Terror is only justice: prompt, severe and inflexible. It is then an emanation of virtue.

Formerly, when a king died at Versailles the reign of his successor was immediately announced by the cry: "The king is dead, long live the king", in order to make it understood that despotism is immortal! Now an entire people, moved by a sublime instinct, cried: Long live the Republic! to teach the universe that tyranny died with the tyrant.

Is it to be thought unreasonable that the people, in atonement for wrongs of a century, demand the vengeance of a single day?

The revolution is the war of liberty against its enemies. The constitution is the rule of liberty against its enemies. The constitution is the rule of liberty when victorious and peaceable.

No one loves armed missionaries; the first lesson of nature and prudence is to repulse them as enemies.

Terror is nothing more than justice, prompt, secure and inflexible.

The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant.