Jean-Baptiste Robert Lindet | |
|---|---|
 Jean-Baptiste Robert Lindet | |
| 41st President of the National Convention | |
| In office 20 April – 6 May 1794 (1794-04-20 –1794-05-06) | |
| Preceded by | Jean-Pierre-André Amar |
| Succeeded by | Lazare Carnot |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1746-05-02)2 May 1746 |
| Died | 16 February 1825(1825-02-16) (aged 78) |
| Political party | The Mountain |
| Signature | .png) |
Jean-Baptiste Robert Lindet (2 May 1746 inBernay, Eure – 17 February 1825) was a French politician of theRevolutionary period. His brother,Robert Thomas Lindet, became aconstitutional bishop and member of theNational Convention. Although his role may not have been spectacular, Jean-Baptiste Lindet came to be the embodiment of the growing middle class that came to dominate French politics during theRevolution.
Born atBernay (Eure), he worked in the town as alawyer before the Revolution. He acted asprocureur-syndic of the district of Bernay during the session of theNational Constituent Assembly. Appointed deputy to theLegislative Assembly and subsequently to the Convention, he became well known.[1]
Initially close to theGirondists, Lindet was very hostile toKingLouis XVI, provided aRapport sur les crimes imputés àLouis Capet (20 December 1792) – a report of the king's alleged crimes – and voted for the king'sexecution withoutappeal.[1]
He was instrumental in the establishment of theRevolutionary Tribunal, and contributed to the downfall of the Girondists.[1] His proposal for the Tribunal had passed with support fromGeorges Danton, despite the opposition ofPierre Victurnien Vergniaud.
Jean-Baptiste Robert Lindet, being a member of the Commission of Twenty-one, had an instrumental role in theexecution of Louis XVI and drew up the accusation in theacte enonciatif. He worked incessantly on the project, and became sleep-deprived to the point of exhaustion and was forced to take to his bed. At the time of trial, Lindet was to haveCharles Barbaroux read the document, due to his fatigue.
Lindet wrote his accusation as a chronological retelling of the treasonous acts of the King, beginning in May 1789 and spanning until 10 August 1792. Beginning with the eve of the calling of theEstates-General, Lindet argued that Louis intended to use the representatives to raise money for the bankrupt crown, and then send them on their way with few reforms. When this did not prove effective, Louis resorted to the use of military force, which catalyzed thestorming of the Bastille, and the movement of the King to Paris. From this point, he focused on the counter-revolutionary actions of the King as showcased by the discovery of theArmoire de fer (Iron Cupboard), proving that the king was duplicitous. By the summer of 1792, Lindet argued that Louis had realized his counter-revolutionary efforts had proved futile, and he would have to take military action. He provoked the insurrection of 10 August, with the gathering of troops at the Tuileries, and when he saw his imminent defeat the Swiss were left to die for an undeserving king. Lindet would be known to have a strong opinion in this matter because during the Insurrection, he actually worked to help a Swiss guard escape. In his accusation against the king, Lindet focused strongly on his duplicity and betrayal against the actions of theFrench Revolution. Hisacte enonciatif characterized the views of theMontagnards, and also violated the Criminal Code of 1791. Another inconsistency in the trial of Louis was that the argument presented against him by Lindet disregarded any account of the Revolutionary violence against the King, thus presenting his accusation as a series of inexcusable crimes against the Revolution.
He became a substitute member of theCommittee of Public Safety on 6 April 1793, and soon replaced the illJean Antoine Debry. All members of theCommittee of Public Safety belonged to bourgeoisie of theancien regime, wereMontagnards, and all had ample experience serving apprenticeships in previous years assemblies or in high offices of state. Lindet was unique in the demographics of theCommittee of Public Safety, in that he was forty-six, where the average age of the members was thirty.
Very concerned by the question of food supplies, he showed his administrative talent in coping with the issue. Lindet was the department head, or the "examiner" of the National Food Commission. The National Food Commission was mainly in charge of economic measures and more specifically was responsible for the provision of subsistence, clothing, and transportation. This body consisted of over 500 members at the height of theReign of Terror, and would often send these members out for tasks and the gathering of intelligence. For one of these missions, Lindet was sent to the districts ofRhône, Eure,Calvados andFinistère, for the purpose of suppressing revolts. He was successful and was able to enact a conciliatory policy. The National Food Commission also functioned to supervise agricultural and industrial production, was given control of the labor force for war effort, put in charge of controlling trade, and most importantly, the enforcement of the Law of Maximum.
Without being formally opposed toMaximilien Robespierre, he did not support him, and he was, withPhilippe Rühl, one of the only two members of the Committee who did not sign the order for the execution of Danton and his party.[1] When asked to do so, he had replied toLouis de Saint-Just: "I am here to protect citizens, and not to murderpatriots".
He also opposed theThermidorian Reaction of July 1794, and defendedBertrand Barère de Vieuzac,Jacques Nicolas Billaud-Varenne, andCollot d'Herbois from the accusations made against them on 22 March 1795. Himself denounced on 20 May, Lindet was defended by his brother Thomas, but only escaped condemnation by the vote ofamnesty of the 4 Brumaire, year IV (26 October 1795).[1]
TheFrench Directory offered Lindet the opportunity to become itsspy inBasel, but he turned down the mission. After taking part in theConspiracy of Equals in 1796, he faced trial and wasacquitted. He then was elected to theCouncil of Five Hundred (by Eure andSeine), but wasnot allowed to occupy his seat. However, he served asMinister of Finance from 18 June to 9 November 1799.
AfterNapoleon Bonaparte'scoup d'état against the Directory, the18 Brumaire of 1799, he refused to occupy offices of theConsulate (and consequently of theEmpire).
In 1816 he wasproscribed by theBourbon Restoration government as aregicide,[1] avoiding a harsher penalty by not having recognized Napoleon during theHundred Days. Lindet returned to France some time before his death in Paris.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lindet, Jean Baptiste Robert".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 718.In turn, it cites as references:French Directory (2 November 1795 to 10 November 1799) | |||||||||||||||
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