820 ANNUAL R E G I S T E R, n94, 



kbl'e speech, fully belied those pre- 

 tensions to piety and reverence for 

 the Deity, of which they had the 

 insolence to make so ostentatious 

 a pai-ade. 



. The trial of Danton *and of his 

 fellow-prisoners, was attended with 

 (Circumstances peculiarly memor- 

 able. When questioned, according 

 to the usual forms, respecting his 

 name and abode, "My name," he an- 

 swered, "willji vein history for ever; 

 but my abode will soon be now here." 

 Herault Sochelles answered to the 

 same questions in a similar strain. 

 Being asked what his station had 

 been previously to the revolution, 

 he replied that he had once filled <^ 

 place of note in the very spot he 

 now stood; and was at. that time 

 held in abhorrence by his colleagues 

 for the principles of liberty he had 

 the courage to avow. — Both he and 

 •Camille Desmoulins forcibly ex- 

 posed the absurdity of the charges 

 against them. Danton, by the keen- 

 ness of his Remarks, and the severity 

 of the rejiroaches he cast upon the 

 proceedings of the ruling powers 

 ■and thedr agents in the present bu- 



siness, struck the judge? vith suiv 

 prise, and put them to a stand j 

 nor was it with words alone that 

 he perplexed them. Ke had the 

 boldness to fling paper-bullets at 

 the president, by way of shewing 

 his contempt ; and he peremptorily 

 refused to answer interrogatories, 

 unless he was confronted with his 

 accusers. Herein his fellovv^-pri- 

 soncrs resolutely concurred, alle- 

 ging, that when the governors of 4 

 nation conspire against individuals, 

 these had a right to conspire against 

 their iiiqiuitous conduct, and by 

 detecting it to their faces, to bring 

 them to open shame. 



Robespierre and his coadjutor 

 Barn re, who were the persons al- 

 luded to, refused to appear against 

 the prisoners, on pretence tliat a 

 plot had been formed for their as- 

 sassination. On this refusal, the 

 prisoners persisted in their determi- 

 nation to answer no interrogatories, 

 insisting they v»ere illegal, unless 

 their demand was complied with. 

 The embarrassment of the tribunal 

 at this resolute denial was such, ! h;it, 

 averse to proceed without being 



* The. fojlowinf; is the rcmarhable outline given, of Danton's public character 

 _jn ihe report of the coinm.ttcc of public safety, upon his arrest, and thai of the 

 other deputies : — •' From one end of Europe to the other, the style of patriotism is 

 assumed; let us see, Damon, what thestyle of pa'riotsni is .' Vou conspired with 

 Mirabeau, Dumourlcr, Hcbert, and l-letault ^'ou sought the protection of Mi- 

 rabeau ; and during his life you remained mute. This taction-monger knew the 

 •value ot your audacity, and di'tplayed against the court a menacing front, lie pe- 

 rished ; and his deaih again plunged ) ou into obscurity You appeared again in the 

 Champ dc Mais; and it was then in the Jacobins you supported the nioiion of 

 Laclos; and drew up, with Brissot, the celebrated address. You soon after, how- 

 ever, con rivid to enjoy traiKiuiility at Arcis-sur-Aube; but on the nighc ot the 

 10 h of August you leiurned, and i. ic(|uiied all the persuasion of your Irimos to 

 keep you out (jf bed. When n:inisier'of justice you wt,re surrounded by knaves ; 

 and, speaking ot Noel, one of your agents, you observed that you knew him to be 

 a good tor-noihing fellow, but you had him watched. Upon hsbre D'Erlan- 

 tine you headed riches; and it was by your infiiience that both he and D'Orlcans 

 were rhoscn for the Convention. In this Convention vou were the tnend ot the 

 Pnssotines, with whom you concerted attacks to be made on yourself ; and while 

 you demanded your accounts, you presented to them the olive-branch of peace."' 



sauctioned, 



