154. ANNUAL REGISTER, 1794. 



scription included thirty national 

 .deputies. A report of this nature 

 alarmed the whole of thtit party 

 which was leagued for his dcstruc- 

 tionj and they immediately deter- 

 mined on its quickest accelera- 

 tion. 



Robespierre, though checked in 

 the Convention, still relied on his 

 associates in the clubs and popu- 

 lar societies, but especir,!!}- in 

 the municipality of Pi:jis. He 

 hoped at the -worst, that were 

 he to lose his influence over the 

 Convention, he would be able to 

 overawe it in the same mar.ner as 

 had happened iu the preceding year, 

 when the citizens of Paris rose upon 

 the Convention, and compe.lrd 

 it by force to yield to their de- 

 mands. He had been so for- 

 tunate in all his contests for pow- 

 er, that he enlertaiaed little doubt 

 of success in the present strr.g- 



ge 



Tior was it doubted at tlie 



time that, had he prevailed over 

 his opponents, they would ha e 

 been sacrificed in t!ie same manner 

 as Brissot and his party. 



The nearer the day of decision 

 drev/, the more unsettled and un- 

 certain appeared the determinations 

 of his adversaries. Their inimical 

 resolutions were the same ; but 

 how to execute them was now the 

 question. They knew not how- 

 far they would be supported with- 

 out doors ; and even in the Con- 

 %'ention they knew not precisely 

 their own strength. What they 

 chiefly depended on was that the 

 moment a considerable number of 

 members of the frst respectability 

 had declaredthemselvesthey would 

 instantly be joined by a great num- 

 ber, probably a majority, if not the 

 whole Convention, with the sole 

 exception of Robespierre's chief 

 intimates and immediate agents. 



This expectation they looked upon 

 as so justly founded, that they built 

 upon it as a certainty. Had they 

 not indead deemed themselves iji 

 such a situation, it would have ar- 

 ^Qed unpardonable temerity to en- 

 counter such an enemy on mere 

 presumption: unless indeed one 

 ihould suppose that, conscious he 

 had devoted them to destruction, 

 tiiey saw no other way to escape 

 it than by risking their lives, which 

 otherwise ihty must lose at all 

 events. 



It appeared however on the 23d 

 day of July, that they were not 

 finally prepared how to act. Ear- 

 rere, who headed the party in the 

 committees, found iiimself obliged 

 on that day to assume the mask of 

 dissiiuulation, ai>d to speak a lan- 

 guage very difterent from what he 

 would have held, had he thought 

 himself at liberty to express his sen-* 

 tiraents. He warned the Con- 

 vention to belon their guard against 

 conspiracies, and to adhere faith- 

 fully to government. 



The enemies to France, he said, 

 were labouring to plunge it into 

 trouble and conlusion ; but the 

 Convention, he. hoped, would not 

 slumber on its danger, though in 

 the midst of victories. The go- 

 vernment established in France 

 was odious to all crowned heads 

 from its energy : they saw with 

 equal rage and impotence^ that the 

 Frencharmies were irresistible, and 

 had humbled everywhere the eue- 

 mies of the republic; while at 

 liome, conspiracy and rebellion 

 were constantly fnasirated. Two 

 days after, he made another speech 

 much to the same eflect ) wherein 

 he mentioned the existence of a 

 counter-revolutionary plot, and the 

 delusion of some misguided ©rperr 

 verttd citizens, who were seeking 



