[56 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1104. 



mcn'ed, as usual, that his speech 

 should be printed, hii first ani most 

 resolute opponent. Bourdon de 

 L'Oise, opposed the motion, and 

 insisted on its being previously re- 

 ferred to the examination of the 

 committees. This occasioned a 

 violent altercation between him 

 and Couthon, who required the 

 publication of it without a prelimi- 

 nary inspection. He complained 

 at the same time, that a system of 

 calnmny had been introduced into 

 the Convention by some perfidions 

 members. But he u-as answered 

 with great spirit, that the season of 

 intimidation was now over, Ro- 

 bespierre himself, as well as his 

 partizans, met with undaunted re- 

 plies. The violence of the debate 

 increasing, and hints being thrown 

 cut on the boldness of some ex- 

 pressions, Freron exclaimed, that 

 without freedom of opinion, there 

 could be no liberty, and demanded 

 that no member s^hould be arrested 

 for tliat freedom ; without which 

 no man could speak his mind with 

 safety. After a warm discussion of 

 the several points that were spoken 

 fo, the motion for printing Robes- 

 pierre's speech w.is finally carried. 

 Elate with an advantage, which 

 he hild not obtained without the 

 most mortit'yino; opposition, he 

 hastened to the Jaoobin club, 

 where he read his speech ; which 

 was received with the highest ap- 

 plause. Heated with the business 

 pf the day, and urged by the inso- 

 lence of the club, Couthon had 

 the audacity to denounce the two 

 committees as guily of treason. 

 Coffinhall, a man of an overbear- 

 ing disposition, called, in the harsh- 

 est terms, for a purification of the 

 Convention itself: the meaninsf 

 of which wasj to Rstfoy every 



member in theopposition to Robes* 

 pierre and his party. 



From the tyrannical temper of 

 RobespieiTe,itwas imagined that he 

 would, on this juncture, have taken 

 violent measures against liis oppo-? 

 nents j but he perceived the dan- 

 ger of openly violating peisonal 

 liberty without some ostensible 

 sanction for such a step ; and as no 

 lawcotildauthorizehim, he forbore, 

 and thought it more advisable to 

 employ his remaining Credit in the 

 Convention, and hisinfluencc or.t of 

 doors, for the preservation of his 

 power, or at least for the security 

 of his person and party from the 

 inimical designs that were evidently 

 meditated by his opponents. 



His trusty colleagues, St. Just 

 r.nd Couthon, resolved on this oc- 

 casion firmly to exert their utmost 

 abilities in his and their cause. 

 The former was not deficient in 

 courage and capacity ; but his im- 

 petuosity and presumption were 

 still greater. He exhibited a fatal 

 instance of this, in the very first 

 words he uttered in the Convention 

 on this day, which was the 27th of 

 July. After informing the assem- 

 bly that he was directed by the 

 committees to make a report on 

 the str.te of the republic, he sub- 

 icincd, that the remedies which they 

 had proposed were ineffectual for 

 the cure of public grievances, and 

 he would therefore speak to tJie 

 Convention from himself. So pre- 

 sumptuous an exordium excited 

 the indignation of his audience to 

 such a degree, that he was immedi- 

 ately struck silent. Tallien vigo- 

 rously seized this opportunity for 

 striking a decisive blow. He reso- 

 lutely compelled St. Just to quit the 

 tribune ; of which having tskcn 

 possession, he exposed i» strong 



term^ 



