The rights of Man and Citizen 1793

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

I'm looking for a citation establishing who were on the committee that drafted the 1793 version of the Rights of Man and Citizen. Both Saint-Just and Robespierre were on that, right? Who else? I just know there must be a specific list of names. Can anyone lay a hand on an authoritative citation for the information?

Comments

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

Not Robespierre, just Saint-Just. Hérault de Séchelles had a large hand in it. I think everyone is listed in Twelve Who Ruled.

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

If I remember right, there's a detailed chapter on Saint-Just's work on it in Curtis' "Saint-Just, Colleague of Robespierre" (mid 1930's, but apparently a lot of American libraries have it).

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

What she said. I might be mixing Curtis and Palmer up because I read them both this summer. But they both cover it, I think.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I don't have the reference for all the committee to draft a constitution's members yet, but it should be noted that while Robespierre was not in fact a member of said committee, he did draft his own version of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which was largely adopted. (Barring, unfortunately, some of its most forward-thinking articles, but that's another story...)

[(Anonymous)]

YES! Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for! Where do you have a reference to it?
I have a poster of that draft with Robespierre's image at the top. A Robespierrist friend of mine in Paris showed it to me in a print shop near the Pantheon. I bought it and framed it. It used to hang above my desk until I moved half way across the country. Now it is somewhere among the still packed items. But even if I found it, there isn't a specific citation on it, I believe. But I now have a chance to use that really amazing version of the Rights of Man and Citizen in a class I'm offering. But finding it has been frustrating. I'll be happy to find the poster, translate it, and distribute it; but I need a citation from a historically respectable source to back it. "I bought this in a print shop near the Pantheon" isn't sounding quite academic enough.

[(Anonymous)]

I'll check out the Saint-Just book when I disengage from the computer. Thanks, Everyone.
I found a reference to the version of the Rights of Man and Citizen that I want (thanks, Estellecat!) and there is a reference in a book I just pulled off my shelf: George Rude's _Porttrait of a Revolutionary Democrat_.
When I find that poster, I'll have to find a way to get the image of it posted here so my fellow Robespierre fans can see. And, if you've never read the draft unique to Robespierre, it's quite beautiful. Rude outlines the ways in which it is distinct from the other versions drawn up at various points in the revolution.

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

And I'm the "Anonymous" person posting above. PLease forgive my being such a newbie. I got carried away with the hunt for the citation and didn't notice that I hadn't logged in.

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

And now I have laid my hand on the poster. I search the internet and can't find this document anywhere. I only see references to it in the books I have. This is wrong. I'm going to transcribe the whole thing in both French and English and post it here. I think I may make a project of posting it everywhere I can--wikipedia needs it, for instance. It's very beautiful and is longer than other versions, having 36 articles and a lovely preamble.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Before you run and do that, royet.org has the French on-line already: http://www.royet.org/nea1789-1794/ihm/index_archives_pvp_1793_04_24.htm. You could see if they wouldn't mind having their transcription shared around; I doubt that they would, considering the stated goals of their site.

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

Citoyenne Estelle, merci! That's it alright!
I suppose all that remains is for me to translate it for my students. That won't take long--but I'd better ask you before I pounce on the task: Is this translated into English already somehwere?
You are a knower of things, Madame! *deep bow*

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Ah, you're quite welcome. George Rudé has a book of writings by and about Robespierre--not to be confused with his biography of Robespierre--that has it translated (among other interesting documents).
I make it a point to know things, about Robespierre at least. I'm glad I could be of service.

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

I *would* have confused it with his biography. Could you please tell me the name of the book "of writings by and about Robespierre?"

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

It's just called "Robespierre," unfortunately. It's part of a series called "Great Lives Observed," if that helps.

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've found it. I just now bought a copy of it (online) published in 1960-something.
And thank you for showing me www.royet.org. I've been exploring it. Do you know if they intend to expand that project?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome. They're always looking to expand royet.org, they just don't have that many people who are willing and able to contribute--that's why they don't update very frequently.

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

I have a pile of photocopies of original documents--I wonder if they'd be interested in them. It would be easy enough to scan them. They are letters from the Popular Societies all over France to the National Assembly in response to the announcement of the executions of 10 Thermidor. It's a weird read. I collected them (photocopies properly attained and paid for, mind you, I'm not one of the archive thieves) from the National Archives in Paris in 1997. I used them in my own piece and now they sit on my shelf. It would be nice to have them be some use--even as curiosities to people who might find them interesting. Think they'd be interested?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I can't, of course, speak for them, but I'm still very sure they'd be interested. (And if they're not--which is unlikely--we would be here!)

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

I'd certainly be interested! Apart from a bit in Mathiez, I have't come across much on the reaction to Thermidor other than the Convention/plotters activities and smug letters!

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid these qualify as more smug letters. I was fascinated because they are coming from the Popular Societies -- Jacobins -- and they basicly repeat the Thermidor announcement exactly except for the ones that are weirdly inventive. I would like to follow up on what became of the individuals whose signature appear on these letters. I wonder if they knew they were also about to be executed.
I'm off to my scanner. I hope the images come out well.

Popular socity letters responding to 10 Thermidor

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

I just posted a two-page letter on my livejournal. See if you can read it. I'm new to using livejournal and have been teaching myself how to scan and post today.

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

Someone's just asked me why I'm smiling and I explained it's because I've just read that session - quite a day! Bliss it was in that dawn...

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

That session is truly one of the unsung high points of the Revolution.

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

Yes. *sigh* It's a great pleasure to know that someone else today read that session and thought the same: how really beautiful. It restores my faith in human possibilities--perhaps even raising hopes too high.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I found it! In a note on the session of 10 June 1783, it says: "Membres du comité de salut public. Barère, Cambon , Danton, Guyton-Morveau, Treilhard, Lacroix, Bernier, Delmas, Robert Lindet. Les deux derniers n'ont pris aucune part au projet de Constitution : Delmas était malade, Robert Lindet en mission.
Membres adjoints pour le travail de la Constitution . Hérault-Séchelles, Ramel, Couthon, Saint-Just, Matthieu (Notes de Buchez et Roux.)"

In other words, the definitive list of conventionnels officially working on the Constitution should be as follows: Barère, Cambon , Danton, Guyton-Morveau, Treilhard, Lacroix, Bernier, Hérault-Séchelles, Ramel, Couthon, Saint-Just, and Matthieu.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

(Of course, this is presuming--the note does seem to imply this--that all members of the CSP except Dumas and Lindet were working on it...)

[marieclaire08.livejournal.com]

Yes, that is how it sounds.
This is great! thanks so much! (And I know you meant to type "1793" rather than "1783" :) --just in case any stray person reading this were to think this little group is confused.)
And this make-up of the committee is why Robespierre needed to deliver his own suggested version of the document. And you have so brilliantly shown me where to find the transcript of the complete session in which he did so. Voila, all my questions answered! You are great!

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

(Gah, typos. Yes, the concept of a constitutional committee would make no sense in 1783.)

I try to be helpful where I can, so you're very welcome.