m, by the Brissot party. "Chief of a party, agitator of the people,
secret agent of the Austrian committee," he said, "these are the names
thrown in my teeth, and to which they urge me to reply! I shall not make
the answer of Scipio or La Fayette, who, when accused in the tribune of
the crime of _leze-nation_, only replied by their silence. I shall reply
by my life.

"A pupil of Jean Jacques Rousseau, his doctrines have inspired my soul
for the people. The spectacles of the great assemblies in the first days
of our Revolution have filled me with hope. I soon understood the
difference that exists between those limited assemblies, composed of men
of ambitious views, or egotists, and the nation itself. My voice was
stifled there; but I preferred rather to excite the murmurs of the
enemies of truth, than to obtain applauses that were disgraceful. I
threw my glance beyond this limited circle, and my aim was to make
myself heard by the nation and the whole human race. It is for this that
I have so much frequented the tribune. I have done more than this--it
was I who gave Brissot and Condorcet to France. These great philosophers
have unquestionably ridiculed and opposed the priests; but they have not
the less courted kings and grandees, out of whom they have made a pretty
good thing. (Laughter). You do not forget with what eagerness they
persecuted the genius of liberty in the person of Jean Jacques Rousseau,
the only philosopher who, in my opinion, has deserved the public honours
lavished for a long time on so many political charlatans and so many
contemptible heroes. Brissot, at least, should feel well inclined
towards me. Where was he when I was defending this society from the
Jacobins against the Constituent Assembly itself? But for what I did at
this epoch, you would not have insulted me in this tribune; for it would
not have existed. I the corrupter, the agitator, the tribune of the
people! I am none of these, I am the people myself. You reproach me for
having quitted my place as public accuser. I did so when I saw that that
place gave me no other right than that of accusing citizens for civil
offences, and would deprive me of the right of accusing political
enemies. And it is for this that the people love me; and yet you desire
that I sentence myself to ostracism, in order to withdraw myself from
its confidence. Exile! how can you dare to propose it to me? Whither
would you have me retire? Amongst what people should I be