I've never seen a written reference to that either, but it would make sense--assuming it also ; after all, the Convention had it's own restaurant where the Conventionnels could eat, and when there is food there is usually drink--and in this period, often of the alcoholic variety (though I have read a lot of references to lemonade stands during the Revolution). I don't really see why the CSP couldn't have ordered both food and drink from the restaurant to be brought to them; after all, many of them were sleeping there and they would have to eat and drink sometime. (Moreover, It seems likely to me that, assuming such a practice existed, hostile sources, as you term it, would have seized upon the occasion to talk about a "drinks bill," and conveniently leave out related information--such as a food bill or at the very least a note about alcohol consumption in the 18th century.)

That's an interesting theory about he laudanum. It sounds at least as plausible as any other explanation I've heard. On a somewhat related note, there's a hilariously out of character scene in "Saint-Just et la force des choses" where Robespierre has an argument with Saint-Just, waits for him to leave, throws his glasses accross the room, makes sure no one's coming, and then has some laudanum. Somehow, I think if Robespierre had had a laudanum addiction we would know about it. -__-;