came a virtual GrimReaper in searching out possible traitors and enemies of the republic. Whenthe Committee on Public Safety was established on the 26th, Robespierre andhis Jacobins were able to proudly look upon the reforms that they hadinjected into the political bloodstream of France. There was no turningback from the radical phase that the people had oluntarily entered and themomentum that the Jacobins had captured placed them in a position ofhighest authority and almost unlimited power. By the summer of 1793, the people of France began feeling thatsomething had gone wrong, terribly wrong. In what would be known as theinfamous "Reign of Terror", the National Convention, spearheaded by theradical zeal of Marat and the infallibility of Robespierre, beganpersecuting any person who was suspected of opposing the revolution. Eventhe moderate Girondins were accused of counter-revolutionary actions andwere expelled from the Convention. What was once a legislative, two-sidedbody had now become an authoritarian oligarchy led by radicals. Althoughthe masses had finally deposed the tyrant who had oppressed them for somany years, they were now being oppressed by an executive group that wasruling the country without the safeguards of a constitution. Thousands weredying without the aid of civil liberties or rights and any citizen accusedof treason was deemed guilty until proven innocent. In a desperate attemptto slow down the intentions of the Jacobins, Marat was mur ed by CharlotteCorday and Danton began speaking out against all radicals who werecontributing to the deaths of innocent citizens. Unfortunately, this was tobe a stage in the revolution that could not be undone even with theleadership of Danton. The closing chapters of the radical stage were filledwith the executions of the Girondins and other suspects (Hebert) whoallegedly opposed the will of the Jacobins, and therefore opposed the willof the republic. Robespierre never intended to...
