ons, and prepared to defend the principles of liberty
and the soil of France. The enthusiasm of the French was unparalleled,
and the energies put forth were most remarkable. Patriotism and
military ardor were combined, and measures such as only extraordinary
necessities require were unhesitatingly adopted.

A Committee of Public Safety was appointed, and the dictatorship of
Danton, Marat, and Robespierre commenced, marked by great horrors and
barbarities, but signalized by wonderful successes in war, and by
exertions which, under common circumstances, would be scarcely
credited.

This committee was composed of twenty-five persons at first, and
twelve afterwards; but Robespierre and Marat were the leading members.
The committee assigned to ruling Jacobins the different departments of
the government. St. Just was intrusted with the duty of denouncing its
enemies; Couthon for bringing forward its general measures; Billaud
Varennes and Collot d'Herbois with the management of departments;
Carnot was made minister of war; and Robespierre general dictator.
This committee, though required to report to the Convention, as the
supreme authority, had really all the power of government. "It named
and dismissed generals, judges, and juries; brought forward all
public measures in the Convention; ruled provinces and armies;
controlled the Revolutionary Tribunal; and made requisitions of men
and money; and appointed revolutionary committees, which sprung up in
every part of the kingdom to the frightful number of fifty thousand.
It was the object of the Committee of Public Safety to destroy all who
opposed the spirit of the most violent revolutionary measures. Marat
declared that two hundred and sixty thousand heads must fall before
freedom was secure; the revolutionary committees discovered that seven
hundred thousand persons must be sacrificed."

[Sidenote: Reign of Terror.]

Then commenced the Reign of Terror, when all the prisons of France
were filled with victims, who were generally the most worthy people in
the community, and whose only crime was in being obnoxious to the
reigning powers. Those who were suspected fled, if possible, but were
generally unable to carry away their property. Millions of property
was confiscated; the prisons were crowded with the rich, the elegant,
and the cultivated classes; thousands were guillotined; and universal
anarchy and fear reigned without a parallel. Deputies, even those who
had been most