ing what it had done, rescinded the second of
its two votes. Robespierre's speech should be printed, but it should
not be placarded on the walls.

At the Jacobin Club the rescinded vote of the Convention conveyed a
meaning not to be mistaken. Robespierre repeated his Convention
speech, which was greeted with acclamations. Billaud and Collot were
received with hoots and groans, were driven out, and were erased from
the list of members. Through the night {219} the Jacobins were beating
up their supporters, threatening insurrection; and on their side the
leaders of the revolt attempted to rally the members of the Convention
to stand firmly by them.

The next day was the 9th of Thermidor. St. Just made a bold attempt to
control the situation. Early in the morning he met his colleagues of
the Committee of Public Safety and, making advances to them, promised
to lay before them a scheme that would reconcile all the divergent
interests of the Convention. While the Committee awaited his arrival
he proceeded to the body of the Convention, obtained the tribune, and
began a speech. Realizing how far the temper of the assembly was
against him, he boldly opened by denouncing the personal ambitions of
Robespierre, and by advocating moderate courses--but he had not gone
far when the members of the Committee, discovering the truth, returned
to the Convention, and set to work with the help of the revolted
members, to disconcert him. St. Just had perhaps only one weakness,
but it was fatal to him on the 9th of Thermidor, for it was a weakness
of voice. He was silenced by interruptions that constantly grew
stormier. Billaud followed him {220} and made an impassioned attack on
the Jacobins. Robespierre attempted to reply. But Collot d'Herbois
was presiding, and Collot declined to give Robespierre the tribune.
The din arose; shouts of "Down with the tyrant, down with the
dictator," were raised. Tallien demanded a decree of accusation.
Members pressed around the Jacobin leader, who at this last extremity
tried to force his way to the tribune. But the way was barred; he
could only clutch the railings, and, asking for death, looking in
despair at the public galleries that had so long shouted their Jacobin
approval to him, he kept crying: "La mort! la mort!" He had fallen.
The whole Convention was roaring when Collot from the presidential
chair announced the vote whereby Robespierre, St. Just, Couthon,
Hanriot, and several othe