Joseph le Bon
Encyclopedia
Joseph Le Bon was a French
politician
.
He was born at Arras. He became a priest in the order of the Oratory, and professor of rhetoric at Beaune
. He adopted revolutionary ideas, and became a curé of the Constitutional Church in the department of Pas-de-Calais, where he was later elected as a député suppléant to the Convention. He became maire
of Arras and administrateur of Pas-de-Calais, and on 2 July 1793 took his seat in the Convention.
He was sent as a representative on missions into the departments of the Somme
and Pas-de-Calais, where he showed great severity in dealing with offences against revolutionaries (8th Brumaire
, year II. to 22nd Messidor
, year II.; i.e. 29 October 1793 to 10 July 1794). In consequence, during the reaction which followed the 9th Thermidor
(27 July 1794) he was arrested on the 22nd Messidor, year III. (10 July 1795). He was tried before the criminal tribunal of the Somme, condemned to death for abuse of his power during his mission, and executed at Amiens
on the 24th Vendémiaire
in the year IV. (10 October 1795). Whatever Le Bon's offences, his condemnation was to a great extent due to the violent attacks of one of his political enemies, Armand Guifroy; and it is only just to remember that it was owing to his courage that Cambrai
was saved from falling into the hands of the Austrians.
His son, Émile Le Bon, published a Histoire de Joseph Le Bon et des tribunaux révolutionnaires d'Arras et de Cambrai (2nd ed. 2 vols., Arras, 1864).
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...
.
He was born at Arras. He became a priest in the order of the Oratory, and professor of rhetoric at Beaune
Beaune
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Cote d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Paris and Geneva.Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France...
. He adopted revolutionary ideas, and became a curé of the Constitutional Church in the department of Pas-de-Calais, where he was later elected as a député suppléant to the Convention. He became maire
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Arras and administrateur of Pas-de-Calais, and on 2 July 1793 took his seat in the Convention.
He was sent as a representative on missions into the departments of the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
and Pas-de-Calais, where he showed great severity in dealing with offences against revolutionaries (8th Brumaire
Brumaire
Brumaire was the second month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word brume which occurs frequently in France at that time of the year....
, year II. to 22nd Messidor
Messidor
Messidor was the tenth month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the Latin word messis, which means harvest....
, year II.; i.e. 29 October 1793 to 10 July 1794). In consequence, during the reaction which followed the 9th 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....
(27 July 1794) he was arrested on the 22nd Messidor, year III. (10 July 1795). He was tried before the criminal tribunal of the Somme, condemned to death for abuse of his power during his mission, and executed at Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
on the 24th Vendémiaire
Vendémiaire
Vendémiaire was the first month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word vendange .Vendémiaire was the first month of the autumn quarter . It started on the day of the autumnal equinox, which fell between 22 September and 24 September, inclusive. It thus ended...
in the year IV. (10 October 1795). Whatever Le Bon's offences, his condemnation was to a great extent due to the violent attacks of one of his political enemies, Armand Guifroy; and it is only just to remember that it was owing to his courage that Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
was saved from falling into the hands of the Austrians.
His son, Émile Le Bon, published a Histoire de Joseph Le Bon et des tribunaux révolutionnaires d'Arras et de Cambrai (2nd ed. 2 vols., Arras, 1864).