Here the Emperor, who had dictated in his usual way, from memory alone, without any research, whether he was dissatisfied with the task he had executed, or for some other reason, stopped short, for the purpose, as he said, of recommencing a new dictation on the same subject.
"The Convention was established in September, 1792, and terminated in October, 1795, Its reign, which lasted nearly three years, presents four eras.
"The 1st, from its commencement to the 31st of May 1793—epoch of the destruction of the Girondists.
"The 2nd, to March 1794—overthrow of the Commune of Paris.
"The 3rd, to July, 1794—fall of Robespierre.
"The 4th to the 14th Vendémiaire (4th October, 1795)—installation of the Government of the Directory.
"Its _first era_ consisted of eight months, its second of ten, its third of four, its fourth of fourteen. Total, three years.
"During its first era the Convention was constantly divided between the parties of the Mountain and the Gironde.
"Danton, Robespierre, Marat, Collot-d’Herbois, Billaud-Varennes, Carnot, Heraut de Sechelles, were the leaders of the party of the Mountain.
"Brissot, Condorcet, Vergniaud, Gaudet, Gensonnè, Péthion, Lasource, Barbaroux, headed the party of the Gironde.
"The two parties were equally hostile to the Bourbons and the royalists.
"The men of the first were distinguished for superior energy, those of the second for superior talents. They were both the partisans of a republican establishment. The Mountaineers were desirous of a Republic, for the purpose of destroying what was in existence before the Revolution, both men and things. The Girondists were animated by the infatuation of youthful feeling, which presented at once Athens and Rome to their view, and revived recollections of sublime antiquity.
"The existence of the mountaineers may be dated from the time of the Constituent Assembly. They were the firebrands of the clubs so generally known by the name of Jacobin. The insurrection of the Field of Mars was planned by them.
"This party did not obtain admission into the Constituent and Legislative Assemblies.
"The Girondists, who predominated in the legislative, were hostile to the Constitution of 1794 and to the King. They would not undertake his defence, and suffered him to be sacrificed to the efforts of the Mountain, which, however, was also their enemy. It was the Mountaineers who caused the atrocities of the 20th of June, of the 10th of August, and of the 2nd of September; they had then no party in the assembly; but they compelled the Girondists to join them after their victory.