BRISSOT JACQUES PIERRE: (1754-1793) Also known as ''De Warville'', French leading figure of the Girondins. Brissot was guillotined aged 39, after having conducted his own defence and responded point by point the absurdities of the charges against him. Extremely interesting L.S., `J.P. Brissot´, one page, 4to, Paris, 7th September 1792, in French. The letter bears at the heading the written text, `Year 4th of the freedom and 1st of Legality´, and states `The Extraordinary Commission has established, in agreement with the Interior Minister, to send ahead prisoners from Orleans. The courier has not returned yet, but as soon as the prisoner´s march will be known, Monsieur the Mayor of Paris will hasten to warn all the Presidents of the Parisian Sections.´ and concludes saying `The commission expects that you will in the meantime prepare the executions means which you suggested yesterday in order to secure safety and grant respect to Law.´ The letter bears to the bottom right corner a small ink stamp of a prestigious historical autograph collection. Very small minor age wear, and few foxing stains, otherwise VG £800-1000 Brissot and the Girondins supported the idea of keeping King Louis XVI under arrest instead of executing him, both as a hostage and as a bargaining chip. Brissot believed that once Louis XVI was executed all of France's foreign negotiating power would be lost. His early works on legislation, his pamphlets, speeches in the Legislative Assembly and the Convention, demonstrated dedication to the principles of the French Revolution. Brissot's own idea of a fair, democratic society, with universal suffrage, living in moral as well as political freedom, foreshadowed many modern liberationist ideologies. The present decree was issued the day after the infamous September Massacres took place, from 2nd to 6th September, where a number of killings occurred in Paris and other cities. More than one thousand prisoners were killed within 20 hours.