Off With Their Heads

Hello Journal
I apologize for not writing in for the past 3 years but just be glad that I have survived the Reign of Terror with my head still in place. Since the last time I wrote the King moved to Paris with us. A couple of months later in 1791 the king and his family attempted to escape to Varennes. He acted like such a traitor leaving us. When we brought him back we confined him in the Tuieries Castle with his family for 3 years. Meanwhile we the revolutionaries in the assembly gained control of France. The leader of the assembly my dear friend Robespierre convinced us that we had,” To kill the king so that the revolution could live". On February 21, 1793 the most joyous day of our revolution, at 10:22AM Louis XVI was beheaded under the guillotine. "I pray that my death is for the happiness of my people" he said trying to gain pity from us but only who were close could hear him because the drums were too loud. With his death we became the French Republic. However, even with the king dead turmoil continued. From 1793-94 one of my hero and mentor Robespierre became the dictator of France and also my enemy. Before he had been such an exquisite man who believed in humanity but during his short dictatorial rule he killed 40,000 people. He had secret police around France listening to people and if someone was suspected of still being loyal to the old regime of King Louis they were killed. I was both disgusted and afraid of him. I could no longer go to him and speak my mind fully because I thought for sure he would have my head the next day. However we did not suffer long under his tyranny, eventually the deputies charged him of his crimes and he was executed. The reign of terror died with Robespierre but the New Republic and our declaration lives now and forever more.
Enthusiastically,
Thomas Lewes