The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24

ton 70 kiA DIE the perate ath ueiasm by which
victories we're won. Al tho end Of single
years. campaign tho republic, which had
seemed 10 have friends. now appeared to
have no enemies. The Vend6c had been still fed.
Brittany auclled. Lyons Toulon. Nalencicnnes
recovered. and the insurruction extnEulshed
in every corner OF France. The Dutch. the
Austrians. the PrussiaDs. tho German princes.
tho snvoynrds tho spanlards. wcro jointly or
succcsslvcly beaten in the feld. and Holland
Belgium. the whole left bank Of tho Rhine, IA
part OF Piedmont. Catalonia. and Navarro were
incorporated with the Jacobn Commonwealth
Such successes inspired tho monarchics OF
Europe with hitherto unknown respect Tor
tho moral forces OF tho Revolution. and
most OF tho allies sought pretexts 10
abandon tho coalition. One after another
the Grand Duke Of Tuscany. the King Of Prus
Ha md the Bourbon King OF Spain sent Am
bassadors TO Paris and accepted peace on hu-
initiating conditions. Tho Court OF Portugal
protested TINT IL had yielded to Engand's insti-
cation: that OF Naples whined for mercy by
appealing to tho republic. not 10 deal too hnrshly
with small powers dragged into wars against
their viii; and finally the Roman Pontifr sol
EMMY affirmed that he had never been the
enemy OF the rcpublic. In word. tho much
vaunted crusade OF tho crowned heads was
over. The revolution had been rescued vlndl-
Gated. Rlorihcd by Robespierrc and his coadju-
tore. democratic commonwealth had ex-
torted recognition. as nation which had APP
proved itself In the hands OF Jacobin leaders
capable Of framing m enlightened and durable
Constitution. and Of governing and defending
France.
But the superb reconstruction OF political eta
bility, In the face Of q European coalition and
ubiquitous treason at home. represents but a
single branch Of the Conventions achievements
under the guidance Of Robespierre and his sup
porters. SIR. Van Laun devotes but a single
paragraph to the multifarious abors Of It's inc
obin committees in the interest OF social. pro-
ductive. commercial. technical. educational. and
artistic progress. He can scarcely find time to
glance Mt their innumerable projects OF impor-
tant public works. nj the opening Of tho Normal
and other schools at tho reorganization OF the
Academy, at the Conseryatoire OF Arts and
Trades. and nj the multitude Of equally enlight-
ened and useful measures. The same hand which
had appointed the most cons mmato admins
trative genius and experien % TO executive func-
tons. selected for the most lofty intricate. and
fruitful business Of legislation. the most accom-
plshed. liberal and dauntess intcccts. Never
was more insight and perseverance applied 10
the solution Of the grayest social problems than
In the French Convention during the term OF
committees constitute an exhRustless reservoir
Of precious suggestion and information. when
we discover such TO have been the accomplish
ment Of the Mountain In civic economy. as we'll
as politics. we are not indisposed TO take for
granted some controlling aud adequate cause
Tor the policy OF suspicion and stern repression
exercised, not only in the capital but through
out the commonwealth. Robespicrre said
one day in tho Convention that Franco
WIS h0neyoombed with traitors. and with
In ~ twelyemonth after his death the words
were verified. and the Committee Of Public Sal
walton WIS eIonerated by the facts. When Re-
publican eXcesses were replace,i by the White
Terror" and Democrats were mnsacred in
every village. when the armies wero corrupted.
and the foremost Generals sworn b. bctray the
State when the Royalists were masters Of all
the cities. and in the capital itself controlling
the municipal sections kindled a formidable
revolt against the Republican remnant In the
ConNeniion-when In a word 1t was demonstrate
cd with sinister emphasis in the sombre days
OF 1875 that the deadlicet foes Of the
Com monwoalth were 10 be found within and
not without. then men called to mind the words
OF Robespierre. and saw ground 10 Justify the
attitude maintained with implacable severity by
tho Tribune Of the people. Not without cause
had q paroxysm OF indignation and despair
ltobespierTo's death reached the Rhine and
Italy.
Strange. indeed. It Is that such a man
should yet need defence. or that so lair minded
writer rs the author OF these volumes should
lack the candor or the hardihood 10 paint him
as no was. There are times however. when
the latter seems 10 discern in that pale vlsage.
In that slight and wasted form. the incarnat0
spirit OF the republic. His enemies have
scarcely deigned to allow Robespierre tho
possession Of any ability or any virtue.
and have blackened his memory with the
most homogeneous Weaknesses. and with vices
never found together in a human breast. lie Is
tainted with cowariice. yet he steadily refused
n body guard. He is charged with a mean envy
of the aftluent. yet in the plenitude OF power
he lived ia tho mOet rigorous frugality and left
not penny when he died He is said TO have
been incapable OF friendship yet he strove 10
save Danton at the imminent peril Of his own
life, and he was beloved by those who came
within the circle Of his intimacy. David tho
great painter held him in the most tender affec-
ton; Saint Just, the incorruptbe patriot and
philanthropist, reyered him. and his younger
prother AuRustin. when tho Convention de-
creed Robes pierre's arrest cried. Il demand 10
share my brothers. fate, M l have striven TO
share his virtues" EIually preposterous
IL inc attempt 10 invest kObespierTe with
II species OF feline ierocity. and TO make him
mainly responsible for the excesscs of the Ter
ror. IL Ia now notorious that cruelty was re-
UugnRnt 10 his nature. that he held the awful
severity which he WAS constrained to sanction
an Indispensable engine OF the public salvation
and that he fell at last because he dared to pro-
claim the hour OF mercy and to summon the
perpetrators Of the most odous atrocities before
the har Of the Convention rs dehlers Of the re-
public. As for the intellectual shallow
ness and incapacity sometimes imput-
ed TO him by reactonary historians, that
certainly 10 hard to reconcile with the mag
nihcent results Of his brief career In
onice or with the gasp OF expansion and rap
turous hope which shook the Royalists Of Europe
when they learned the tldinRs OF his downfall
We may add that these msgiyings as TO Robes
pierre's ability seem never 10 have occurred to
those who came within the sphere OF his near
influence. Among these may be mentioned a
young officer named BonapRrte. who. It Ia now
known. never ventured TO connect his over
weening aspirations with the Commonwealth OF
France. until, on his return from Egypt no
found reactionist opinions in tho ascendant.
the disciples of his master scattered and the