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just as profound。 Men destroyed their enemies； not only because
they were shallow fanatics； but because they were convinced that
their own existence was threatened。 The judges of the
revolutionary Tribunals trembled no less。 They would have
willingly acquitted Danton； and the widow of Camille
Desmoulins； and many others。 They dared not。
But it was above all when Robespierre became the sole master that
the phantom of fear oppressed the Assembly。 It has truly been
said that a glance from the master made his colleagues shrink
with fear。 On their faces one read ‘‘the pallor of fear and the
abandon of despair。''
All feared Robespierre and Robespierre feared all。 It was
because he feared conspiracies against him that he cut off men's
heads； and it was also through fear that others allowed him to do
so。
The memoirs of members of the Convention show plainly what a
horrible memory they retained of this gloomy period。 Questioned
twenty years later； says Taine； on the true aim and the intimate
thoughts of the Committee of Public Safety； Barrere replied：
‘‘We had only one feeling； that of self…preservation； only one
desire； that of preserving our lives； which each of us believed
to be threatened。 You had your neighbour's head cut off so that
your neighbour should not have you yourself guillotined。''
The history of the Convention constitutes one of the most
striking examples that could be given of the influence of leaders
and of fear upon an assembly。
CHAPTER IV
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CONVENTION
1。 The activity of the Clubs and the Commune during the
Convention。
During the whole of its existence the Convention was governed by
the leaders of the clubs and of the Commune。
We have already seen what was their influence on the preceding
Assemblies。 It became overwhelming during the Convention。 The
history of this latter is in reality that of the clubs and the
Commune which dominated it。 They enslaved； not only the
Convention； but also all France。 Numerous little provincial
clubs； directed by that of the capital； supervised magistrates；
denounced suspects； and undertook the execution of all the
revolutionary orders。
When the clubs or the Commune had decided upon certain measures
they had them voted by the Assembly then and there。 If the
Assembly resisted； they sent their armed delegations thither
that is； armed bands recruited from the scum of the populace。
They conveyed injunctions which were always slavishly obeyed。
The Commune was so sure of its strength that it even demanded of
the Convention the immediate expulsion of deputies who displeased
it。
While the Convention was composed generally of educated
men； the members of the Commune and the clubs comprised a
majority of small shopkeepers； labourers； and artisans； incapable
of personal opinions； and always guided by their leadersDanton；
Camille Desmoulins； Robespierre； &c。
Of the two powers； clubs and insurrectionary Commune； the latter
exercised the greater influence in Paris； because it had made for
itself a revolutionary army。 It held under its orders forty…
eight committees of National Guards； who asked nothing more than
to kill； sack； and； above all； plunder。
The tyranny with which the Commune crushed Paris was frightful。
For example； it delegated to a certain cobbler； Chalandon by
name； the right of surveillance over a portion of the capitala
right implying the power to send to the Revolutionary Tribunal；
and therefore to the guillotine； all those whom he suspected。
Certain streets were thus almost depopulated by him。
The Convention struggled feebly against the Commune at the
outset； but did not prolong its resistance。 The culminating
point of the conflict occurred when the Convention wished to
arrest Hebert； the friend of the Commune； and the latter sent
armed bands who threatened the Assembly and demanded the
expulsion of the Girondists who had provoked the measure。 Upon
the Convention refusing the Commune besieged it on June 2； 1798；
by means of its revolutionary army； which was under the orders of
Hanriot。 Terrified； the Assembly gave up twenty…seven of its
members。 The Commune immediately sent a delegation ironically to
felicitate it upon its obedience。
After the fall of the Girondists the Convention submitted itself
completely to the injunctions of the omnipotent Commune。 The
latter decreed the levy of a revolutionary army； to be
accompanied by a tribunal and a guillotine； which was to traverse
the whole of France in order to execute suspects。
Only towards the end of its existence； after the fall of
Robespierre； did the Convention contrive to escape from the yoke
of the Jacobins and the Commune。 It closed the Jacobin club and
guillotined its leading members。
Despite such sanctions the leaders still continued to excite the
populace and hurl it against the Convention。 In Germinal and
Prairial it underwent regular sieges。 Armed delegations even
succeeded in forcing the Convention to vote the re…establishment
of the Commune and the convocation of a new Assembly； a measure
which the Convention hastened to annul the moment the insurgents
had withdrawn。 Ashamed of its fear； it sent for regiments which
disarmed the faubourgs and made nearly ten thousand arrests。
Twenty…six leaders of the movement were put to death； and six
deputies who were concerned in the riot were guillotined。
But the Convention did not resist to any purpose。 When it was no
longer led by the clubs and the Commune it obeyed the Committee
of Public Safety and voted its decrees without discussion。
‘‘The Convention；'' writes H。 Williams； ‘‘which spoke of nothing
less than having all the princes and kings of Europe brought to
its feet loaded with chains； was made prisoner in its own
sanctuary by a handful of mercenaries。''
2。 The Government of France during the ConventionThe Terror。
As soon as it assembled in 1792 the Convention began by decreeing
the abolition of royalty； and in spite of the hesitation of a
great number of its members； who knew that the provinces were
royalist； it proclaimed the Republic。
Intimately persuaded that such a proclamation would transform the
civilised world； it instituted a new era and a new calendar。 The
year I。 of this era marked the dawn of a world in which reason
alone was to reign。 It was inaugurated by the trial of Louis
XVI。； a measure which was ordered by the Commune； but which the
majority of the Convention did not desire。
At its outset； in fact； the Convention was governed by its
relatively moderate elements； the Girondists。 The president and
the secretaries had been chosen among the best known of this
party。 Robespierre； who was later to become the absolute master
of the Convention； possessed so little influence at this time
that he obtained only six votes for the presidency； while
Petion received two hundred and thirty…five。
The Montagnards had at first only a very slight influence。 Their
power was of later growth。 When they were in power there was no
longer room in the Convention for moderate members。
Despite their minority the Montagnards found a way to force the
Assembly to bring Louis to trial。 This was at once a victory
over the Girondists； the condemnation of all kings； and a final
divorce between the old order and the new。
To bring about the trial they manoeuvred very skilfully；
bombarding the Convention with petitions from the provinces； and
sending a deputation from the insurrectional Commune of Paris；
which demanded a trial。
According to a characteristic common to the Assemblies of the
Revolution； that of yielding to threats and always doing the
contrary of what they wished； the men of the Convention dared not
resist。 The trial was decided upon。
The Girondists； who individually would not have wished for the
death of the king； voted for it out of fear once they were
assembled。 Hoping to save his own head； the Duc d'Orleans；
Louis' cousin； voted with them。 If； on mounting the scaffold on
January 21； 1793； Louis had had that vision of the future which
we attribute to the gods； he would have seen following him； one
by one； the greater number of the Girondists whose weakness had
been unable to defend him。
Regarded only from the purely utilitarian point of view； the
execution of the king was one of the mistakes of the Revolution。
It engendered civil war and armed Europe against France。 In the
Convention itself his death gave rise to intestine struggles；
which finally led to the triumph of the Montagnards and the
expulsion of the Girondists。
The measures passed under the influence of the Montagnards
finally became so despotic that sixty departments； comprising the
West and the South； revolted。 The insurrection； which was headed
by many of the expelled deputies； wo