes Mons.

A revolt announced at Guadaloupe.

10. Decreed, that all emigrants who shall return to France shall suffer death, whether men, women, or children, not excepting those who had never borne arms.

12. Ghent taken by the French.

14. Brussels taken by the French.

19. General Montesquieu emigrates.

23. De la Coste, ex-minister, and Du Fresne de St.

Leon, committed to the prison of the Abbaye.

24. Insurrection at Chartres and the neighbourhood, on account of bread.

25. The King asks of the convention some Latin books, that he may instruct his son himself.

26. Address from Finisterre to the convention, denouncing the deputies Marat, Robespierre, Danton, Chabot, Barire, and Merlin. Buzot supports the accusation.

27. Kersaint proposes to the convention to make a descent upon England with one hundred thousand men, and to sign an immortal treaty upon the Tower of London, which shall fix the destiny of nations, and confirm liberty for ever to the world.

The Belgians protest against a decree which trenches on their sovereignty.

30. Decree, charging the munic.i.p.alities to keep registers of baptisms, marriages and buryings.