Jacobins

Jacobins, the members of a political club which exercised a very great influence during the French Revolution. It was originally called the Club Breton, and was formed at Versailles, when the States-general assembled there in 1789. It then consisted exclusively of members of the States-general, all more or less liberal or revolutionary, but of very different shades of opinion. On the removal of the court and National Assembly to Paris this club began to acquire importance. It now met in a hall of the former Jacobin convent in the Rue St Honoré, Paris; the Dominicans of France having come to be known as Jacobins from their chief Paris establishment being that of St Jacques (Jacobus) in the Rue St Jacques. Hence the revolutionary association received the name of the Jacobin Club, which was first given to it by its enemies; the name which it adopted being that of the Society of Friends of the Constitution. It now also admitted members who were not members of the National Assembly, and held regular and public sittings. It exercised a great influence over the agitation, of which the chief seat and focus was in the capital, and this influence was extended over the whole country by affiliated societies. Its power increased, until it became greater than that of the National Assembly. It formed branch societies or clubs throughout France, of which there were soon not less than 1200. When the National Assembly dissolved itself in September 1791, the election of the Legislative Assembly was mainly accomplished under the influence of the Jacobin Club. Almost all the great events which followed in rapid succession were determined by the voice of the club, whose deliberations were regarded with more interest than those of the Legislative Assembly. It reached the zenith of its power when the National Convention met in September 1792. The agitation for the death of the king, the storm which destroyed the Girondists, the excitement of the lowest classes against the bourgeoisie or middle classes, and the reign of terror over all France were the work of the Jacobins. But the overthrow of Robespierre on the 9th Thermidor 1794 gave also the deathblow to the Jacobin Club. The magic of its name was destroyed; and the Jacobins sought in vain to contend against a reaction which increased daily both in the Convention and among the people. A law of October 16 forbade the affiliation of clubs, and on November 9, 1794, the Jacobin Club was finally closed. Its place of meeting was soon after demolished.—The term Jacobins is often employed to designate persons of extreme revolutionary sentiments. For the Anti-Jacobin, see CANNING.