Foussedoire, Representative of the People in the Departments of Haut- and Bas-Rhin (1794)André

Foussedoire, Representative of the People in the Departments of Haut- and Bas-Rhin (1794)André Foussedoire,a Montagnard deputy en mission, published this address on 19 August 1794. He had been sent on a mission to Alsace in the spring of 1794, in the course of which he implemented a number of (seemingly, rather unpopular) measures. In this address, he attacks the violent prejudice against Jews among citizens of Haut- and Bas-Rhin.Citizens,It is with the emphasis of profound indignation that Ihave to complain about the humiliations that one exercises in these Departmentsagainst men that malevolence or ineptitude always endeavour to classify underthe denomination Jews. One renews,every day, every moment, these reproaches of agiotage, of usury, ofsuperstition against them, which most of them have ceased to deserve, since thenational will, based on natural equity, has returned them to the dignity oftheir being, & has granted them the glorious title French Citizens.It has equally been assured to me, that one has goneas far as to say, in the sessions of Popular Societies, that these individualswere all scoundrels [and] crooks; that, within a few days, [and] by decree ofthe National Convention, they had to be chased from the Republic, & thattheir debtors were exempted from keeping any commitment towards them; that, inaccordance with an order of the Department, contrary to all principles, theyhave, for a long time, constantly endured a miscarriage of justice; that, in apublic auction, an Administrative Commissioner, trampling under foot both thelaw & his duties, opposed himself to a supposed Jew having a possession,which had fallen to him in the course of bids.That a tribunal has a tribunal has passed against oneof them, who, in truth, was convicted of the offence that he had been warned of,an almost barbarous judgement, whose utterance contains expressions [that are]as hateful as [they are] impolitic, assertions [that are] equally false &counter-revolutionary, & in order to place the last stroke on this rapidlysketched picture, that one has taken indecency as far as to exhume the corpseof one of these men, who, desiring the law, had been deposed in a cemetery.No doubt, Citizens, these outrageous injustices &these reprehensible excesses sully only a few thoughtless functionaries, [whoare] unworthy of your confidence, and a few individuals [who are] blinded bytheir prejudice or their ignorance; but it is no less urgent to publish them& to take the repressive measures that humanity and justice require underthese circumstances.Citizens, may public censorship be exerted over allthose who, irrespective of principles, offend their brothers through hatred orthrough prejudice; & as for me, when using the authority that I have beenentrusted with, I will not forget [to do] anything in order to enforce the lawwhich equally protects all Frenchmen.Signed, FOUSSEDOIRE.Source: IMPRIMÉ QUI DÉNONCE TRAITEMENT DES JUIFS EN ALSACE -- source link
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