Show AA i Communications cat ons mA m oo e 92 THE FRENCH REVOLUTION During the past school year we have marked the growth of France from the time Charles Martel and the battle of Tours to Napoleon and the battle of W Waterloo We have perceived the French to be an intelligent warmhearted warmhearted warmhearted warm warm- hearted yet very impulsive ra race e. e We have also noticed that the church wielded a powerful influence e among this people also that the feudal system the fruits of which will be seen hereafter was more perfectly developed in France than in almost any other European country I France as a monarchy reached its greatest height under Louis XIV The The Grand Monarch Never was France s so so powerful One hundred fortresses covered th the fron frontier tier k one hundred ships of the line lay in the magnificent harbors of Toulon and Brest and an army of men under the command of T Turene rene Condi and Luxem- Luxem fi burg was Burg the fi terror rt F bf fE EurOpe r p A B ii ei er tl here we perceive the gathering of s storm storm b in ip fl future tur in HP ina i r c fh er r clap Louis had had carried c carried rrie o his outi-his- hil tf ryr other e ri nati nation rib but t hie had J i impoverished V ri 1 d impoverished France fiti g her lier revenues for years years iii i Advance er arid and ild de destroyed destroyed e her industries industries' H He sa Sacrificed his country to his l of glory ry Louis f ui XVI was only only- five ars of f age g death of his Louis gr great great g 1 rs X XV V. V The reg regency regency ncY fel fo t he bt k of Orleans Orlean a man w i i The public debt debt- W was was- s enormous 1 rahI and th the trie government had no no f r I To Irie meet i the emergency Ore Orleans 1 adopted d th the project f of John ohn Law who wi issued paper paper mO money money ey upon the security y of o-f imaginary itri imaginary ry mines nirie li in Louisiana But this scheme fell l through ugh in overwhelming ruin r Then Th ri followed w d dan an era of shame Lou Louis X XV V early plunged d dinto into vice and as for debauch debauchery ry and de depravity depravity depravity de- de the Court Court of of Louis is perhaps un unexampled unexampled unexampled exampled since the era era of Tiberius and Dickens J Jefferson eff The War of the Austrian Succession ar and d the Seven Years Years' War h had d deprived deprive l France ra ce of vast possessions and ad added added- millions t to the already hopeless debt t. t The pe people pl were overwhelmed by taxation wh while l the nobility and clergy who owned two-thirds two of the land were exempt The taxes were were leased to persons w who ho retained all th they y could collect above a specified amount The unhappy taxpayers tax were treated with relentless severity to swell sw-el the profits of these farmes general The IThe laws were enacted enacted en en- en enacted acted by those who considered the co common com common com com- mon people born for the use of the higher class lass Justice ustice could be se secured ure l only ony by influence The yeas peas peasants bribery or p political peas peasants labor roads bridges ridge ants were obliged to on etc with little or Dr no nc p pay y Large Larg tracts of of land were decla declared 4 pr game s ves w where hei wild bo boars bor r and nd d deer r rr r roamed roamed m at t pl pleasure asure 3 The iThe power yer po given give to the noble over th the p peasant living on on his estate was absolute Lest the young game might be disturbed or its flavor flavor- the starving p peas ant could neither weed his little plot plot plot-of of ground or suitably enrich it iti And the king king- what of him While While- out for a aride ride one 9 day Y the he met a ragged peasant carrying a a. a coffin offin For For whom whom- a asked ked the king kingi For a brother W did he be die of r Of hunger The king gave his horse the spur Such was wag shepherd of the shepherd of the peo peo 1 pie How did it fare with the flock The flock was not tended it was only only i shorn Let us notice these agencies at lt work work- and remember that France Fran e has witnessed witnessed an Crusade a massacre maSacre f of f Philip of V Valias lias and anda a St. St Bartholomew Bartholo Bartholo- mew Day The question is asked will this continue for ever I Carlyle answered it O O Oye 0 ye poor poor- wretches wretches and this then is your inarticulate inarticulate late cry to Heaven as of a dumb tortured animal crying from uttermost depths of pain and debasement Do these azure skies like a dead crystalline vault only reverb reverberate rate the echo of it on you Respond Respond Re Re- spond pond to it only only only-by by hanging on the following following following follow follow- ing day Not so not forever You are heard in Heaven and the answer too will ill come in a horror of great darkness and shakings shakings' of the world and a cup cup- of tr trembling which all nations shall drink Now N ow we perceive the fast approach of that darkness for a boastful skepticism prevailed and all that is amiable is-amiable in religion religion reli reli- religion gion or elevating in morals was made a a. subject of ridicule t I The writings of Rousseau and V Voltaire were producing a marked effect and the influence ence of of- that mighty apostle of human liberty Thomas Paine was felt and on the other side of the Atlantic Boston harbor had been blackened and on i. i i Hill Democracy cracy ra y z announces s tl that at i it is horn horn-aud and will vUI J T. T hat at t r Pennsylvania congress s is also assembled as as- and amid are aree oer o'er oera oer a simple c scroll debating debating de de- dei I i bating simple it may be yet it is such s1 as to shake the cliffs of Elio Englan England Eng Eng- land lan with the thunders of the free V dye Te see sef Louis XVI a a good well- well man an succeed to the throne thione r of France which is like a powder tower with unquenchable fire smoking and all ll around Lord Chesterfield Chesterfield Chesterfield Chester Chester- field then in France wrote home All symptoms which I have ever met with in in history Jr previous to great changes and andr r revolutions v l ti s in gov governments now exist and daily increase in France Fr nce J The only heritage left poor Louis was th the r effect 9 of the extravagant folly and cri crime e. e of his ancestors a bank bankrupt bankrupt ank- ank rupt treasury and a starving g people His wife M Marie ie Antoinette daughter of of Maria laria Theresa though beautiful and innocent innocent innocent in in- was of the hated house of Austi Austria Aus Aus- ti tria ia and her gay thoughtlessness added to the general discontent Louis desired to redress the wrongs gs of of his country but did not know how Minister Min Min- Minis is ister tel succeeded minister each in vain tried to solve the problem As a last States General which had not been called for for- over a hundred ye years rs was assembled May 5 1779 This was was- the first day of the Revolution You are all familiar with the events events' connected with the Nation Assembly How the third estat being the most powerful powerful pow pow- pow pow- powerful erful in in the S. S G. G upon the suggestion of Thomas Jefferson then Jefferson then our minister minister minister min min- ister to France France declared declared itself the United Assembly and invited the nobles and clergy to join it Louis closed the hall whereupon on the members repaired re- re IJ paired ired to a tennis court near by and swore not to separate until they they- had given France a constitution c c ls l's on tilt Yi I Ye t thc F court lint tid t i rooi to H Hm m ei frt a ti eithe th i efi efi ae y e h l J hii and ld l f f. f t-lii t toLis tidy s soldiers rs t Ve sailles I The The P 1 t. t m fj excited by- by bythe y the hi menace lh d to t to p ci o f pies pie's 1 1 s f yes es i ros ose in in-i in w ai i ms S lh me d' d Hi the tiie tb- tb U wins win's its its' dungeons t to the f t gT tirl 1 lection s pt i l ike t tf f f t d v- v i iC and I finally s' s adden v r d crying b bi Hi out ut r- r to Versailles sa sacked l d the le palace lid i in iri 1 f f rj sa sa e age glee bi ought brought f 1 the royal family amily to 1 Pans faris It was now that the van various us rev revo 0 t. t clubs clubs lu s. s ver 4 The 1 U. U F At A.- in in a furor of p patriotism tri ti ex extin extinguished extinguished in feudal pr vil ge abolished ab lish d seif- seif serf Mom dom eq equalized tali t taxation x t il The le y Ja law of Pi primogeniture oge was vas was abolished h d titles it es were v r annulled liberty o of conscience enc and and ld of jh the pi press press' ess was was p proclaimed d and Fiance mcc was vas divided divide int into eighty three ity igl-ity three depa t ments instead of of t the old d pi pr provinces evinces vinces T The h estates estat s of ot the clergy were ver confiscated ate i. i fia Having ving ac adopted opted a a i constitution io tl the e Assembly emb y adjourned and nd a a n new w body was va was chosen called the Legislative As Assembly embly The The The mass mas of of its members embers embers' were lOl ignorant ant and nd br brutal taI but they had not ot no now t to dread dread dreada a Louis Lpuis XIV with with the the crack ciack of oI his whip n not ho Ri Richelieu helit and the b bastile stile N No 0 f. f for foi forthe r the V whole 1 e na nation vas on was was behind th the n. The Assembly se v bly was s divided divided into and the J f Jacobins obi Austria and Prussia nOw now took k up arms aims s in Deh behalf lf of of King L Louis ouis and nd invaded Fr France Fiance nce This sealed e h d the the- f fate te of of f th the m monarch n and and andin in monarchy r t The appi appi of or the allies and rind l lly the ti threats re ts of the tIle Prussian g gen gener er il kindled i t the fury of the the- mob The Tile The palo pal pal- palice palace f. f ace ice o of th the was ies was was s s' s Swiss v ies Swiss s g guards ards faithful to the last wei were weh e sl slain i and d Louis was was ser sent to prison The The Jac Jacobins bin w i- i henceforth th su The They nested a-nested all who wh o then opposed th li ut 10 T Ti The i prisons l Ke- Ke pi projects ejects I fill coming filled d hi hued hired ed assassins s W c went went from l q tH ff r foi t 1 bf ftH i tei September p r 1 i f massacring s l tes In th midst t of th t hibl f fd d Z T lS t hii a Y h di checked Ck a aitt itt I t J j N e the lie Austrians Austrian's i i fr-i were d de 1 d f itt l J J 1 t fIle The next it Assembly JJ established i aRe Re p pu in France fI ance tt jLouis 1 Capet a as ih they 1 t insisted sS lp d-lp upon i styling O file flie king Ving ki was va ar ar- ar l signed d andy and in spite iti of oi the timid opposition s 's 4 tion 1 of of the st'S was was s guillotined ed 1 TI There Then r f followed il ed that t y hi t the reign ig of f t terror r J Near Nearly all ly y all of f Europe leagued i af to fo j av avenge avenge ng the the d death a i of oti Louis 1 s ib buthe but bu f fth the th the allies together v with with h m rby f fj some j i J j. j provinces were defeated Revolutionary ary t tribunals b l l v were s set t i tip tip A Committee of P Public Pi i S Safety fety was was appointed pp a and ci all ali who h. h were ct suspected 1 of model p l' l 01 or en sympathy sympathy th thy v wi with l aristocrats r ve were e executed x M Marie rr Antoinette nt pre prematurely at rely bray glay mounted Uil eci the same s scaffold oil on on which h hei her husband nd h had had cl perished erish d. d The were ver verv v whelmed in the ruin inin At At Ly Lyons Lyons Ly- Ly ons ons fis the e work of the of-the the th guillotine pi proved ved too o t tedious and victims we vei e re mowed ved dO down down dOb b by gr grape pe shot At At 1 Nantes antes S b boatloads atlo ds v were vl l rowed lowed ved out and sunk in iii the Loire Loie In In the ih midst of this carnage a new llew calenda calendar was vas was in instituted ted New names names Were given ri to toh h tile the d months hs and rind d days ys Sund Sunday y was was abolished abol aho abolished ish and every ve vey y yI I te tenth h day dad appointed appoint d f forrest for l rest lest st ar and d a amusement amusement ement y va was was pro prohibited pio- pio h bi d 7 chinches es arid and convents er s were desecrated dese- dese r ie- ie crated plundered and b buried binned hie- hie hieN N Notie bt b- b e eID t ID Dame ame me wa was converted cin el t d into info to a a Temple T l of Reason I and rind dressed g dr ss d woman woman rest red of I enthroned en en- g a c cap p liberty was en- en as goddess ss O Over ier er the entrance enhance of f the c cemeteries t l es v were re inscribed b bd d these words Death is eternal f sleep e p. p B But t a reaction was s soon to t take i place Murat perished er h d' d by bythe the hand d' d r. of the brave ve Charlotte Corday Danton was was vas se sent sent t to o the s scaffold affo I and nd I f for nea neaily ly y f four UI nt s tRob spier re ruled sup i eme HIS His His' fear fear- fn td foot not b enumerated 1 At At- l last last- st frier fr ends idid f 1 dike alike impelled by by ear cem Combined bitTed to Tto overthrow the tyrant anti P. his head Bead d fell fell- July uly 1794 Reign Terror ended We Weh h have have- ve seen seen e the triumph of the Arms of the of-the the Rep Republic that and that pe peace was was made with Prussia L i in but England and Austria Austria Austria Aus Aus- tria c continued continued war next step taken was the the Directory of the Council uncil o of Five H Hundred and the the The Council of ofF F F. I H H. was to the laws the Ancients Ancients An An- to pass pas or Ol i reject eject them and the executive executive ex ex- power power was lodged in a Directory of ff five V persons The Council in order older to secure secure its work declared that two-thirds two of each Co Council should be appointed from their own number number- thereupon some of the Royalists and extreme Republicans rose in arms arms But the command of the defence was given to Napoleon Bonaparte This young officer skillfully posted his troops about about- the and planted cannon to rake the appi approach His pitiless guns put the insurgents to flight It was the thelast thelast thelast last ins insurrection ecH n of of- of the of-the the people The street tu tumults we were e abandoned ned a master had comeIn come come- come In In judging the French i revolution evolution it rh must be taken in n its entirety and the real sp spirit riF was was- justice It was wa's the voice of down down trodden Ii humanity crying for those privileges to to which Nature and Natures Nature's IG God d- d entitles nt t s it it it- it Carri Carrier Canier was was a bandit Danton was feiro ferocious ferocious fe fe- iro ious r Murat was was' frightful We pity pity- Marie Antoinette Archduchess and Queen but out we vie m must st st. also pity the poor iH Huguenot guenot w woman who was bound to the stake her babe held a short dist distance lYce off ff Sh Shw w told to ten given ven cHoice between n death de oY r her conscience conscience j lisi i n s she he revolution had its Its demand W was was S for the for q fend n of af of degrada- degrada IH lilon h for women wot eq end of f sl slavery verY f r men rind night I for r children n Arid And ii in hT- hT Those thoS words of Victor tir Hugo Hug lN matter IN b J whit matter what t may mayl be e e said aid the revolution French n h i v ti iS i the most powerful step ta taken en by the the human n race since th the advent of Christ Ghrist It t ma may maybe ay r i ibe be in incomplete te but it it was sublime It softened minds it calmed appeased and enlightened and it spread civilization over the world The French revolution was good for it was the consecration of hu hu- manity |