the essential
Following the events as recounted by Fernand Cassany de Mazet, in his “History of the Revolution in Villleneuve”.
April 15, 1793 (district register). During the fraternity festival celebrated in Agen, the president of the department read the formula of the oath: “we swear to be faithful to the French Republic, one and indivisible; to maintain with all our power Liberty, Equality, the safety of people and property. We swear eternal hatred to anyone, under any pretext whatsoever, who would attempt to attack the sovereignty of the French people whom we will support until death.” “Here are noble and strengthening words!” comments Fernand Cassany de Mazet in his “History of the revolution in Villeneuve”.
April 16, 1793 (district register). The Directory has just published the Department’s decree dated April 7 which states that citizens suspected of incivism who, since the Revolution, have left their homes in the city to settle in the countryside, will be required to return within eight , their home in the city. We want to have them on hand.
April 17, 1793 (District Register). The Directory appointed the citizens Pons, administrator of the Disrict and Falsues, of the parish of Cambres, to carry out an investigation into the depredations of the farmers of the property of Papon-Lamarsale and Vilas, emigrants. These farmers cut down trees and carry out all kinds of damage and looting.
April 17, 1793 (municipal register). Citizen Mouysset, formerly very moderate deputy in the Legislative Assembly and current president of the Club des Amis de la Liberté et de l’Egalité, came today to complain to the Municipal Council that someone was trying to to sow trouble and make people believe that the municipality was granting passports to suspicious people such as Dordaygue de Cazideroque and Vassal, a priest. He added that the club would discuss the names of suspicious people. “So here is an elected council, representing the immense majority of the inhabitants of Villeneuve which receives admonitions and orders from an individual, president of a company which recruits itself and has not received any legal mandate. And thing more serious, here is this council which exculpates itself which bows to this audacious usurpation of a tiny minority. We have therefore descended so low that a restricted group of citizens will lay down the law to the authorities emanating from a popular vote; that a crowd of madmen and bawlers lays down the law for this group itself. Liberty, fortune, the very lives of all honest people are at the mercy of the particular grudges, the wickedness of a few stupid, fiery or otherwise individuals. rascals hidden under the revolutionary mask” comments Fernand Cassany de Mazet who continues, “the council as I have just said, jealous of showing its zeal, immediately checked the passports and it turns out that it did not give any to any suspicious person. One was given to citizen Dordaygue, to go to Agen. But since there are reasons for suspicion, it will be written to Agen that the above-mentioned citizen is in this town.” As for Vassal, a priest, he did not receive a passport. We cannot explain this strange attitude of the deputy Mouysset than by the ambition which he does not hide to replace Vaquié as president of the court (To be continued).
