Adrien Duport
Encyclopedia
Adrien Duport was a French
politician
, and lawyer.
. He became an influential advocate in the parlement
, and was prominent in opposition to the ministers Calonne
and Loménie de Brienne
.
His early writings show a man who read Jean-Jacques Rousseau
and Voltaire
, but his ideals were closer to the theories of Montesquieu and the Physiocrats
. He was influenced by Cesare Beccaria on the reform of justice. He became the center of the parliamentary strength against absolutism, moving toward positions close to those advocated by Antoine Barnave
and Jean Joseph Mounier
. He shared the enthusiasm of his contemporaries to the American Revolution
, and became acquainted with Lafayette.
From 1784, he was a follower of mesmerism, and saw this secret society a way to prepare for major changes in society and the State. He was friends with Nicolas Berger and Jacques Pierre Brissot
. He was initiated at the lodge of the Friends meeting in Paris, and he participated in Freemasonry
debates. He became one of the main leaders of the parliamentary group, the Marais.
Elected in 1789, to the states-general
by the Paris nobility
, he displayed remarkable eloquence. As a jurist, he contributed during the Constituent Assembly
to the organization of the judiciary of France. In his report of March 29, 1790, he advocated trial by jury
; but failed to introduce the jury system in civil cases.
Duport formed with Barnave and Alexandre de Lameth a group known as the "triumvirate," which was popular at first. But after the flight of King Louis XVI
to Varennes, Duport tried to defend him; as member of the commission charged to question the king, he found excuses, and on July 14, 1791 he opposed the formal accusation. Having separated himself from the Jacobins
, he joined the Feuillant
party. After the Constituent Assembly, he became president of the criminal tribunal of Paris, but was arrested by Danton
during the insurrection of 10 August 1792. He escaped, thanks to evidence provided by Jean-Paul Marat
and fled to Switzerland. He returned to France after the 9th of Thermidor
of the year II, left it in exile again after the republican coup d'état
of the 18th of Fructidor
of the year V, and died at Appenzell
in Switzerland
in 1798.
, Les Orateurs de la Constituante (2nd ed., Paris, 1905, 8vo).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and lawyer.
Life
He was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He became an influential advocate in the parlement
Parlement
Parlements were regional legislative bodies in Ancien Régime France.The political institutions of the Parlement in Ancien Régime France developed out of the previous council of the king, the Conseil du roi or curia regis, and consequently had ancient and customary rights of consultation and...
, and was prominent in opposition to the ministers Calonne
Charles Alexandre de Calonne
Charles Alexandre, vicomte de Calonne was a French statesman, best known for his involvement in the French Revolution.-Rise to prominence:...
and Loménie de Brienne
Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne
Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne was a French churchman, politician and finance minister of Louis XVI.-Life:...
.
His early writings show a man who read Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
and Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, but his ideals were closer to the theories of Montesquieu and the Physiocrats
Physiocrats
Physiocracy is an economic theory developed by the Physiocrats, a group of economists who believed that the wealth of nations was derived solely from the value of "land agriculture" or "land development." Their theories originated in France and were most popular during the second half of the 18th...
. He was influenced by Cesare Beccaria on the reform of justice. He became the center of the parliamentary strength against absolutism, moving toward positions close to those advocated by Antoine Barnave
Antoine Barnave
Antoine Pierre Joseph Marie Barnave was a French politician, and, together with Honoré Mirabeau, one of the most influential orators of the early part of the French Revolution...
and Jean Joseph Mounier
Jean Joseph Mounier
Jean Joseph Mounier was a French politician and judge.He was born at Grenoble . He studied law, and in 1783 obtained a judgeship at Grenoble. He took part in the struggle between the parlements and the court in 1788, and promoted the meeting of the estates of Dauphiné at Vizille , on the eve of...
. He shared the enthusiasm of his contemporaries to the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, and became acquainted with Lafayette.
From 1784, he was a follower of mesmerism, and saw this secret society a way to prepare for major changes in society and the State. He was friends with Nicolas Berger and Jacques Pierre Brissot
Jacques Pierre Brissot
Jacques Pierre Brissot , who assumed the name of de Warville, was a leading member of the Girondist movement during the French Revolution. Some sources give his name as Jean Pierre Brissot.-Biography:...
. He was initiated at the lodge of the Friends meeting in Paris, and he participated in Freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
debates. He became one of the main leaders of the parliamentary group, the Marais.
Elected in 1789, to the states-general
French States-General
In France under the Old Regime, the States-General or Estates-General , was a legislative assembly of the different classes of French subjects. It had a separate assembly for each of the three estates, which were called and dismissed by the king...
by the Paris nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, he displayed remarkable eloquence. As a jurist, he contributed during the Constituent Assembly
Constituent assembly
A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution...
to the organization of the judiciary of France. In his report of March 29, 1790, he advocated trial by jury
Trial by Jury
Trial by Jury is a comic opera in one act, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It was first produced on 25 March 1875, at London's Royalty Theatre, where it initially ran for 131 performances and was considered a hit, receiving critical praise and outrunning its...
; but failed to introduce the jury system in civil cases.
Duport formed with Barnave and Alexandre de Lameth a group known as the "triumvirate," which was popular at first. But after the flight of King Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
to Varennes, Duport tried to defend him; as member of the commission charged to question the king, he found excuses, and on July 14, 1791 he opposed the formal accusation. Having separated himself from the Jacobins
Jacobin Club
The Jacobin Club was the most famous and influential political club in the development of the French Revolution, so-named because of the Dominican convent where they met, located in the Rue St. Jacques , Paris. The club originated as the Club Benthorn, formed at Versailles from a group of Breton...
, he joined the Feuillant
Feuillant (political group)
The Feuillants were a political grouping that emerged during the French Revolution. It came into existence from a split within the Jacobins from those opposing the overthrow of the king and proposing a constitutional monarchy. The deputies publicly split with the Jacobins when they published a...
party. After the Constituent Assembly, he became president of the criminal tribunal of Paris, but was arrested by Danton
Georges Danton
Georges Jacques Danton was leading figure in the early stages of the French Revolution and the first President of the Committee of Public Safety. Danton's role in the onset of the Revolution has been disputed; many historians describe him as "the chief force in theoverthrow of the monarchy and the...
during the insurrection of 10 August 1792. He escaped, thanks to evidence provided by Jean-Paul Marat
Jean-Paul Marat
Jean-Paul Marat , born in the Principality of Neuchâtel, was a physician, political theorist, and scientist best known for his career in France as a radical journalist and politician during the French Revolution...
and fled to Switzerland. He returned to France after the 9th of Thermidor
Thermidor
Thermidor was the eleventh month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word thermal which comes from the Greek word "thermos" which means heat....
of the year II, left it in exile again after the republican coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
of the 18th of Fructidor
Fructidor
Fructidor is the twelfth month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the Latin word fructus, which means "fruit".Fructidor is the third month of the summer quarter . By the Gregorian calendar, Fructidor starts on either August 18 or August 19 and ends exactly thirty days...
of the year V, and died at Appenzell
Appenzell (town)
Appenzell is the capital of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden in Switzerland. Appenzell has no municipal government of its own; rather, the different parts of Appenzell belong to the districts Appenzell, Schwende and Rüte...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1798.
Sources
See FA AulardFrançois Victor Alphonse Aulard
François Victor Alphonse Aulard was the first professional French historian of the French Revolution and of Napoleon.He was born at Montbron in Charente...
, Les Orateurs de la Constituante (2nd ed., Paris, 1905, 8vo).