X
NOTES OF TOPINO-LEBRUN, JUROR OF THE REVOLUTIONARY TRIBUNAL
The interest of these notes is as follows:—They are the only verbatim account of the trial which we possess. There are of course the official accounts (especially that of Coffinhal), and upon them is largely based the account in M. Wallon’s Tribunal Révolutionnaire; but these rough and somewhat disconnected notes, badly spelt and abbreviated, were taken down without bias, and as the words fell from the accused. Topino-Lebrun, the painter, was at that time thirty-one years of age, a strong Montagnard of course; he hesitated to condemn Danton, but was overborne by his fellows, especially by his friend and master David.
These notes were kept at the archives of the Prefecture of Police until the year of the war. In 1867 M. Labat made copies, and gave one to Dr. Robinet, and one to M. Clarétie. Each of these writers has used them in their works on the Dantonites. The original document was burnt when, in May 1871, the Commune attempted to destroy the building in which they were preserved.
There are given below only those portions which directly refer to Danton and his friends.
Au président, qui lui demande ses nom, prénoms, âge et domicile, il répond: Georges-Jacques Danton, 34 ans, né a Arcis-sur-Aube, département de l’Aube, avocat, député à la Convention. Bientôt ma demeure dans le néant et mon nom au Panthéon de l’histoire, quoi qu’on en puisse dire; ce qui est très sûr et ce qui m’importe peu. Le peuple respectera ma tête, oui, ma tête guillotinée!
Seance de 14 Germinal (13 Avril).
[Westermann having asked to be examined, the judge said it was “une forme inutile.”]
Danton. Nous sommes cependant ici pour la forme.