historical chronick. 



tlie highest praises on the two 

 ministers, and reminded the 

 convention of the important 

 services they had rendered to 

 their country, to which they 

 had sacrificed the greater part 

 of their property. " The 

 minister for the home depart- 

 ment (said he,) rendered a- 

 bortive a great part of the 

 plots formed in several of the 

 departments, and he gave vi- 

 gour to the administrations 

 which, before his coming into 

 office, were in a state of the 

 most deplorable apathy, and 

 exhibited the most criminal in- 

 difFercRce for the good of the 

 republic. The minister oi 

 war had {hewn what might. 

 be accompliflied by the activity 

 of an honest man. He had 

 used every exertion to defeat 

 the machinations of foreign 

 enemies, and even injured his 

 health so much that he is now 

 confined to his bed. On these 

 considerations I think every 

 good citizen must wifli that 

 Roland and Servan would re- 

 tain that post at which they 

 have been placed -by the con- 

 fidence of the nation. I move, 

 therefore, that these cilizens 

 may be inv>ed in the name of 

 their country to continue to 

 serve it." 



Jean de Brie said, this would 

 be offering an insult to other 

 citizens, as it would amount 

 to a declaration that none of 

 them were capable of filling 

 tip places in the ministry. • j 



Buzzot, after tracing out in 

 an elegant speech the services 

 by which these ministers had 

 immortalized themselves, was 

 of opinion that ihe tonventiou 

 was the dispenser of the grati- 

 tude of the nation, and that it 

 would not disgrace itself, as 

 had been pretended, by invi- 

 ting Servan and Roland not to 

 quit their functions. 



The discufsion was about to 

 be terminated, but a member 

 having moved, that Danton 

 Ihould also be invited to dis- 

 charge, at least provisionally, 

 the duty of minister of justice, 

 that gentleman exprefsed his 

 indignation that the represen- 

 tatives of a free people fhould 

 debase themselves so far as to 

 invite. 



" It is probable, and even 

 certain, Ccontinued Danton,) 

 that the minister of war cannot 

 yield to your invitation, as the 

 state of his health will not per- 

 mit him ; and is it not a real 

 disgrace to you to expose your- 

 selves to the mortification of a 

 refusal ? But as every one here 

 has the right of exprefsing his 

 sentiments, I fliall declare 

 mine like a son of freedom. 

 People talk to you' continually 

 of Roland and his virtues ; I 

 render him that justice which 

 is due to him, but I think his 

 talents are tco much extolled- 

 If you mean to addrefs your 

 prayers to him, addrefs them 

 also to his wife, for (he also had 

 a (hare in the administration. 



