Side Essay, Research Paper
In this report, I will briefly summarize the arguments that St. Just put forward in the first of the two speeches he had given in front of the Convention during the trial of Louis XVI. It occurred on 13 November 1792, and it was young St. Just s inaugural speech. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristics of St. Just s speech were its theoretical bent, its abstract spirit, and magnificent (or intolerable, depending on one s taste) aura of moral self-righteousness. Already in this speeches we see the trait that made this moral puritan one of the most vilified Jacobins his willingness to interpret (perhaps even insistence on interpreting) everything and anything outside of his dogma as a sign of weakness, if not an outright counter-revolutionary act.
He started of by insisting that the King should be judged, contrary to the opinions of his defenders, but he should be judged as an enemy, not as a citizen, as the Committee on Legislation suggested. St. Just berated his colleagues they, he said, “fell into forms without principles,” their “mistaken measures of prudence, delays, and reflections were here truly imprudent.” He topped it off by proclaiming that the “subtlety of spirit and of character is a great obstacle to liberty.” These remarks are all too easily misconstrued to be those of evil man trying to make the Reign of Terror a reality. They actually were words of a man disgusted with casuistry of his colleagues, their amoral desire to substitute the lack of principles by specious legal arguments.
St. Just saw very clearly, as should all of us, that nothing, absolutely nothing in the Constitution of 1791, allowed for the King to be deposed, much less tried. But, as we find out from the proceedings of the trial, imagining laws that were convenient, building these phantom castles of sand, were not inventions of the 20th century lawyers. The orators of the Gironde tried to make a citizen out of the King so that he could be tried. One should not mistake St. Just for the protector of the Constitution, though. The principles he stood for, for unlike most of his colleagues he did stand for something, were much too radical for the Constitution of 1791. He abhorred the idea of raising a man whose hand was “soaked in blood” and “plunged in crime” to a status of citizen. St. Just view citizenship as the concept almost sacred to the Republic he envisioned.
The casuistic spirit of the proceedings, according to St. Just, should be foreign to the creators of the Republic. The deputies were becoming “each others slaves” while arguing the pointless legalities. St. Just tried to wash “the shared guilt” and “weakness” from the minds of his listeners. He implored them to “strike a first blow” to the King who was not connected to the people in any way, shape, or form. For there was no “natural bond” between them the rights of the Kings existed only as long as they benefited the people. The King has committed a variety of crimes, and for that this artificial “cloak of dignity” was withdrawn. Consequently, Louis was not a citizen, and thus cannot be judged by civil law. Indeed, in civil law, it was the people who should be tried for deposing Louis.
St. Just decried “to respect the king no longer.” The oppressor of a free nation and abuser of its laws “must die to assure the tranquillity of the people.” Throughout the speech, deputies were continually reminded the Louis intended “people to be crushed.” But St. Just did not stop at there he professed that “a king should be accused, not for the crimes of his administration, but for the crime of having been king.” Monarchy for St. Just cannot be tolerated, for it is “guilty before nature, and all men hold from nature the secret mission to destroy such domination wherever it may be found.” “No man can rule innocently,” proclaims St. Just.
After uttering that immortal phrase, St. Just goes on to show that, unless Louis is stripped of his citizenship, a trial is a sham. He tells deputies, “You cannot be a court of law, a jury, and a prosecutor; a formal trial would be unjust; and the king, regarded as a citizen, could not be judged by the same men that accused him.” He adds, “in such a trial, forms are mockery.” Better than his contemporaries, we must realize how true this is. Indeed, can a trial in which a verdict of not guilty cannot possibly be given be considered just?
In his speech, St. Just deals with an extremely important question: should convention s sentence be ratified by local assemblies? The answer to this question is negative, for while “the people can pass the laws by its will, since these laws are vital to its happiness,” it “cannot erase the laws against tyranny.” The Gabriel of 18th century says that “no act of a sovereign can truly constrain a single citizen to pardon such a crime.”
To finish the speech off, St. Just point blank tells his colleagues that the king will be killed for “there is not citizen who does not have the right that Brutus had over Caesar.” He then tries to intimidate them by saying that absolution of the King should make the Convention not worthy of public s confidence, and that the deputies should be accused of perfidy. It seems that St. Just tried to appeal to both the bright (principled, Republican) and dark (scared, shameless politicking) sides of his colleagues to get what he deemed right. While I am a big admirer of St. Just s, I admit that in his speech he comes dangerously close to breathing life into the anemic and distinctly un-Republican mantra of Jesuits the ends justify the means.
Другие работы по теме:
Oliver Cromwell Essay Research Paper OLIVER CROMWELLAs
Oliver Cromwell Essay, Research Paper OLIVER CROMWELL As someone who stated watching the movie not knowing anything about the civil war the movie Oliver Cromwell came across as a good illustrator of the actual civil war. The movie made king Charles I come across as a king that was always committing unlawful acts, while looking out for himself and his people.
Machiavelli VS King George III Essay Research
Paper MACHIAVELLI VS. KING GEORGE III During colonial times, King George III was a tyrant ruler. He was unstable and constantly inflicted hardship upon the people of the American Colonies. King George III thought that imposing more demands on the colonists would allow him to reach his goals such as bringing in more money for the British government.
Rodney King Essay Research Paper Rodney KingThe
Rodney King Essay, Research Paper Rodney King The person that I chose for my English semester research paper is the unforgettable Rodney King. Rodney King, to most people?s recollection, was an innocent black victim that was pulled over and violently beaten by many white police officers. A civilian caught the beating on a video camera, but only the beating.
Kafka Essay Research Paper In The Trial
Kafka Essay, Research Paper In The Trial by Franz Kafka, the Law, its courts, and its people seem to make up a kind of poorly run, secret society. It appears that the purpose of this secret society is to uphold the Law, although using very different methods of enforcement than what most people are used to. The arrest of Josef K. and the manner in which his trial is conducted attests to the unusual workings of this Law.
King Henry IV And Joseph Strorm
: Archtypical Fathers Essay, Research Paper King Henry IV and Joseph Strorm: Archtypical Fathers An ideal father is one who is both caring and understanding. To fit this
Stephan King Essay Research Paper Stephen King
Stephan King Essay, Research Paper Stephen King was born on September 21, 1947 in Portland, Maine. In 1949, when Stephen was 2 years old, his father left one night and never came back. There are a couple of turning points in his young life that he believes pointed him in the direction that he now is at. In 1954 he began to write stories.
Who Should Be King Three Boys Essay
, Research Paper Who Should Be King Three boys: Richard, Jeffery, and John. Their your only sons. Which one would you choose to be king of the kingdom you have had for years? All three of them are great in certain areas, but how could a person choose between their sons. If you pick one then the other two will feel like they have been shafted.
Main Thought Of Hamlet Essay Research Paper
What I believe to be the main and most important theme of Hamlet is that power corrupts and kills. This is evident in many parts of this play. In the first half of this tale, Shakespeare shows us that the power King Hamlet gave to his brother (free run of the castle, ability to get where the king slept) let to the king’s death.
King Lear Essay 1 Essay Research Paper
Service and loyalty are big parts of the plot of King Lear. Some characters of this play show complete loyalty and service to the king. One of these is Kent. Throughout the play, Kent is completely loyal to his king, even after the Lear banishes him from the kingdom. This tells me that some people can be loyal to the end.
I Have A Dream (MLK) (A Speech
Summary) Essay, Research Paper On August 28, 1963 on the steps of Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., one of the most profound civil rights Leaders recited a speech for all to live by. Martin Luther King Jr. was the man who made history that day in 1963, with the world-renowned speech ?I have a Dream?.
Anglo Saxons Essay Research Paper Chivalry was
Anglo Saxons Essay, Research Paper Chivalry was probably most recognizable quality of Beowulf. If anything, Beowulf had great respect for his king. He loved him and honored him with all his heart. If asked to do anyhting by the King. Beowulf would accept with pride, Whn the King died, it was Beowulf that was asked to take over.
The Magna Carta Essay Research Paper In
The Magna Carta Essay, Research Paper In 1214, King John lost many of his lands and it seemed hopeless for him to survive any longer as the commanding leader of England. He had raised the taxes high to squeeze more money out of the barons; thus, the barons revolted and demanded he change the way of governing. To keep his crown, he had to agree with the barons’ demands and listen to their terms.
The Relevancy Of The Title Of The
Crucible Essay, Research Paper This play is named The Crucible, which means a severe test or trial, because the accused, the families, and the girls are being put through a great ordeal.
King Minos Essay Research Paper TITLE KING
King Minos Essay, Research Paper TITLE: KING MINOS I. TYPE OF MYTH: Greek II. GODS OR GODDESSES INVOLVED: Zeus and Poseidon III. MONSTERS OR CREATURES INVOLVED: Minotaur
A Comparison Of Arthur Becomes King And
David And Goliath Essay, Research Paper A Comparison of Arthur Becomes King and David and Goliath Two of the most renowned leaders of all time, King Arthur and King David, have
Thomas More- A Man For All
Seasons Essay, Research Paper Thomas More: A Man For All Seasons In A Man For All Seasons, Thomas More was found guilty of treason because he refused to support King Henry VIII’s decision to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon. The King sought this divorce because he wanted to marry his mistress, Anne Boleyne.
King LearBlindness Essay Research Paper King Lear
King Lear-Blindness Essay, Research Paper King Lear is in many ways like Nunez in the story The country of the Blind . They are both simliar because they both do not realize that they are both blind in what others think of them. They might think that they are right beacause both of them think that the people around them are inferior because of the way that they appear.
Sir Thomas More Essay Research Paper Thomas
Sir Thomas More Essay, Research Paper Thomas More In life, belief can be a very powerful thing, powerful enough to affect major choices. Believing is having faith in an idea, person, thing or religion. In Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More made many important choices the were affected by a belief in the religious theory that the Pope is the “Vicar of God” (the descendant of St.
The Supreme Court What Do They Have
To Hide Essay, Research Paper Matthew J. Vowell Ms. Lanctot English 122 Dec. 5, 2000 The Supreme Court: What Do They Have To Hide? The tone of this article is pretty much summed up in the first sentence. The author writes, “ I wonder what the pompous justices on our Supreme Court have to hide by not letting their actions be viewed live on national television?” (Aldrich 6B) He is obviously angry that we have been somewhat shut out from the Supreme Court decision on the Florida recount.
Symbolism In Hamlet Essay Research Paper Symbolism
Symbolism In Hamlet Essay, Research Paper Symbolism in Hamlet Though not much has been written on symbolism in Shakespeare?s Hamlet, there is some there. The first symbol is found in the very first scene of the play. The changing of the guards can be a symbol of the new King in Denmark. Just as the guards are changing, so is the royal throne.
Newspaper Report On The Conviction Of Macbeth
Essay, Research Paper Topic: If macbeth was still alive show a newspaper article showing the trial that would take place concerning his conviction of murder(INSERT TOWN HERE) – After a long and arduous trial, MacBeth was found guilty by the Brisbane Court House yesterday. The former King of Scotland pleaded not guilty in the (INSERT TOWN HERE) sittings of District Court to murder and premeditated murder.
Clinton Essay Research Paper Whether or not
Clinton Essay, Research Paper Whether or not to have the trial be held in public or private, symbolizes the trial. A simple question that is answered by common sense, made to just prolong a trial that serves no purpose, but to explain the bungling of two parities walking in the dark. At this stage in the proceeding there is nothing left to deliberate, no posturing left to do.
Trial By Ordeal Essay Research Paper Trial
Trial By Ordeal Essay, Research Paper Trial by Ordeal I personally feel that trial by ordeal was a rather, how should I put this, “unjustified” way of determining guilt. Trial by ordeal was a type of “trial” that was used
King David And Jesus Essay Research Paper
King David and Jesus are alike in several ways. David was the youngest son of Jesse, a shepherd from Bethlehem. David was “discovered” by Saul when, according to one tradition, he played his harp to sooth Saul’s melancholy. He later went on to slay the giant warrior Goliath, a task which amazed many, since not even trained warriors were able to defeat him.
Fate Overpowers Free Will Oedipus The King
) Essay, Research Paper Concerning the question of fate vs. free will, Sophocles felt that a person has no control over the course of his life. In the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus is a great example of Sophocles’ belief that fate will control a man’s life no matter how much free will exists in the man’s heart.
King Lear Essay Research Paper King LearKing
King Lear Essay, Research Paper King Lear King Lear is the tale of a vain, prideful, and foolish old man who is blinded by his rage and too stubborn to mend his ways. The “self”
Lady Macbeth Is Worse Than Macbeth Essay
, Research Paper Lady Macbeth Is Worse Than Macbeth In my view, Lady Macbeth is far worse than Macbeth. Although they both think of murdering King Duncan as soon as they hear the witches prophecies, Macbeth thinks more about what he may or may not do, whereas Lady Macbeth immediately appeals to evil spirits to give her the strength to kill Duncan.
Martin Luther King
’s I Have A Dream Speech Essay, Research Paper King was basically a peaceful leader who urged non-violence to his followers. He traveled about the country giving speeches that inspired black and white listeners to work together for racial harmony. Martin Luther King appeared to many as calm and idealistic.
Martin Luther King 2 Essay Research Paper
“I Have a Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King is a superiorly written and moving speech, because it plays on the reader’s sense of fairplay and their emotions. Dr. King describes his dream with such vigor and attention to detail that the reader cannot help to see and seriously consider King’s point of view. Using captivating words and phrases King grabs the reader’s attention and holds it until the end.
King Arthur Essay Research Paper Real King
King Arthur Essay, Research Paper Real King Arthur In The Once and Future King, Portayal of the Middle Ages is thought to be made of magnificent castles, beautiful clothing, great kings and queens everything and everyone perfect. No proof of the.Towns back then were not pretty. Dirt thrived in cities there were diseases and crud everywhere.
Tale Of 2 Cities Justice Vs Injustice
Essay, Research Paper Justice VS Injustice Justice versus injustice, a battle fought since the time of man. Dickens’ most valuable message in A Tale of Two Cities is that justice will always triumph over injustice.
Inherit The Wind Essay Research Paper In
Inherit The Wind Essay, Research Paper In our Consititution, citizens have many righhts, but do we have the right to think? In the play Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence adn Robert Lee, a man is on trial for teaching his students about the theory of evolution. Drummond, the lawyer for this man, said “With all respect to the bench, I hold that the right to think is very much on trial.”