CHRONOLOGY OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. 1789. May 5. Opening of the States-general at Versailles-The tiers-état, 661 deputies; nobles, 285; clergy, 308; total, 1254. 6. Division between the different orders respecting the mode of verifying their powers. 10. The electors of Paris declare themselves in permanent session. 23. Notwithstanding the remonstrances of the tiers-état, the different orders meet separately. The clergy and nobility communicate to the tiers-état the renunciation of their privileges, and submit to pay their proportion of the public burdens. June 17. The deputies of the tiers-état, already joined by some of the clergy, declare their assembly to be the only legal one, and constitute themselves as The National Assembly. The Assembly declares all the taxes illegally imposed, but it authorizes the levy of them provisionally, only till the day of its first separation, from whatever cause that separation may proceed. 20. The Oath of the Tennis Court. 23. Royal Session of the States-general. 27. The union of the several Orders in the National Assembly. 30, The Parisians set at liberty the French guards imprisoned in the Abbaye. July 2-9. A great number of troops collected around Paris. 11. Change of the ministry-Dismissal of Necker. 12. Riots in Paris. The Prince de Lambesc, at the head of the German dragoons, charges the populace in the Tuileries. Camille-Desmoulins, in the garden of the Palais-Royal, recommends an appeal to arms. The green cockade is assumed. Conflict between the French Guards and a detachment of the Royal German regiment. 13. First organization of the militia of Paris. The barriers attacked and burnt. 14. Storming of the Bastille. Massacre of the governor De Launay and Flesselles, prévot des marchands. The red and blue cockade (the city colours) substituted for the green cockade. 15. The King and his brothers repair to the National Assembly. The troops collected round Paris dismissed. Approval of the institutions of the national guard. The electors nominate Bailly, mayor of Paris, and Lafayette, general-in-chief of the national guard. 16. Recall of Necker-Count d'Artois and the Prince de Condé emigrate. 17. The King proceeds to the Hôtel de Ville of Paris. Bailly thus addresses him: "Sire, I bring you the keys of the city of Paris; they are the same which were presented to Henry IV. He had reconquered his people; the people have reconquered their King." The assembled multitude applauded this address: the King assumed the red and blue cockade. His presence quiets the tumult. 22. Fresh disturbances on account of the dearness of corn. Massacre of Foulon and of Berthier de Sauvigny. 26. The tricoloured cockade adopted. On presenting it to the electors, Lafayette predicts that it will make the tour of the world. Aug. 1. The cannon of Chantilly, and of the Ile-Adam, taken possession of and brought to Paris. 4. The National Assembly decrees that the constitution shall be preceded by the declaration of the rights of man and of the citizen. Spontaneous abolition of the feudal system. and of all privileges in France. 18. Democratic insurrection at Liege. iii Aug. 23, Decree proclaiming liberty of opinions, religious as well as political. 31. Suppression and dissolution of the French guards. Sept. 9. The National Assembly declares itself to be permanently assembled. 10. It adopts as a principle that the legislative body shall consist of only one chamber. Oct. 1. Declaration of the Rights of Man in society. 2. Entertainment given by the Life-guards, at Versailles. 5, 6. The populace at Versailles. The King and all his family are brought to Paris. 14. The Duke of Orleans quits Paris for a time and goes to England. 19. The first sitting of the National Assembly at the archbishop's palace. 21. Decree conferring upon the tribunal of the Châtelet the cognizance of the crime of high treason against the nation. Martial law introduced. Nov. 2. Ecclesiastical property declared national property. The Abbé Maury, being threatened with death à la lanterne, escapes, by saying to those who have come to attack him, Well, and shall you see any the clearer for that, do you think?" 6. Institution of the society of "The Friends of the Constitution," which subsequently became "The Society of the Jacobins." The National Assembly transfers its place of meeting to the Riding-house of the Tuileries. Dec. 19. Creation of territorial assignats. 24. Decree declaring Frenchmen who are not Catholics admissible to all offices, both civil and military. 1790. Jan. 15. Division of France into eighty-three departments. 21. Equality of punishments enacted, whatever the rank of the culprits. 26. The Assembly forbids its members to accept any office under government. Feb. 13. Abolition of monastic vows. Suppression of the religious orders. 19. Execution of the Marquis de Favras, declared guilty of high treason. 20. Lafayette proclaims in the National Assembly, that, when oppression renders a revolution necessary, INSURRECTION IS THE MOST SACRED OF DUTIES. March 16. Abolition of "Lettres de Cachet." 17. Appropriation of ecclesiastical property to the repayment of the assignats. 28. Suppression of the salt-tax. April 1. Publication of the "Red Book." The secret expenses of the court had annually been at the lowest, in 1787, 82,000,000 livres; at the highest, in 1783, 145,000,000 livres. 29. Free trade in corn. 30. Institution of the jury. May 10. Massacre of the patriots at Montauban. 12. Institution, by Lafayette and Bailly, of the Society of 1789, (afterwards the club of the Feuillans,) to counterbalance the influence of the Jacobin club. 22. The Assembly decrees that the right of declaring war and making peace belongs to the nation. June 3. Insurrection of the blacks at Martinique. 9, 10. The civil list fixed at 25,000,000 livres. 19. Abolition of nobility. July 10. Decree restoring to the heirs of Dissenters expelled by the edict of Nantes their confiscated property not yet sold. 14. First National Federation. Aug. 6. Abolition of the droits d'aubaine (seizing the property of Aliens). 16. Justices of the peace instituted. 31. Revolt of the Swiss soldiers at Chateau-Vieux. Sept. 4. Dismissal and Retreat of Necker. 6. Suppression of the parliaments. 10. Funding of the public debt. 29. Creation of 800,000,000 of forced assignats. Oct. 9. Insurrection of the mulattoes in St. Domingo. Nov. 4. Insurrection in the Isle of France. 27. Civil constitution of the clergy. Institution of the Tribunal of Cassation. Dec. 30. Institution of the patents for inventions. 1791. Jan. 28. The French army is increased to the war establishment. |