Marc-Guillaume Alexis Vadier | |
|---|---|
%2c_French_revolutionary_(small).jpg) Marc-Guillaume Alexis Vadier byEdmé Quenedey des Ricets, 1789 | |
| 35th President of the National Convention | |
| In office 20 January 1794 – 4 February 1794 | |
| Preceded by | Jacques-Louis David |
| Succeeded by | Joseph-Nicolas Barbeau du Barran |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1736-07-17)17 July 1736 |
| Died | 14 December 1828(1828-12-14) (aged 92) |
| Political party | The Mountain |
| Signature |  |
| Nickname | The Great Inquisitor |
Marc-Guillaume Alexis Vadier (17 July 1736 – 14 December 1828) was a major French politician of theFrench Revolution. He is sometimes called the "Great Inquisitor", for his active participation in theReign of Terror.
He is primarily known for having created thedépartement ofAriège and mostly for having firmly led theCommittee of General Security, thus being one of the key figures of the Reign of Terror and the "dean of its political police." Vadier also had an influential role on 9 Thermidor, during thefall of Robespierre, with whom he had a long-standing rivalry.
He managed to avoid reprisals for his role during the Terror, which targeted him following Robespierre's fall, and survived the Revolution, participating in relative anonymity during theFirst Empire period. He was later exiled under the law targetingregicides during Louis XVIII's reign.
LikeRobespierre,Barère, orBillaud-Varenne, his exact role during the Terror is still debated by historians. However, it is acknowledged that a significant part of the repressive measures of the Terror and the executions can be attributed to the Committee of General Security, which he led, and that he participated in organizing theGreat Terror by increasing the number of executions alongsideFouché, notably to accuse Robespierre.
Son of a wealthy family inPamiers, in theCounty of Foix (nowAriège), he served in the army of KingLouis XV, taking part in theSeven Years' War and theBattle of Rossbach on 5 November 1757. Upon his return to France in 1758, Vadier acquired large tracts of land in Pamiers and in 1770 purchased the office ofconseiller (magistrate), which brought him into conflict with many of the local aristocracy and affluent bourgeoisie. Elected as deputy to theThird Estate in theEstates-General of France for the County ofFoix (in 1789), Vadier took no prominent part in that assembly.[1]
He left his office as representative in theNational Constituent Assembly of the Constitutional Monarchy (September 1791), returning toAriègedépartement, becoming president of the district tribunal in Mirepoix, contributing to the creation of new revolutionary institutions throughout the region.[1] With the overthrow of the monarchy one year later, (10 August 1792), he was elected to the National Convention (3 September), sat among theMontagnards, joined the Jacobin Club, and voted in favor ofLouis XVI's execution (sans appel ni sursis – withoutappeal or delay) on 17 January 1793. An opponent of theGirondists, Vadier opposed the proscription ofJean-Paul Marat, and following the fall of the Girondists travelled toAriège to actively oppose theFederalist Revolt there. Vadier was an unwavering and fanaticalJacobin,[2][3] known for his particular violence, often traveling inAriège with armed men by his side.[4] He also stood out due to hisGascon accent.[5]
From September 1793 onward, he became the president and dean of the Committee of General Security,[1] the policing and repressive organ of the Terror, earning the title of the "dean of the political police" during the Terror, according to Olivier Blanc.[6] Vadier quickly fell out with Robespierre, particularly due to his militantatheism and the creation of the General Police Bureau by theCommittee of Public Safety,[7][8][9][10] while he sought to control repression.[4] Under his leadership, the Committee of General Security became a "ministry of Terror."[3]
In Nivôse Year II (January 1794), along withAmar, he exposed the wrongdoings ofFabre d'Églantine,Chabot, and their associates, includingDanton, and initiated the trial targeting theDantonists.[11] He referred to Danton as a "stuffed turbot" in the course of his attacks.[5][12] It seems that he and Amar were the main instigators of the trial of the Dantonists.[12] He directly approachedFouquier-Tinville, requesting him to have certain accused individuals guillotined.[13]
Vadier presided over the Convention whenthe abolition of slavery was voted upon amid cries of "Long live the Republic, long live the Convention, long live theMountain."[7] He also played a role in setting up the trial ofCamille Desmoulins, who had accused him in theVieux Cordelier, stating about Vadier: "Marat denounced him as the most infamous renegade."[3] He had a connection withJoséphine de Beauharnais, who was one of his acquaintances.[14] She intervened with Vadier to secure the release of one of her close associates, but it bore no fruit, and instead, he suspected her and had her imprisoned.[14] He maintained close ties withJoseph Fouché.[15] He directly intervened withFouquier-Tinville, requesting him to have certain accused individuals guillotined.[16] Vadier was also responsible for the imprisonment of the Franco-American deputyThomas Paine.[17] He later defended Paine's incarceration by arguing that Paine was not American but English because he was born in theUnited Kingdom.[18][19]
After 22 Prairial Year II (10 June 1794), when public debates were abolished in theRevolutionary Tribunal, he had those he wanted to take revenge on brought to trial. According to the Count de Folmon, he initiated the grand trial of members of the parliament of Toulouse.[20] He was also a significant player in the power struggle between the two government committees, theCommittee of Public Safety and the Committee of General Security, each trying to gain the upper hand.[4][21] During this conflict, he hadRobespierre spied on by Taschereau, but Taschereau betrayed him and instead reported his actions to Robespierre.[7]
In Germinal, Year II (April 1794), he took part in the establishment of the Prisoners' Conspiracy, a kind of plot aimed at executing all the prisoners held in Paris.[22] Together with Fouché, he participated in and organized theGreat Terror by increasing the number of executions, notably to accuse Robespierre.[23]
On 26 Prairial Year II (14 June 1794),Élie Lacoste presented his report on the alleged Batz conspiracy, which led to the execution of fifty-four individuals. Vadier once again read to the convention the indictment, based on false evidence, againstCatherine Théot, ridiculing theCult of the Supreme Being advocated by Robespierre.[9][24]
After being targeted by Robespierre in his final speech as a "wicked man,"[4][7] Vadier played a role in thefall of Robespierre by speaking out against him on the 8th and 9th of Thermidor at the convention. He famously exclaimed, "Catiline is in the Senate!" while pointing at Robespierre.[25] He also criticized Robespierre for his protection of priests.[26] His reasons for doing so were likely a desire to control the state's repressive apparatus and avoid becoming a target of a Robespierre-led purge.[4]
After the death of Robespierre, he voted for the indictment ofCarrier, the organizer of thedrownings in Nantes.[27][28] On the 15th of Frimaire, Year III (5 December 1794), an investigation was initiated in the name of the Convention against the "Four" members of the Committee of Year II, includingBarère,Collot d'Herbois,Billaud-Varenne, and himself.[29][30] When the investigation was approved, he took to the podium with a pistol in hand, threatening to commit suicide if the Convention did not do justice to his "sixty years of virtue."[22] He had to be restrained by several deputies.[3] Another day, while he was walking in the street, he was arrested and roughed up byMuscadins, groups of reactionary, royalist, and generally bourgeois young men in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, but he emerged unharmed.[31]
Following theuprising in Germinal, Year III, he was sentenced to deportation along with the "Four," but he managed to go into hiding until the amnesty was passed upon the separation of the convention.[1][25][32][33]
During theDirectory, Vadier lent his support to Babeuf'sConspiracy of the Equals but was acquitted by the High Court of Vendôme. However, he remained imprisoned for that issue on Pelée Island nearCherbourg until the year VIII (1799).[25][34] He was then released byCambacérès after a request from his friend Fouché[15] and kept a low profile in Chartres.
He was placed under surveillance during theConsulate and theEmpire and was later exiled as a regicide in 1816.[25] He went to live inBelgium.[25]
He never questioned or challenged his actions during the Terror[25][35] but did admit to making a mistake by supporting thefall of Robespierre to one of his friends before going into exile. Similarly, towards the end of his life, he stated:[35][36]
I am ninety-two years old, the strength of my opinions prolongs my days; there is not a single act in my life that I regret, except for having misunderstoodRobespierre and mistaking a fellow citizen for a tyrant.
At more than 92 years old, Marc-Guillaume-Alexis Vadier died on Sunday, 14 December 1828, at 6:00 PM, in the small house he lived in at 1251 Rue des douze apôtres,Brussels.[30]
Historians continue to debate the significance of Vadier's actions and his role within theFrench Revolution, especially during theReign of Terror.[7] While he was a member of theThermidorians, it is acknowledged that a significant portion of the repressive measures during the Terror and the executions can be attributed to the Committee of General Security, which he led. Additionally, he increased the number of executions during the period of theGreat Terror in an effort to accuse Robespierre.[4][23][37]
Vadier is a figure present in theHugolian imagination; he is mentioned several times byVictor Hugo, notably in his last novel, "Ninety-Three,"[38] and in "Literature and Mixed Philosophy," where he stated: "Everything was already in that dark point,January 21,May 31,Thermidor 9, a bloody trilogy;Buzot, who was to devourLouis XVI,Robespierre, who was to devour Buzot, Vadier, who was to devour Robespierre, a sinister trinity."[39] He is represented as a cold man in a piece ofRomain Rolland.[40]
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