Bibliography
"The Jacobins." Revolution. Ed. Russ Collins. 2007. Thinkquest. 26 Apr. 2009 .

Kreis, Steven. "The Orgins of the French Revolution." The History Guide. 2000. 23 Apr. 2009 .

Moore, Richard. "French Revolution." Napoleonic Guide. 2006. .

Smitha, Frank E. "The French Revolution." MacroHistory and World Report. 22 Apr. 2009. 2002 .

Jacques Pétain was executed on January 18, 1793. He was sentenced to death after he was convicted of desertion and rebellion. He was executed along with about 50 others, charged with committing similar crimes. He was captured the day before by a man in the Royal French Guard, when he was caught in the streets talking to another about his dissatisfaction with Robespierre, and how he wished a new King would take the thrown. Many were convicted of similar crimes, even though there is no substantial proof of fair trials behind the arrests and executions. A final letter written by him was found a few days later written to his father:
Dear Father,
I am very worried. I do not think I will make it out alive from the terrors that are happening on our street as we speak. I have heard of so many that have been killed for not completely agreeing with Robespierre and his men. I think I will soon be caught because I often cannot help but show my disrespect for them. I hope you understand that father, and I wish you the best if anything happens to me. Please tell mother I love her and I miss her.
Sincerely
Jacques Petain

I have barely left my house in over 9 months. I fear for my life almost everyday. Since I have left the Royal French Guard I have not been able to publicly walk the street, for I would be killed. Many of my old comrades, who used to work for me, would now betray me if they saw me, because I refuse to change my loyalties to that of a man named Robespierre. He says he wants to make the conditions better for all men, and has become the new leader of France by force but I cannot be faithful to someone who killed our King. Since I refused to join them I am now considered to be somewhat of a traitor, as I still stay true to what I believed is right, and that the King should not have been executed. I would probably be killed if I were seen. I have seen it happen so many times to many people, though they are often people of authority and public name, that openly appose Robespierre. These last few months have also not just had senseless killing, but burnings, and a war has been started with what seems to be every neighbouring country we have. It has been very hard on many people, because even if now we can afford the bread, because of the new fixed price, we cannot go out and get it. I also do not approve of the way these people have been treating the Church. I hold great honour in my faith, and to see these people close the churches, and kill many people involved with it is devastating. I cannot fulfill my duties as a devout Christian if I cannot go to mass every Sunday. I wish this great terror to be over, even if this Robespierre is to stay in power. I wish that he would simply restore our country to how it was before and stop the senseless killing. I hope to one day live in a France where I feel free to go out on the streets and resume a position under a newly reinstated King. The most important job I will ever have is to serve the King I have and serve him well!

I have grave news that affects me very deeply. Our King Louis XIV and his wife have been executed. I wish that this did not have to be the case, and some other form of action could have been taken. Even if some people feel that King Louis XIV leadership had not been without flaws in the past few years, they did not have to make a public showing their dissatisfaction. It is a disgrace to me and everyone else because the King is our leader, who we unconditionally follow, and his public beheading is a public show of disloyalty to all we hold sacred. Other news that is greatly upsetting to me is my recent displacement from my job. My prediction that all things to do with the church are being scrutinized has come true, and my position discontinued. I could have stayed a French Guard, but I refused to take part in any rebellious acts against the King. Many of the men that I worked with for a long time are now running the streets in the daily riots that seem to be going on since the Kings death. I hope they do not get any worse, since right now they mostly talk of burning buildings to the ground, instead of actually doing it. I very much hope that we will get some stable leadership after this. I do not think I can stand to see anymore of my town destroyed, and I would hate to see anything else happen to anyone else in the Kings family. I have also heard rumours of an impending war with other countries such as Britain, who many people who voice their opinions publicly think should know better than to disagree with the way our country is run. Well, with the way things are going I would almost consider fighting on the British side! I could, of course, never do that to my parents, and I hope it never comes to a war, as I do not think we could stand it in this divided state. I wish our country could just return to the way it used to be, and none of this ever had to occur.

Apparently, there has been a new Constitution made, which newly calls our state of governing a Constitutional Monarchy. My father says it is a good idea, but I am not so sure. He said that it gives more power to the people and gives the King less authority. I do not approve, because many of the people my parents and I know would not do good for anyone else if they were given more power. It is best to stick to our old ways with just one man, our King, in power and then there will be less power struggles, because everyone knows who is in charge. This is the most effective form of leadership at my position, me being the leader of my group of men, with no second in command. I have to follow my superior’s orders, who receive their orders from the King, no matter what they are, and my men must follow mine. I have a suspicion that I will soon not have my position anymore though. In the new constitution there has been a new condition set forth that no one in the church receives special privileges, and all church land has been handed over to the state. I fear that these conditions will soon apply to going to church, and anything related to the Roman Catholic faith, which means my position will no longer exist. I hope this is not the case, but it may very well come true in the next few years. I am sure that some kind of power struggle will also follow this new Constitution. Though it is still called a kind of monarchy, the King no longer has ultimate power, and soon someone else will want to siege just that little bit of power, and then more and more power. The people who say they want equal power for all really just want more power for themselves, and wish they had as much power as the King. I, for one, will not try to get any kind of higher position than what I have now. I am very satisfied with my job, and am still very faithful to the King. I hope that my predictions for a power struggle are wrong, this whole situation disappears and the King will get back all of his previous power.