Description:

French Rev., Huge & Exceptional Archive of 175+ Pcs, Including 110+ National Convention Delegate Opinions; Evidence Submitted During Louis XVI's Trial; & Royal Defense Arguments

A large and important collection of printed material in the original French relating to the French Revolution, ca. 1792-1793, specifically the trial and execution of French King Louis XVI (1754-1793). The collection includes: 153 published opinions of National Convention delegates concerning the verdict and sentence of Louis XVI, including those of Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud, a leading Montagnard and president of the National Convention, and Augustin Bon Joseph de Robespierre, Maximilien Robespierre's younger brother; 20 reports submitted as incriminating evidence in Louis XVI's trial; 2 pamphlets registering the historic open cast votes of each National Convention delegate on the guilt and death sentence of Louis XVI; and 4 items relating to Raymond Desèze, Louis XVI's leading defense attorney, for a total of approximately 179 pieces. A very valuable collection of ephemera, amassed by Victor Niederhoffer (born 1943), the author, businessman, award-winning squash player, and collector.

The archive is housed in a suite of three custom maroon clamshell cases with black leather and gilt-lettered spines. The printed material is in very good to near fine condition, although expected wear including toning, foxing, edge darkening, stains, chipped edges, and isolated loss can be found throughout. Scattered pencil inscriptions on the front covers of some pieces. Some materials are still uncut. The cases measure 8.625" x 10.75" x 5.125"; 8.625" x 10.75" x 3.125"; and 8.625" x 10.75" x 2.625" respectively. The first clamshell case is entitled "French Revolution Collection / The Trial of Louis XVI / Opinions of the National Convention"; the second called "French Revolution Collection / The Trial of Louis XVI / Evidence and Reports"; and the third entitled "French Revolution Collection / The Trial of Louis XVI / Deseze's [sic] Defense / National Convention Votes on the Guilt and Execution."

The bulk of the materials in this archive are cross-referenced against two authoritative secondary sources and collection catalogues, André Martin & Gérard Walter, "Catalogue de l'histoire de la Révolution Française" (Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale, 1936-1969); and "Catalogue of the Historical Library of Andrew Dickson White, Vol. II: The French Revolution" (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1984). The Martin & Walter catalogue is abbreviated as "M & W" and the White catalogue is listed as "White." Also consulted was the National Union Catalogue, or "NUC."

The first French Republic was declared in September 1792, just a few weeks after the National Convention--the nation's new parliamentary assembly--had formed on August 10, 1792. The trial of deposed monarch Louis XVI began in December 1792, and voting took place after mid-January 1792. The radical party known as the Montagnards lobbied for Louis XVI's death, employing idealized republican rhetoric to paint the deposed king as a ruthless tyrant. The Girondins, meanwhile, served as a moderating force who considered other options for Louis XVI and the royal family, such as banishment, deportation, or life in prison. A slim majority of National Convention delegates voted for the death of Louis XVI, and he was guillotined on January 21, 1793. Marie Antoinette was executed ten months later.

The archive consists of:

I. "French Revolution Collection / The Trial of Louis XVI / Opinions of the National Convention"

The first clamshell case contains 153 first edition pamphlets in the original French, most published in Paris at the National Press by order of the National Convention the day after each speech was made, representing the published opinions of 115 delegates out of about 749 delegates. The pamphlets were published between the establishment of the National Convention in August 1792, and January 1793, with some hitting the presses just a few days before Louis XVI's execution. The pamphlets range from 2pp in length at the shortest to 44pp at the longest, with the average length being between 6-8pp.

These original National Convention pamphlets are extremely rare, and this is an exceptionally fine collection. The only American institution with a comparable collection is the Andrew Dickson White Collection at Cornell University. According to the National Union Catalogue, many of these pamphlets cannot be located in any institution in the United States, and some only in a very few locations.

The 115 delegates whose opinions are represented here came from a range of socio-economic classes, and hailed from regions all across France. This group of 115 thus represents about 15% of the 749 National Convention delegates who later cast their ballots after the king's trial. The pamphlets represented the official opinions of members on a range of ideological, political, legal, and procedural questions. The pamphlets were presented as the "opinions," "discourses," "rationales," "reflections," and "last words" of the delegates. They explored such complex questions as whether a French king could be judged in a court of law; whether Louis XVI was guilty of crimes against the state; what his punishment should be if so; and whether the verdict could be ratified or rejected by the people. The nomenclature used to describe the deposed monarch often hinted at their position on the political spectrum. Some referred to Louis XVI as "the last" or "former king of the French," while others referred to him as "Louis Capet," that is, just as any ordinary citizen.

A few of the pamphlet titles represent the whole. Take for instance, "Discours d’Amand-Benoit-Joseph Guffroy, Sur ce que la Nation doit faire du ci-devant roi” [trans: “Discourse of Amand-Benoit-Joseph Guffroy, On what the Nation must do with the former king”], or, “Voeux de J.F. Auguste Izoard, Répresentant de la République Française, Député par les Hautes-Alpes, Sur les questions: Le jugement qui sera rendu par la Convention nationale, sur Louis, sera-t’il soumis à la sanction du people? Quelle peine infligera-t-on à Louis?” [trans: “Resolutions of J.F. Auguste Izoard, Representative of the French Republic, Deputy of the Hautes-Alpes, On the questions: The judgment that will be made by the National Convention on Louis, will it be submitted to the approval of the people? What punishment will we inflict on Louis?”]

The names of the delegates whose published opinions are in part 1 of this archive are listed below. An exhaustive list running 27pp in length is available upon request, and includes delegate names, pamphlet titles in French translated into English, publication dates, page numbers, and the cross-reference numbers corresponding to M & W as well as White.

Delegates, in alphabetical order:

G-K

François Gamon; F.C.P. Garilhe; Garnier; Gaston; Gaudin
Louis-Benoit Genevois-Duraisin; Gensonné; Antoine Girard; Girault; Claude Glaizal; Grégoire; Amand-Benoit-Joseph Guffroy; Claude-Nicolas Guillermin; Florent Guiot; Joseph Guiter; Pierre Guyomar; L.B. Guyton; J.B. Harmand; Nicolas Hentz; Pierre-Louis Ichon; J.F. Auguste Izoard; J.B. Jourdan; Jean Julien; Marc-Antoine Jullien; A. Guy Kersaint;

L-N

Jean-Baptiste Labossiere; J.P. Lacombe-Saint-Michel; Jean-Baptiste Lacoste; Lakanal; Charles Lambert; Lanjuinais; Lavicomterie; Jean-Baptiste le Carpentier; Lecointe-Puyraveau; Laurent Lecointre; S.P. Lejeune; L.M. Lepeletier; Lequinio; Jean-François Loiseau; Jouenne-Longchamp; Louis Louchet; P.A. Lozeau; P. Manuel; Pierre Marec; Nicolas-Joseph Marey; Jean-Baptiste Massieu; Maure aîné; Jean-Nicolas Meaulle; F. Mellinet; Jean-Baptiste-Auguste-Prosper Mennesson; Philippe-Antoine Merlin; F. Meynard; Michet; J.B. Milhaud; Mittié fils; Joseph Monmayou; François-Agnès Mont-Gilbert; Marie-François Moreau; Morisson; Etienne Neveu; Pierre-Claude Nioche;

O-P

C.N. Osselin; Charles-François Oudot; Paganel;Denis Marie Pellissier; Joseph Pemartin; Jean-Augustin Péniéres; Silvain Pepin; Pétion; Michel-Edme Petit; Claude-Lazare Petit-Jean; Jean-Baptiste Personne; P. Philippeaux; J. Pinet aîné; Noël Pointe; Louis Portiez; Charles Pottier; François Poultier; Poullain-Grandprey; Pressavin; P.L. Prieur; Claude-Charles Prost; Léonard-Joseph Prunelle;

Q-Z

N.M. Quinette; Rabaut de Saint-Étienne; J.P. Rabaut; Raffron; Just Rameau; Dominique-Vincent Ramel de Nogaret; Louis-Marie Réveillère-Lepaux; C.A.B. Reynaud; Ribet; Ricord; François Robert; A.B.J. Robespierre; Rouzet; D. Roy; Claude-Antoine Rudel; Jean-Bon Saint-André; Salle; Sergent; Sans-culottes [anonymous]; Joseph Serre; Joseph Sevestre; A.C. Thibaudeau; Thibault; Didier Thirion; J.J. Thomas; Thuriot; Louis Turreau; Louis-Alexandre-Jacques Vardon; Vergniaud; Théodore Vernier; Jacques-Joseph Viennet; Viquy; Antoine-Hubert Wandelaincourt

Notable excerpts from some of these delegates' published pamphlets can be found below translated into English; more excerpts are available upon request.

“Opinion du Citoyen Gaston, Député du Département de l’Arriège, Sur le procès du dernier roi des Français”

“Must one judge the tyrant Louis XVI? No, because it is evident that he is judged. To what punishment is he condemned? Reason, humanity, justice, law, heaven & earth condemn him to death…The Representatives of the French people, must they order the execution of the ordeal? Yes, the sooner the better. If other tyrants want to mount the throne, or to share in its debris, what must true republicans do? Exterminate them, or die.”

“Discours d’Amand-Benoit-Joseph Guffroy, Sur ce que la Nation doit faire du ci-devant roi”

“Reflect, Citizens, that it is an act of justice and of humanity to promptly decide the fate of Louis Capet: only the fall of his head will open the fountainhead of the public good, and no one will worry the people anymore about their subsistence.”

“Opinion du Citoyen J.J. Thomas, Député du Département de Paris, Sur le jugement de Louis XVI”

“Royalism still has its fanatics, especially to fear, as those who join religion. Who tells you that Rome would not rush to canonize Louis? You laugh; but does everyone laugh like you? …The death of a king would resuscitate and extend [the life of] royalism…I conclude thus that Louis Capet, however recognized as guilty and meriting the worst punishment, be, and for the salvation of the people, and for the progress and the maintenance of liberty, condemned to life in prison…”

“Et Moi, Non. Opinion de Just Rameau, Députédu Département de la Côte-d’Or, Sur l’affaire du ci-devant Roi des Français”

“And me, No, citizens, I do not think that the National Convention can, & still less, must criminally judge the former king…I thus ask, by form and general safety, that Louis & his family, be from the present & forever, banished from the French territory…”

II. "French Revolution Collection / The Trial of Louis XVI / Evidence and Reports"

This group of 20 printed pamphlets as well as sewn and disbound booklets represented some of the prosecution's evidence submitted during Louis XVI's trial. Much of this material pertains to the discovery of secret papers hidden in royal furniture or strongboxes, proving that Louis XVI had conspired with civil servants; see especially c.

a. Two pamphlets containing "Rapports" or "Reports," one delivered by Louis-Jérome Gohier, Député du Département d'Isle-&-Vilane, "Sur les papiers inventoriés dans les bureaux de la liste civile"; and one delivered by Dufriche-Valazé, Député du Département de l'Orne. White, 99. White, 281.

b. "Second Recueil. Pieces [sic] Justificatives Des Crimes commis par le ci-devant Roi, Premier Cahier, à l'appui du rapport fait au nom de la Commission-Extraordinaire des Vingt-Quatre, Par Valazé, Député à la Convention Nationale par le Département de l'Orne." [trans: "Second Collection. Items Proving Crimes Committed by the former King, First Notebook, based on the report made in the name of the Extraordinary-Commission of the Twenty Four, By Valazé, Deputy to the National Convention from the Department of the Orne"]

c. "Troisième Recueil. Pièces Imprimées d'Après Le Décret de la Convention Nationale, Déposées à la Commission Extraordinaire des Douze, établie pour le dépouillement des papiers trouvés dans l'armoire de fer au Château de Tuileries…" [trans: "Third Collection. Items Printed after the Decree of the National Convention, Given to the Extraordinary Commission of the Twelve, Established to Sort through the papers found in the iron safe at the Château de Tuileries"]

d. Two pamphlets, "Recueil des Pièces Justificatives de l'Acte énonciatif des crimes de Louis Capet, Réunies par la commission des Vingt-un," both the second and third inventory.

e. The 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th (parts 1 and 2), 10th, 11th, 13th, and 15th Collections of Evidence connected with Delaporte, Intendant of the Civil List. The titles are, for example: "Diverses Pièces Inventoriées Chez M. Delaporte, Administrateur de la Liste Civile, Lues à l'Assemblée Nationale…Troisième Collection." Two copies, one 7pp, one 10pp. [trans: "Diverse Items Inventoried at M. Delaporte's, Administrator of the Civil List, Read to the National Assembly…Third Collection"]

f. Three pamphlets relating to other material discovered in Louis XVI's secretary desk, ex. "Pièces Trouvées Dans Le Secrétaire du Roi Lues à l'Assemblée Nationale"; or in the possession of MM. de Montmorin, a civil servant.

III. "French Revolution Collection / The Trial of Louis XVI / Desèze's Defense / National Convention Votes on the Guilt and Execution"

This group includes six pamphlets, two recording National Convention voting results; and four related to the defense of Louis XVI by Raymond Desèze (1750-1828), one of the preeminent lawyers of Revolutionary-era France.

a. Two pamphlets recording the open votes cast in the National Convention on January 15th, 16th, 17th, and 19th regarding the king's sentence and punishment.

- "Appels Nominaux Faits Dans les Séances des 15 & 19 Janvier 1793, l'an 2e. de la République, Sur ces Trois Questions: 1o. Louis Capet est-il coupable de conspiration contre la liberté publique, & d'attentats contre la sûreté générale de l'État? 2o. Le Jugement de la Convention nationale contre Louis Capet sera-t-il soumis à la ratification du Peuple? 3o. Y aura-t-il un sursis, oui ou non, à l'exécution du Décret qui condamne Louis Capet?" (Paris: L'Imprimerie Nationale, 1793). 71pp.

Only 3 copies listed in NUC NF0294547. M & W 4235. White, 104.

- "Appel Nominal, Extrait du procès-verbal de la séance permanente de la Convention Nationale, des 16 et 17 Janvier 1793, l'an deuxième de la République, Sur cette Question: Quelle peine sera infligée à Louis?" (Paris: L'Imprimerie Nationale, 1793). 43pp.

Only 3 copies listed in NUC NF0294548. White, 104.

The first question, "Louis Capet, is he guilty of conspiring against public liberty, & of attempts against the general safety of the State?" was passed unanimously. On the second question, "The Judgment of the national Convention against Louis Capet, will it be submitted to the ratification of the People?," 424 delegates voted in the negative against 287 in the positive, ensuring that the vote would remain purely legislative. On the third question, "Will there be a stay, yes or non, in the execution of the Decree condemning Louis Capet?" and the related, "Which punishment will be inflicted on Louis?," 361 delegates voted for death--a majority secured by one vote. Louis was furthermore to be executed within 24 hours.

The votes of every one of the 749 National Convention delegates is recorded here, showing how close Louis XVI was to securing an alternative to execution, such as banishment. Among the more notable verdicts: Maximilien de Robespierre: "la mort"; Georges Danton: "la mort"; Jean-Paul Marat: "la mort dans vingt-quatre heures"; and Thomas Paine: "la détention; le banissement à la paix."

b. Four additional materials relating to Louis XVI's legal defense presented by Raymond Desèze, including:

- "Lettre du Citoyen Deseze [sic], Défenseur de Louis" [trans: "Letter of Citizen Deseze [sic], Defender of Louis"] Only 1 copy listed in NUC ND 0197389. White, 98.

- "Défense de Louis, Prononcée à la Barre de la Convention Nationale, Le Mercredi 26 Decembre 1792, l'an premier de la République, Par le Citoyen Deseze [sic], l'un de ses Défenseurs officieux" [trans: "Defense of Louis, Pronounced at the Bar of the National Convention, Wednesday 26 December 1792, the first year of the Republic, By Citizen Deseze [sic], one of his official Denfenders"] NUC ND 0197381. White, 98.

- "Défense de Louis XVI, Seconde Partie, Où l'on examine les faits postérieurs à l'acceptation de l'acte constitutionnel, et le rapport des loix avec le jugement proposé" [trans: "Defense of Louis XVI, Second Part, Where we examine precedents to the acceptance of the constitutional act, and the relation between the laws and the proposed judgment"]

- "Mémoire Justificatif Pour Louis XVI, Ci-devant Roi des Français" Cahiers 1-5. [trans: "Defense Arguments of Louis XVI, Former King of the French"]

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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