October 6, 1794.
The ſufferings of individuals have often been the means of deſtroying or reforming the moſt powerful tyrannies; reaſon has been convinced by argument, and paſſion appealed to by declamation in vain—when ſome unvarniſhed tale, or ſimple expoſure of facts, has at once rouzed the feelings, and conquered the ſupineneſs of an oppreſſed people.
The revolutionary government, in ſpite of the clamorous and weekly ſwearings of the Convention to perpetuate it, has received a check from an event of this nature, which I truſt it will never recover.—By an order of the Revolutionary Committee of Nantes, in November 1793, all priſoners accuſed of political crimes were to be tranſferred to Paris, where the tribunal being more immediately under the direction of government, there would be no chance of their acquittal. In conſequence of this order, an hundred and thirty-two inhabitants of Nantes, arreſted on the uſual pretexts of foederaliſm, or as ſuſpected, or being Muſcadins, were, ſome months after, conducted to Paris. Forty of the number died through the hardſhips and ill treatment they encountered on the way, the reſt remained in priſon until after the death of Robeſpierre.
The evidence produced on their trial, which lately took place, haſ revealed but too circumſtantially all the horrors of the revolutionary ſyſtem. Deſtruction in every form, moſt ſhocking to morals or humanity, has depopulated the countries of the Loire; and republican Pizarro's and Almagro's ſeem to have rivalled each other in the invention and perpetration of crimes.
When the priſons of Nantes overflowed, many hundreds of their miſerable inhabitants had been conducted by night, and chained together, to the river ſide; where, being firſt ſtripped of their clothes, they were crouded into veſſels with falſe bottoms, conſtructed for the purpoſe, and ſunk.*—
* Though the horror excited by ſuch atrocious details muſt be ſerviceable to humanity, I am conſtrained by decency to ſpare the reader a part of them. Let the imagination, however repugnant, pauſe for a moment over theſe ſceneſ—Five, eight hundred people of different ſexes, ages, and conditions, are taken from their priſons, in the dreary months of December and January, and conducted, during the ſilence of the night, to the banks of the Loire. The agents of the Republic there deſpoil them of their clothes, and force them, ſhivering and defenceleſs, to enter the machines prepared for their deſtruction—they are chained down, to prevent their eſcape by ſwimming, and then the bottom is detached for the upper part, and ſunk.—On ſome occaſions the miſerable victims contrived to looſe themſelves, and clinging to the boards near them, ſhrieked in the agonies of deſpair and death, "O ſave uſ! it is not even now too late: in mercy ſave uſ!" But they appealed to wretches to whom mercy was a ſtranger; and, being cut away from their hold by ſtrokeſ of the ſabre, periſhed with their companions. That nothing might be wanting to theſe outrages againſt nature, they were eſcribed aſ jeſts, and called "Noyades, water parties," and "civic baptiſmſ"! Carrier, a Deputy of the Convention, uſed to dine and make partieſ of pleaſure, accompanied by muſic and every ſpecies of groſs luxury, on board the barges appropriated to theſe execrable purpoſes.
—At one time, ſix hundred children appear to have been deſtroyed in thiſ manner;—young people of different ſexes were tied in pairs and thrown into the river;—thouſands were ſhot in the high roads and in the fields; and vaſt numbers were guillotined, without a trial!*
* Six young women, (the Meſdemoiſelles la Meterie,) in particular, ſiſters, and all under four-and-twenty, were ordered to the Guillotine together: the youngeſt died inſtantly of fear, the reſt were executed ſucceſſively.—A child eleven years old, who had previouſly told the executioner, with affecting ſimplicity, that he hoped he would not hurt him much, received three ſtrokes of the Guillotine before his head was ſevered from his body.
—Two thouſand died, in leſs than two months, of a peſtilence, occaſioned by this carnage: the air became infected, and the waters of the Loire empoiſoned, by dead bodies; and thoſe whom tyranny yet ſpared, periſhed by the elements which nature intended for their ſupport.*
* Vaſt ſums were exacted from the Nantais for purifying the air, and taking precautions againſt epidemical diſorders.
But I will not dwell on horrors, which, if not already known to all Europe, I ſhould be unequal to deſcribe: ſuffice it to ſay, that whatever could diſgrace or afflict mankind, whatever could add diſguſt to deteſtation, and render cruelty, if poſſible, leſs odious than the circumſtances by which it was accompanied, has been exhibited in thiſ unfortunate city.—Both the accuſed and their witneſſes were at firſt timid through apprehenſion, but by degrees the monſtrous myſteries of the government were laid open, and it appeared, beyond denial or palliation, that theſe enormities were either deviſed, aſſiſted, or connived at, by Deputies of the Convention, celebrated for their ardent republicaniſm and revolutionary zeal.—The danger of confiding unlimited power to ſuch men as compoſed the majority of the Aſſembly, was now diſplayed in a manner that penetrated the dulleſt imagination, and the coldeſt heart; and it was found, that, armed with decrees, aided by revolutionary committees, revolutionary troops, and revolutionary vehicles of deſtruction,* miſſionaries ſelected by choice from the whole repreſentation, had, in the city of Nantes alone, and under the maſk of enthuſiaſtic patriotiſm, ſacrificed thirty thouſand people!
* A company was formed of all the ruffians that could be collected together. They were ſtyled the Company of Marat, and were ſpecially empowered to arreſt whomſoever they choſe, and to enter houſes by night or day—in fine, to proſcribe and pillage at their pleaſure.
Facts like theſe require no comment. The nation may be intimidated, and habits of obedience, or deſpair of redreſs, prolong its ſubmiſſion; but it can no longer be deceived: and patriotiſm, revolutionary liberty, and philoſophy, are for ever aſſociated with the drowning machines of Carrier, and the precepts and calculations of a Herault de Sechelles,* or a Lequinio.**—
* Herault de Sechelles was diſtinguiſhed by birth, talents, and fortune, above moſt of his colleagues in the Convention; yet we find him in correſpondence with Carrier, applauding his enormities, and adviſing him how to continue them with effect.—Herault was of a noble family, and had been a preſident in the Parliament of Paris. He was one of Robeſpierre's Committee of Public Welfare, and being in ſome way implicated in a charge of treachery brought againſt Simon, another Deputy, was guillotined at the ſame time with Danton. ** Lequinio is a philoſopher by profeſſion, who has endeavoured to enlighten his countrymen by a publication entitled "Les Prejugeſ Detruits," and ſince by proving it advantageous to make no priſonerſ of war.
—The ninety Nantais, againſt whom there exiſted no ſerious charge, and who had already ſuffered more than death, were acquitted. Yet, though the people were gratified by this verdict, and the general indignation appeaſed by an immediate arreſt of thoſe who had been moſt notoriouſly active in theſe dreadful operations, a deep and ſalutary impreſſion remains, and we may hope it will be found impracticable either to renew the ſame ſcenes, or for the Convention to ſhelter (as they ſeemed diſpoſed to do) the principal criminals, who are members of their own body. Yet, how are theſe delinquents to be brought to condemnation? They all acted under competent authority, and their diſpatches to the Convention, which ſufficiently indicated their proceedings, were alwayſ ſanctioned by circulation, and applauded, according to the exceſs of their flagitiouſneſs.
It is worthy of remark, that Nantes, the principal theatre of theſe perſecutions and murders, had been early diſtinguiſhed by the attachment of its inhabitants to the revolution; inſomuch, that, at the memorable epoch when the ſhort-ſighted policy of the Court excluded the Conſtituent Aſſembly from their Hall at Verſailles, and they took refuge in the Jeu de Paume, with a reſolution fatal to their country, never to ſeparate until they had obtained their purpoſes, an expreſs was ſent to Nantes, aſ the place they ſhould make choice of, if any violence obliged them to quit the neighbourhood of Paris.
But it was not only by its principles that Nantes had ſignalized itſelf; at every period of the war, it had contributed largely both in men and money, and its riches and commerce ſtill rendered it one of the moſt important towns of the republic.—What has been its reward?—Barbarouſ envoys from the Convention, ſent expreſſly to level the ariſtocracy of wealth, to cruſh its mercantile ſpirit, and decimate its inhabitants.*—
* When Nantes was reduced almoſt to a ſtate of famine by the deſtruction of commerce, and the ſupplies drawn for the maintenance of the armies, Commiſſioners were ſent to Paris, to ſolicit a ſupply of proviſions. They applied to Carrier, as being beſt acquainted with their diſtreſs, and were anſwered in this language:—"Demandez, pour Nanteſ! je ſolliciterai qu'on porte le fer et la flamme danſ cette abominable ville. Vous etes tous des coquins, des contre- revolutionnaires, des brigands, des ſcelerats, je ferai nommer une commiſſion par la Convention Nationale.—J'irai moi meme a la tete de cette commiſſion.—Scelerats, je ſerai rouler les tetes danſ Nanteſ—je regenererai Nantes."—"Is it for Nantes that you petition? I'll exert my influence to have fire and ſword carried into that abominable city. You are all ſcoundrels, counter- revolutioniſts, thieves, miſcreants.—I'll have a commiſſion appointed by the Convention, and go myſelf at the head of it.— Villains, I'll ſet your heads a rolling about Nanteſ—I'll regenerate Nantes." Report of the Commiſſion of Twenty-one, on the conduct of Carrier.
—Terrible leſſon for thoſe diſcontented and miſtaken people, who, enriched by commerce, are not content with freedom and independence, but ſeek for viſionary benefits, by becoming the partizans of innovation, or the tools of faction!*
* The diſaſters of Nantes ought not to be loſt to the republicans of Birmingham, Mancheſter, and other great commercial towns, where "men fall out they know not why;" and where their increaſing wealth and proſperity are the beſt eulogiums on the conſtitution they attempt to undermine.
I have hitherto ſaid little of La Vendee; but the fate of Nantes is ſo nearly connected with it, that I ſhall make it the ſubject of my next letter.