Robert Lindet
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Jean-Baptiste Robert Lindet (1749 - February 17, 1825) was a French Revolutionary.
He was born at Bernay (Eure). Before the Revolution he worked as an avocat at Bernay. He acted as procureur-syndic of the district of Bernay during the session of the Constituent Assembly. Appointed deputy to the Legislative Assembly and subsequently to the Convention, he became well-known. He was very hostile to King Louis XVI, provided a Rapport sur les crimes imputés à Louis Capet (December 20, 1792) - a report of ths king's alleged crimes - and voted for the king's execution without appeal. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Revolutionary Tribunal and contributed to the downfall of the Girondists.
As a member of the Committee of Public Safety, he was very concerned by the question of food supplies, and it was only by his perseverance and great administrative talent that he managed to cope with this difficult problem. He had meanwhile been sent to suppress revolts in the districts of Rhone, Eure, Calvados and Finistère, where he had been able to pursue a conciliatory policy. Without being formally opposed to Maximilien Robespierre, he did not support him, and he was the only member of the Committee of Public Safety who did not sign the order for the execution of Georges Danton and his party.
In a spirit of moderation he opposed the Thermidorian reaction, and defended Barère, Billaud-Varenne and Collot d'Herbois from the accusations made against them on March 22, 1795. Himself denounced on May 20, 1795, he was defended by his brother Thomas, but only escaped condemnation by the vote of amnesty of the 4th of Brumaire, year IV (October 26, 1795). He was minister of finance from June 18 to November 9, 1799, but refused office under the Consulate and the Empire.
In 1816 he was proscribed by the Restoration government as a regicide, and did not return to France until just before his death. His brother, Thomas Lindet, became a Constitutional bishop and member of the Convention.
See Amand Montier, Robert Lindet (Paris, 1899); H Turpin, Thomas Lindet (Bernay, 1886); A Montier, Correspondance de Thomas Lindet (Paris, 1899).
Reference
- This entry incorporates public domain text originally from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica.