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BY-GONE
IS: THE REVOLUTION. | |
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Is-sur-Tille
participated in the revolutionary era with great patriotic fervour and
relatively little excess. In 1790 the town was elevated to the level of
departmental district with responsibility for 82 communes. In
administrative terms, it was an important promotion, which allowed Is to
host a court which, in conjunction with the district's ruling body, played
a major rôle in the running of local affairs and in its adherence to the
revolutionary ideal. Revolutionary fervour provided the right climate for
the creation of numerous political clubs and societies. One popular society in particular, affiliated to the original
Jacobins in Paris, was founded. This group worked for the development of a democratic
ideal and totally undermined bourgeois influence. The development of this
society was such that it brought about the Reign of Terror. For being in
favour of Robespierre's execution and of the reactionary period it sparked
off, Dominique Larché, the town's mayor and key influence on popular society
in Is-sur-Tille, had to resign and was disarmed, along with two other
terrorists, a café-owner and a former court judge. Even
when the Terror was at its height, no "infamous act of cruelty" took place
in the commune. The political detainees were treated humanely. Among these
were Madame de Bretaigne and Madame Perreney, mothers of sons who were
presumed to have emigrated. There was also Jacques Riboulet, a methodical
clerk whose views were only just constitutional. On 18th May, Madame
Lecompasseur de Courtivron, along with her children, made herself a
voluntary detainee. She was held in the town's prison, but the council
granted her the right to an hour's external release twice a week. She
exercised this right under the surveillance of citizen Brulet, a surgeon
in Is. Clergy
goods and possessions declared national assets were put on sale from 2nd
November 1789. In the Is-sur-Tille area the belongings of Bèze abbey,
Saint-Seine abbey, the Capuchin convent, the small-holding at Les
Mautitaines, Marcilly's pond and mill, Courtivron castle and Le Fossé
farm were sold. A few over-eager patriots went on to arrange the sale of
goods at Is-sur-Tille's hospital, only to discover that a decree from the
departmental administration had put the sale on hold. Auguste Mochot, in
his book, regrets this excessive zeal, the only such case in the seven
districts of the department. The town of Is-sur-Tille allied itself with
all the great national movements of the period. A civilian branch of the
National Guard was formed as early as 21st July 1789 and participated in
the patriotic regional and national celebrations: an example of this was
the Federation Festival on the Champ de Mars in Paris on 14th July 1790. The
intense momentum of 1792 was felt in Is-sur-Tille, where nine volunteers
spontaneously offered to go and march against the enemy. Baptiste Sirodot,
a judge in the district and father of one of the volunteers offered to pay
for his son's arms and equipment, so that he could leave immediately. In
July 1793 the commune had to subsidise the conscription of fifteen men (bachelors
and widowers between the ages of 16 and 45), selected by lottery at 04.00
at the Town Hall. A few
picturesque details come from anecdotes more than from a reliable historical account. So, the church was declared a national house and was
made to have a bust of the goddess of reason placed on the high altar. A
statue of Liberty temporarily graced la Place des Acacias, on the site of
the current Asile Charbonnel. The town-centre streets were given names,
some of which have survived. La Rue de l'Égalité (Equality Street)
replaced la rue de la Cure (Cure (Parish) Street). La Grand'Rue (High
Street, now la Rue Dominique Ancemot) became la Rue Mirabeau and was so
named with great ceremony on 14th April 1891 by the Society of Friends of
the Constitution. La Rue du Château (Castle Street) was called Rue de
Soicheron (now Rue Charbonnel). La Place Commune (Communal Square)
replaced la Place de l'Église (Church Square). La Place des Halles (Market
Square, today's Place de la République) was given the name Place de la
Liberté (Freedom Square).
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A "Freedom
Tree"
was planted there and was the focal point of an impressive "Festival of the
Eternal" celebrated on 20th Prairial of Year 2.