Charles-François Lebrun

Biography

Youth and period preceding the Revolution

Fourth wire of Paul Lebrun, operating small holder and of Louise Cronier, it was educated like his/her seven other brothers by an abbot and a relationship giving them a rudimentary instruction, before sending it to the college of Coutances, then with the college of Grassin, Paris, which accommodates mainly young people of the Diocèse. It will learn there the Latin , the Greek , the Italian , the Spanish and the English, languages which it usually speaks at the 20 years age. It will continue then studies of Philosophie to the Collège of Navarre. Discovering Montesquieu, it ardently wishes to study the Constitution kingdom of Great Britain. For that, it leaves in a long tour carrying out it in Belgium, Holland and arrives finally to England in 1762. It will attend regularly the meetings of the Parlement and learns how to appreciate this system which it would have liked to be able to adapt to the France.

Of return in France, he undertakes studies of right near professor Truck, who will present it to the first president Parlement of Paris, Rene Nicolas de Maupeou, by which he will be engaged like Précepteur for his son.

During this period it translates Iliade d' Homére, later it will translate also the Odyssey.

Maupéou named in 1768 Chancellor, Lebrun will benefit from it to play a part in the Chancellery so much so that one will say: “That would be Maupéou without Lebrun? ” Thanks to the benevolence of Maupéou, Lebrun is named as of 1765 critic of the King, posts giving right an extremely advantageous income. It will buy the Charge of Payer of the revenues three years later (once again thanks to Maupéou, which will grant a loan to him). Of 1771 with 1774 during the launching of a program of reform supported by the king, Lebrun believed that it could play a big role and make evolve the French Monarchie to a mode with English, but the disgrace of Maupéou, coming with death from Louis XV, involving that of Lebrun, but also the stop of the reform, it could not succeed in this project which would certainly have delayed the explosion of 1789. Although according to its guard in his disgrace, Lebrun preserves its incomes and launches out in the writing after a marriage with a girl of the middle-class, Anne Delagoutte of which it will have a son, Anne Charles Lebrun. It will publish shortly after a book: Jerusalem delivered . The legend would like that this book belonged to the readings of Bonaparte still to Brienne. In 1779, it buys a ground close to Dourdan, very exactly with, and often withdraws itself there far from Parisian agitation, to live according to the principles of Rousseau. It will be necessary to await the government of Necker so that one remakes a little call with him but only as an adviser and surely by friendship on behalf of Necker.

Revolution to the 18 brumaire

In 1789, little before the Revolution, it publishes: the voice of the Citizen , delivers that some qualify the premonitory one on the continuation of the events. The March 25th 1789, it is elected Député of the Bailliage of Dourdan by the Tiers state, with the General states. This occasion, it gives up its pecuniary and expensive privileges “for the third state”. The May 5th, it lends Serment of the play of palm. It will be invested much in the function of deputy, so much so that it will be named member of the committee of the contributions of the Constituante and will be the rapporteur as well as the writer of many bill. There will make in kind adhere to no club and consequently remain independent. This will be worth the friendship of many moderated deputies to him, so much so that he will be proposed with the presidency of the assembly, but he will be beaten of accuracy by the Montesquiou abbot.

Following the dissolution of Constituent, the May 16th 1791, and to impossibility for its deputies of representing itself for a mandate of deputy, it turned over in his department, the Seine-et-Oise, of which he will become president of the directory. The year 1792 marks a turning, with the assassination of the mayor of Stamps, then the plundering of the apartments of the king by crowd the June 20th 1792.

Following an intervention with the platform of the assembly, making it tax with “impetuous moderate” or “exaggerated aristocrat” by the Jacobins, it feels the tension to go up and prefers to resign of its position of director and is withdrawn once again in Dourdan on August 7th. The catch of Tileries the August 10th 1792, shocks it particularly, him which remains royalist.

Towards the end of August, it is indicated, by the population of Dourdan which continues to estimate it, to belong to the electoral college charged to elect the deputies of Seine-et-Oise to the Convention.

Pushed by its compatriots, it agrees to be presented, which will start a new cabal against him.

It will be stopped twice during the Terreur:

the 15 fructidor Year I, as a suspect it is locked up with the récollets of Versailles. It will be released thanks to the representative Joseph-Augustin Crassous who, following a mission in Seine-et-Oise, is intrigued and studies his file, and finally orders its handing-over in freedom. Lebrun returns to Grillon the 27 pluviôse An II.
the meadow 26 An II, whereas it makes a request for a Certificat of good citizenship, it is returned in prison with the récollets and, irony of the history, on order of Crassous. Lebrun fears for its head but will be saved by his/her niece Henriette Lebrun who will succeed in stealing her file of charge provocant a delay thus. Delay which made that the head of Robespierre fell before his. It will be given in freedom, on order of the Comité of general security, the 20 vendémiaire year II (October 11th, 1794). This setting in freedom was late because of the obstinacy of Crassous.

After the coup d'etat of Thermidor 9 and the installation of the Directory, he will be elected with the Conseil of Old the. Royalist moderated, it was regarded there as a specialist in the financial questions. He preached in particular the national reconciliation or amnesties emigrants, while being opposed for example to the proscriptions issued after the coup d'etat anti-royalist of fructidor.

18 brumaire and its continuations

Under the Consulate, he became third consul, particularly in charge of finances. It is thus quite naturally that he became then prince-architrésorier of the First Empire, in 1804. Napoleon i did it duke of Plaisance. In 1807, it took part in the creation of the Court of Auditors. In 1810, it was charged to organize fastening with the France kingdom of Holland. During the fall of Napoleon, it was named Pair France by Louis XVIII. It accepted during the Hundred Days the load of large Master of the University, which deprived it of peerage at the time of the final return of monarchy. It then withdrew in its Holy-Mesme property of , where it died at the 85 years age. Charles-François Lebrun, duke of Pleasure, will be buried with the Cimetière of the Father Lachaise.

The name of Charles-François Lebrun was given to the college of Coutances and its statue is not far from the cathedral.

A Stained glass of the church of Saint-Saver-Lendelin celebrating the participation of Lebrun in the development of the legal settlement and religious peace, was inaugurated in September 2002, as well as a monument located in the village. A portrait out of dress of Archi-Treasurer is exposed in the Town hall.

The Large Encyclopedic Dictionary of the 19th century provides the conclusion of a short biography of Lebrun: It is one of the men of the Révolution in which rise was more surprising, because it was the work neither of the ambition, nor of the intrigue. Filled favors (…), it could always keep its independence and its outspokenness. It was the man of moderation .

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