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Carra； Lauze…Deperret and Fauchet； present during the session； are
seized on the spot； which is plain physical warning： none is more
effective to check the unruly。 Decrees are passed on the 18th of
July accusing Coustard； on the 28th of July against Gensonné； La
Source； Vergniaud； Mollevaut； Gardien； Grangeneuve； Fauchet； Boilleau；
Valazé； Cussy； Meillan； each being aware that the tribunal before
which he must appear is the waiting room to the guillotine。
Decrees of condemnation are passed on the 12th of July against
Birotteau； the 28 of July against Buzot； Barbaroux； Gorsas；
Lanjuniais； Salles； Louvet； Bergoeing； Pétion； Guadet； Chasset；
Chambon； Lidon； Valady； Defermon； Kervelégen； Larivière； Rabaut…Saint…
étienne； and Lesage； pronounced outlaws and traitors； they are to be
led to the scaffold without trial as soon as they can be got hold of。
Finally； on the 3rd of October； a great haul of the net in the
Assembly itself sweeps off the benches all the deputies that still
seem capable of any independence： the first thing is to close the
doors of the hall； which is done by Amar； reporter of the Committee of
General Security；＇104＇ then； after a declamatory and calumnious
speech； which lasts two hours； he reads off names on two lists of
proscriptions： forty…five deputies； more or less prominent among the
Girondins； are to be at once summoned before the revolutionary
tribunal； seventy…three others； who have signed secret protests
against the 31st of May and 2nd of June； are to be put in jail。 No
arguing！ the majority dares not even express an opinion。 Some of the
proscribed attempt to exculpate themselves； but they are not allowed
to be heard； none but the Montagnards have the floor； and they do no
more than add to the lists； each according to personal enmity；
Levasseur has Vigée put down； and Duroi adds the name of Richon。 One
their names being called； all the poor creatures who happen to be
inscribed； quietly advance and 〃huddle together within the bar of the
house； like lambs destined to slaughter；〃 and here they are separated
into two flocks； on the one hand the seventy…three； and on the other；
the ten or twelve who； with the Girondins already kept under lock and
key； are to furnish the sacramental and popular number； the twenty…two
traitors； whose punishment is a requirement of the Jacobin
imagination；＇105＇ on the left； the batch for the prison； on the right；
the batch for the guillotine。
To those who might be tempted to imitate them or defend them this is a
sufficient lesson。 … Subject to the boos； hisses and insults from the
hags lining the streets； the seventy…three＇106＇ are conducted to the
prisoners' room in the town hall。 This； already full； is where they
pass the night standing on benches； scarcely able to breathe。 The
next day they are crammed into the prison for assassins and robbers；
〃la Force；〃 on the sixth story； under the roof； in this narrow garret
their beds touch each other； while two of the deputies are obliged to
sleep on the floor for lack of room。 Under the skylights； which serve
for windows； and at the foot of the staircase are two pig…pens； at the
end of the apartment are the privies； and in one corner a night…tub；
which completes the poisoning of the atmosphere already vitiated by
this crowded mass of human beings。 The beds consist of sacks of straw
swarming with vermin； they are compelled to endure the
discipline；＇107＇ rations and mess of convicts。 And they are lucky to
escape at this rate： for Amar takes advantage of their silent
deportment to tax them with conspiracy； other Montagnards likewise
want to arraign them at the revolutionary Tribunal： at all events； it
is agreed that the Committee of General Security shall examine their
records and maintain the right of designating new culprits amongst
them。 For ten months they thus remain under the knife； in daily
expectation of joining the twenty…two on the Place de la Révolution。
With respect to the latter； the object is not to try them but to
kill them； and the semblance of a trial is simply judicial
assassination； the bill of indictment against them consists of club
gossip； they are accused of having desired the restoration of the
monarchy； of being in correspondence with Pitt and Coburg；＇108＇ of
having excited Vendée to insurrection。 The betrayal of Dumouriez is
imputed to them； also the murder of Lepelletier； and the assassination
of Marat； while pretended witnesses； selected from amongst their
personal enemies； come and repeat； like a theme agreed upon； the same
ill…contrived fable： nothing but vague allegations and manifest
falsehoods； not one definite fact； not once convincing document； the
lack of proof is such that the trial has to be stopped as soon as
possible。 〃You brave b forming the court；〃 writes Hébert；
〃don't trifle away your time。 Why so much ceremony in shortening the
days of wretches whom the people have already condemned？〃 Care is
especially taken not to let them have a chance to speak。 The
eloquence of Vergniaud and logic of Guadet might turn the tables at
the last moment。 Consequently； a prompt decree authorizes the
tribunal to stop proceedings as soon as the jury becomes sufficiently
enlightened； which is the case after the seventh session of the court；
the record of death suddenly greeting the accused； who are not allowed
to defend themselves。 One of them； Valazé； stabs himself in open
court； and the next day the national head…chopper strikes off the
remaining twenty heads in thirty…eight minutes。 … Still more
expeditious are the proceedings against the accused who avoid a trial。
Gorsas； seized in Paris on the 8th of October； is guillotined the same
day。 Birotteau； seized at Bordeaux； on the 24th of October； mounts
the scaffold within twenty…four hours。 The others； tracked like
wolves； wandering in disguise from one hiding…place to another； and
most of them arrested in turn； have only choice of several kinds of
death。 Cambon is killed in defending himself。 Lidon； after having
defended himself； blows out his brains； Condorcet takes poison in the
guard…room of Bourg…la…Reine。 Roland kills himself with his sword on
the highway。 Clavière stabs himself in prison。 Rébecqui is found
drowned in the harbor of Marseilles； and Pétion and Buzon half eaten
by wolves on a moor of Saint…Emilion。 Valady is executed at
Périgueux； Dechézeau at Rochefort； Grangeneuve； Guadet； Salle and
Barbaroux at Bordeaux； Coustard； Cussy； Rabout…Saint…étienne； Bernard；
Masuyer； and Lebrun at Paris。 Even those who resigned in January；
1793； Kersaint and Manuel； atone with their lives for the crime of
having sided with the 〃Right〃 and； of course； Madame Roland； who is
taken for the leader of the party； is one of the first to be
guillotined。＇109＇ … Of the one…hundred and eighty Girondins who led
the Convention； one hundred and forty have perished or are in prison；
or fled under sentence of death。 After such